Movie Review - Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Let's face it, no one watches porn for the plot. Two barely dressed women order pizza and minutes later a buff young man knocks on the door. You know what happens next.
Likewise, no one watches mega monster movies expecting Inception level plot twists. We watch to see monsters eff each other up and lay waste to cities the way politicians lay waste to the truth. Based on that criteria, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is completely satisfying and ends with a "money shot" worth the price of admission.
My primary gripe of Godzilla 2014 was that there weren't nearly enough Godzilla fight scenes. This sequel rectifies that in the first 30 minutes of the movie.
Leaving the theater last night, I was hovering in the B+/A- range grade for this movie. However, after a little thought, I'm backing off to a solid B, only because -- while I just said we watch these movies for the monster fights -- it would be nice if the scenes between could prop the movie up, instead of drag it down.
I didn't care if any of the characters lived or died, other than perhaps Madison, the daughter. Everyone else was as disposable as pizza toppings. In fact, I was sort of hoping Dr. Stanton, played by Bradley Whitford -- the sarcastic smart ass from West Wing -- would get killed, so he would stop delivering nothing but cheesy lines. Not that Bradley is to fault. He did his job wonderfully, but I suspect he was on-set begging with the writers to give him just one line that wasn't purely for exposition or a smart ass comment.
I know I said at the beginning of this review that plot in a movie like this is completely irrelevant, but that's not completely true. It is of vital importance to the rewatchability of a movie. Right now I have no interest in watching this movie again, unless it's just to fast forward from one monster fight to another.
I realize that "rewatchability" is highly subjective. That being said, this movie lacked the playfulness of a movie like Pacific Rim.
Movie Grade: B
A second take from Michelle Prichard Taylor
Having not seen any of the previous Godzilla movies, I’m not sure what I was expecting going in to see this 4th film. I had no notion what was coming, other than 'large monsters destroying cities'. The beginning of the movie does a fair job filling the viewer in to what’s going on, but there could have been more, I thought. Once it got going, however, it was a nonstop thrill ride.
The sheer plethora of monsters was very satisfying. Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and Ghidorah were joined by other unnamed monsters. These Titans, as they’re called, could be the Earth’s destruction or salvation.
It all depends on which scientist you ask. A corporation of scientists by the name of Monarch nominated itself the keeper of the monsters. However, the government wants the military to control this group.
Then a threat comes from an outside and unexpected source.
The special effects were fantastic. The Titans came alive on the screen. It reminded me of the first time I saw Jurassic Park. Those dinosaurs were believable, as are these monsters. The fight scenes are very satisfying. Add in the military’s weaponry and you have yourself a recipe for a spectacular bout.
The script is a bit rushed. It seems as though the producer really just wanted those Titan scenes, and everything else was a means to get there. Revelations are made, but the viewer is given no chance to digest the information before we are thrown into another battle. It’s all just treated as filler almost.
Which is sad, because the film has a great cast that are mostly overrun. The only two who leave a lasting impression are Ken Watanabe (Inception, The Last Samurai) as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa and Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) as Madison Russel. Even the “bad guys” are just blah.
Overall, the film is a fun ride if what you’re looking for is a good action movie with great monsters. Just don’t expect to come away with something intellectually thrilling.
https://runpee.com/our-modern-godzilla-grading-legendarys-monsterverse-plus-godzilla-1998/
https://runpee.com/movie-review-godzilla-king-of-the-monsters/
https://runpee.com/movie-review-of-kong-skull-island/
https://runpee.com/virgin-movie-review-godzilla-2014-not-as-bad-as-the-last-one/
https://runpee.com/rewatch-review-godzilla-1998-more-overthinking-than-this-film-deserves/
Michelle's grade: B
https://runpee.com/is-godzilla-king-of-the-monsters-a-sequel-to-kong-skull-island/
https://runpee.com/godzilla-movie-review/
https://runpee.com/movie-review-of-kong-skull-island/
https://runpee.com/rewatch-review-godzilla-1998-more-overthinking-than-this-film-deserves/
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