Initially created as an allegory for the destructive effects of nuclear weapons, Godzilla’s modern incarnations can now be interpreted as a parable for global warming, environmental changes, etc. Anyways, back to everyone’s favorite lizard-creature. Godzilla has had quite a lot of films, with the recent one being the 2014 Godzilla film. However, that one left most of us very disappointed. We were promised awesome monster action but ended getting very little. I mean, there was barely any Godzilla in it and (almost) every time we see the giant creature, it kept cutting away to the boring human characters. However, the trailers for the sequel promised more monsters and a whole lot of monster mayhem!

Positives

Did we actually get more monster action? Hell yes!! The filmmakers actually listened to our complaints and delivered a lot more monster action! Godzilla has a couple of battles with King Ghidorah, a three-headed dragon, and those were freaking awesome!! On top of that, we also see a lot of Rodan (a Pteranodon-like creature) and Mothra (a moth-like creature) and seeing them go at it just put a huge smile on my face. This film will definitely leave your monster-loving heart content, so thank you WB! Without delving into spoilers, we actually get a lot more monsters in this film, and some of their designs were really well-depicted! The visual effects and designs of these ‘Titans’ are spectacular, and there are so many gorgeous, jaw-dropping monster shots in this film, like the ones below.

Because the next film in this franchise is Kong vs. Godzilla, we also get a lot of references to Kong: Skull Island. Speaking of, still curious as to why Kong and Godzilla fight each other? And even if they do, how can Kong possibly stand a chance against Godzilla’s atomic-breath? I know I am totally going off a tangent, but what if, at some point in that film, Kong says “Save Mothra!” and they team-up!

Non-monster battles aside, the performances are fine. Even though none of the actors really have much to do, they do the best with what they are given.

Negatives

At this point, saying “human characters are the worst parts in monster movies” is pretty much a cliche but it’s really the case here. The human relationship drama is extremely boring and simply exists to pad the runtime. Speaking of, this movie only has a runtime of 2:12 but feels even longer because of all the human conflicts. During multiple instances of the film, the characters make some really stupid decisions and honestly, I think the filmmakers just wanted to get to the monster action as soon as possible without a logical way to get there. In addition, Kyle Chander’s character is arguably equivalent to a male-version of a Mary Sue. If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘Mary Sue,’ it generally refers to a woman that is good at everything and can overcome obstacles with ease. Throughout the movie, he has answers to every question that a scientist or military personnel do not. The story, or the lack thereof, is very nonsensical and is another reason for my feeling of boredom. The dialogue is horrible and lastly, the main characters have a lot of plot armor and survive a lot…

One thing that always annoys me in these films is the use of guns against these behemoths. We’ve seen numerous times that guns are ineffective against these creatures, so why bother using them again and again? It doesn’t work!

Lastly, the subplot involving the human villains is laughable. Vera Farmiga’s antagonistic character, Dr. Emma Russell, has a very twisted plan to save the world. She wishes to unleash all these ‘Titans’ to roam freely and cause unholy amounts of destruction, which will, apparently, save the world. The other villains also bring up such themes as overpopulation and lack of resources as a reasoning for awakening the other beasts. In other words, bring upon destruction so that what remains will be better. Sounds familiar? It seems as if WB really loved that big, purple guy in that Infinity-something movie. I digress, but I never bought her plan or motivation, not even for a second.

Rating

Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers on its premise – lots of monster mayhem. However, this movie falters in its human drama, which just so happens to make up the majority of the runtime. 2.5/5