Godzilla: King of the Monsters - A Review
Introduction
Godzilla is one of the most famous and beloved monsters in cinema history. He has been featured in over 30 films since his debut in 1954, as well as countless comics, books, games, toys, and other media. He has also inspired many other giant creatures, such as King Kong, Gamera, Cloverfield, Pacific Rim, and more.
But how does Godzilla fare in the modern era of blockbuster filmmaking? That is the question that many fans and critics have asked since 2014, when Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. launched their MonsterVerse franchise, a shared cinematic universe that features Godzilla and other classic kaiju from Toho Studios.
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The first film in the series, simply titled Godzilla, was directed by Gareth Edwards and starred Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, and Sally Hawkins. It was a reboot of the character that aimed to be more realistic and grounded than previous incarnations. It received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, who praised the visual effects and cinematography, but criticized the slow pace, lack of monster action, and underdeveloped human characters.
The second film in the series was Kong: Skull Island, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and starring Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly. It was a prequel that introduced King Kong to the MonsterVerse, as well as other creatures that inhabit Skull Island. It was set in 1973 during the Vietnam War era, and had a more adventurous and humorous tone than Godzilla. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and audiences, who enjoyed the fun and colorful spectacle, but noted some flaws in the script and characters.
The third film in the series is Godzilla: King of the Monsters, directed by Michael Dougherty and starring Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Zhang Ziyi, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O'Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Anthony Ramos, Elizabeth Ludlow, Jonathan Howard, CCH Pounder, Joe Morton, Randy Havens. It is a sequel to Godzilla that brings back some of his most iconic foes and allies: Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. It is set in 2019 after the events of Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island.
In this article, I will review Godzilla: King of the Monsters based on its plot, characters, action scenes, effects, homages, themes, and reception. I will also give my personal opinion and rating of the film, and recommend some similar films that you might enjoy.
The Good
The monster action and effects
One of the main attractions of any Godzilla film is seeing him fight other giant monsters. And in that regard, Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers spectacularly. The film features four main monsters: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. Each of them has their own personality, design, and abilities. They are also faithful to their original counterparts from the Toho films, with some modern updates and twists.
The film showcases several epic battles between the monsters, both on land and in the air. The action scenes are well-choreographed, thrilling, and satisfying. The film also does a good job of balancing the scale and spectacle of the fights with the human perspective and involvement. The film makes you feel the awe and terror of witnessing these titans clash, as well as the impact and destruction they cause.
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The visual effects of the film are also impressive and realistic. The monsters look detailed, expressive, and lifelike. The film uses a lot of different lighting, colors, and weather effects to create different moods and atmospheres for each scene. The film also uses some practical effects and sets to enhance the realism and immersion of the film.
The homages to the classic Toho films
Another aspect of the film that fans will appreciate is the numerous homages and references to the classic Toho films. The film pays tribute to the history and legacy of Godzilla and his fellow kaiju, as well as the filmmakers and actors who brought them to life.
Some of the homages include:
The use of Akira Ifukube's original Godzilla theme and other musical cues from the Toho films.
The appearance of Dr. Serizawa's oxygen destroyer, a weapon that was used to kill Godzilla in his first film.
The reveal of Godzilla's underwater lair, which resembles his home in Monster Island from several Toho films.
The name of Mothra's twin fairies, Ilene and Ling Chen, which are derived from their Japanese names, Shobijin.
The design of King Ghidorah's heads, which are based on his different incarnations from the Toho films.
The use of Godzilla's nuclear pulse attack, which he first used in Godzilla vs. Biollante.
The post-credits scene that hints at the possible creation of Mecha-King Ghidorah, a cyborg version of King Ghidorah that appeared in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah.
These homages show that the filmmakers respect and honor the source material, while also adding their own creative touches and ideas.
The themes and messages of the film
Besides the monster action and homages, the film also explores some themes and messages that are relevant to the current world. The film deals with issues such as environmentalism, terrorism, human arrogance, coexistence, and balance.
The film presents a conflict between two factions: Monarch, a secret organization that studies and protects the monsters, and the eco-terrorists, a group of extremists who want to unleash the monsters to restore the natural order. The film also introduces the idea of the Orca, a device that can communicate and control the monsters using bioacoustics.
The film raises some questions about the role and responsibility of humanity in relation to the monsters and the planet. Are the monsters a threat or a blessing? Are they our enemies or our allies? Are we their masters or their servants? Are we the cause or the solution of the problems we face?
The film does not provide easy or definitive answers to these questions, but rather invites the audience to think and decide for themselves. The film also suggests that there is a balance and harmony between all living things, and that we should respect and appreciate the diversity and beauty of life.
The Bad
The human drama and dialogue
While the film excels in the monster department, it falls short in the human department. The film has a large and talented cast of actors, but most of them are wasted or underused. The film tries to juggle too many characters and subplots, but fails to develop them properly or make them interesting.
The main human characters are Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler), a former Monarch employee and wildlife photographer who lost his son in the 2014 Godzilla attack; Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga), his estranged wife and a Monarch scientist who invented the Orca; and Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown), their daughter who is caught in the middle of their conflict.
The film also features Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins), two Monarch veterans who return from the previous film; Dr. Ilene Chen and Dr. Ling Chen (Zhang Ziyi), twin sisters who are Monarch experts on Mothra; Dr. Rick Stanton (Bradley Whitford), a sarcastic Monarch technician; Dr. Sam Coleman (Thomas Middleditch), a nervous Monarch liaison; Dr. Houston Brooks (Joe Morton) and Dr. San Lin (Elizabeth Ludlow), two Monarch researchers who appeared in Kong: Skull Island; Colonel Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), a former British Army colonel turned eco-terrorist leader; Colonel Diane Foster (Aisha Hinds), a Monarch G-Team leader; Chief Warrant Officer Jackson Barnes (O'Shea Jackson Jr.), a Monarch G-Team member; Admiral William Stenz (David Strathairn), a US Navy officer who commands the military response to the monsters; Staff Sergeant Anthony Martinez (Anthony Ramos), a US Army soldier who assists Monarch; Asher Jonah (Jonathan Howard), Alan Jonah's son and right-hand man; Senator Williams (CCH Pounder), a US senator who wants to destroy the monsters; and Dr. Tim Mancini (Randy Havens), a Monarch paleobiologist.
As you can see, that is a lot of characters to keep track of, and most of them have little to no personality, backstory, or motivation. They are mostly there to deliver exposition, comic relief, or emotional reactions. Some of them are killed off without much impact or consequence. Some of them have illogical or inconsistent actions or decisions. Some of them are just plain annoying or forgettable.
The dialogue of the film is also weak and cheesy. The film relies on clichés, jokes, references, and speeches to fill in the gaps between the monster scenes. The film does not have much subtlety or nuance in its writing. The film does not make you care or root for the human characters, nor does it make you invested in their relationships or conflicts.
The logic and consistency of the film
Another problem of the film is the logic and consistency of the film. The film has many plot holes, contradictions, and inconsistencies that make the film hard to follow or believe. The film does not explain or justify some of the actions or decisions of the characters or the monsters. The film also contradicts or ignores some of the established rules or facts of the MonsterVerse.
Some of the examples of these issues are:
How did Emma Russell create the Orca, a device that can communicate and control the monsters, without anyone noticing or stopping her?
How did Alan Jonah and his eco-terrorists infiltrate and attack several Monarch facilities around the world without any resistance or security?
How did Monarch transport Godzilla's body from San Francisco to their underwater base without anyone noticing or interfering?
How did Godzilla survive a nuclear blast at point-blank range, and how did he recover so quickly from his injuries?
How did Mothra survive being impaled by Rodan, and how did she fly from China to Boston in a matter of minutes?
How did King Ghidorah regenerate his head so fast, and how did he survive being decapitated by Godzilla?
How did Madison Russell escape from the Fenway Park stadium, and how did she find her way back to her parents?
How did Godzilla become the alpha of all the monsters, and why did they all bow to him?
These issues show that the film does not have a coherent or consistent story, and that it sacrifices logic and sense for spectacle and convenience.
The critical and commercial reception of the film
The final aspect of the film that I will discuss is the critical and commercial reception of the film. The film was not well received by critics or audiences, who had mixed or negative opinions about the film. The film also performed poorly at the box office, failing to meet the expectations or break even with its budget.
The film has a 42% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 387 reviews, with an average rating of 5.10/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers spectacular kaiju action -- and reaffirms that cutting-edge effects are still no substitute for a good story."
The film has a 60% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 25,000+ ratings, with an average rating of 3.34/5. The website's audience says: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a fun popcorn flick with great monster action, but it suffers from weak human characters and a convoluted plot."
The film has a 48/100 score on Metacritic, based on 50 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". The website's critical summary reads: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a visually stunning but narratively shallow sequel that fails to live up to its potential."
The film has a 6.0/10 score on Metacritic, based on 1,300+ ratings, indicating "mixed or average reviews". The website's user summary reads: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a disappointing follow-up to Godzilla that wastes its talented cast and impressive effects on a boring and nonsensical story."
The film has a 6.0/10 score on IMDb, based on 140,000+ votes, indicating "fairly positive reviews". The website's user reviews are divided between those who loved the film for its monster action and homages, and those who hated the film for its human drama and logic.
The film grossed $386.6 million worldwide against a production budget of $170 million. It was considered a box office bomb by analysts, who estimated that it needed to gross at least $550 million to break even. The film was also overshadowed by other blockbuster films that were released around the same time, such as Avengers: Endgame, Aladdin, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, and Toy Story 4.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a film that has a lot of strengths and weaknesses. It is a film that will appeal to fans of Godzilla and kaiju films, who will enjoy the monster action and effects, the homages to the classic Toho films, and the themes and messages of the film. However, it is also a film that will disappoint or frustrate others, who will find the human drama and dialogue, the logic and consistency of the film, and the critical and commercial reception of the film to be lacking or problematic.
Personally, I think that Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a decent but flawed film. I liked the monster scenes and the references to the Toho films, but I did not care much for the human characters or the story. I think that the film could have been better if it had focused more on the monsters and less on the humans, or if it had developed the humans and the story more effectively. I would give the film a 6/10 rating.
If you are looking for some similar films that you might enjoy, I would recommend the following:
Godzilla (1954), the original film that started it all, and a masterpiece of sci-fi horror.
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), one of the best films in the Heisei series, and a fan-favorite that features time travel, androids, and Mecha-King Ghidorah.
Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), the last film in the Millennium series, and a wild and fun tribute to all the Godzilla films.
Shin Godzilla (2016), a reboot of the character that returns to his roots as a metaphor for nuclear disaster and social commentary.
Kong: Skull Island (2017), a prequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters that introduces King Kong to the MonsterVerse.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Godzilla: King of the Monsters:
Is Godzilla: King of the Monsters a sequel or a reboot?
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a sequel to Godzilla (2014), and a part of the MonsterVerse franchise.
Do I need to watch the previous films to understand Godzilla: King of the Monsters?
No, you do not need to watch the previous films to understand Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The film provides enough information and context for newcomers to follow along. However, watching the previous films might enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of the film.
What are the names of the monsters in Godzilla: King of the Monsters?
The names of the monsters in Godzilla: King of the Monsters are:
Godzilla, also known as Gojira, Titanus Gojira, or Alpha Predator. He is a giant reptilian creature that is powered by nuclear energy and can breathe atomic fire. He is considered to be the king of the monsters and protector of humanity.
Mothra, also known as Titanus Mosura or Queen of the Monsters. She is a giant moth-like creature that can emit bioluminescence and silk. She is considered to be benevolent and symbiotic with Godzilla.
Rodan, also known as Titanus Rodan or Fire Demon. He is a giant pteranodon-like creature that can fly at supersonic speeds and create shockwaves. He is considered to be volatile and destructive.
King Ghidorah, also known as Monster Zero, Titanus Ghidorah, or False King. He is a giant three-headed dragon-like creature that can generate gravity beams and storms. He is considered to be malevolent and alien.
What is next for Godzilla and the MonsterVerse?
The next film in the MonsterVerse is Godzilla vs. Kong, which will pit Godzilla against King Kong in an epic showdown. The film is scheduled to be released on March 31, 2021.
Where can I watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters?
You can watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters on various streaming platforms, such as HBO Max, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and YouTube. You can also buy or rent the film on DVD, Blu-ray, or digital formats.
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