Directed by:
Michael DoughertyCinematography:
Lawrence SherComposer:
Bear McCrearyCast:
Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds (more)VOD (5)
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The new story follows the heroic efforts of the cryptozoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient superspecies, thought to be mere myths, rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (14)
Wow, I didn't enjoy it. Like, so very, very, very much. The other Godzilla shows that it cost a lot of money, and the monster battles are actually pretty good, at least the final one, which cleverly works with scale and alternates spectacular shots of two dueling titans with action with human characters running at their feet. But that's pretty much it. The new Godzilla has about fifteen human characters, but finding a single one among them that was the least bit interesting or likeable was a task beyond me. A few hours after the screening, I actually remember the names of about two of the protagonists. The trouble is that despite all the declamation and certain attempts to conceive Godzilla II a little differently, it is ultimately very much about those human characters, who of course are the ones who, by their dullness, flatness and absolute unwillingness to take themselves even a little bit less seriously (this is a film in which a giant lizard fights an even bigger three-headed dragon, dammit!) they get boring at first, and then just annoying. The grandeur and elegance promised by the trailers isn't there in the end, and while the fights are fun to watch, the rest of it really doesn't work. In fact, as a viewer, I'm not really interested in seeing another film conceived in this way.
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This monsterverse is a rare example of variable filmmaking techniques that result in considerably different movies. Godzilla, perhaps the most distinctive blockbuster of the decade, cleverly linked the events from the characters’ perspective and the futility of their actions, while Kong: Skull Island delivered straightforward and over-the-top adventure focused on human actions (and how they make everything worse). This sequel starring the fairy lizard is somewhere in between, it takes from the first one the serious attempts at fatalism and the portrayal of the insignificance of the human characters, while form Kong it takes the narrative drive, more space for the monster encounters and a more active human participation with the Titans. I don’t think it will be any surprise to say that the oscillation between two such different concepts results in a pretty impersonal approach that is often somewhat simplified, and that maybe even weakens both the nature of the clashes of the monsters and the fate and motivations of the human heroes. The catalyst of the story is a group of people, but their significance is gradually lost and by the end It’s pushed aside by contrived family ties and the helplessness in the face of the powerful titans. Though the protagonists try to act throughout the story, their actions (which fortunately aren’t stupid or naive but understandably motivated) only serve the purpose of delaying the climax (unlike the first movie, where the characters actually tried to prepare for it). On the other hand, the narration flows by quickly, rhythmically setting monumental action set pieces into a story that systematically shuffles between the subjective observation of the terrors and the havoc caused by the monsters and the admiration for Godzilla, whose iconic image the film develops and escalates. The twists are also linked smoothly and they basically make sense, though they are often simplified by the insanely fast movements through space and, of course, the indecision over which approach should take precedence. The individual scenes and their staging are great, it’s a shame that they were unable to build a more coherent story arc around them. In any case, it’s still an interesting approach to the extensive mythology of that world, to which I will gladly return. 70%
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An excellent start and a spectacular demonstration of different monsters, buried under a faint yet convoluted plot and underestimation of the viewer’s intelligence. Thanks to Gareth Edwards, with the previous movie Warner Brothers has managed to pull off a respectable relaunch of the Godzilla cult by successfully blending the motifs and the atmosphere of the original Japanese myth with the pomp of Hollywood blockbusters. But instead of meeting the audience’s expectations, they entrusted the next two sequels to creators of mediocre horror movies. Sure, pouring the high budget into first-class CGI should be good enough for the stupid target audience craving cool-looking monsters, but let’s see if this approach changes with the new CEO.
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They called for action and destruction, but five years later, it is becoming apparent that the controversial first installment was the right way to go. Nothing against the grand opponents of the titular titan, but whoever came up with the idea of a spectacular clash of gigantic monsters as an eco-techno thriller that addresses family traumas that are for the most part unseen should hang their head in shame. Every time it seems to be heading in the right direction, some logical contradiction or extremely cheesy line comes along, or at the very least a deafening moment. However, the royal Godzilla still has its strong moments, thanks to Millie Bobby Brown's incredible acting certainty and Mothra being a creature so perfect I instantly wanted to take it home with me. The screenplay, however, is sometimes seriously insane. When I think of the playful Kong: Skull Island, I can't help but feel sorry that it has been compelled to become part of this strangely sterile universe. 50%
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Oh shi... Faulting Godzilla for having stupid people in it is rather unfair. They have always been stupid and their behavior often illogical or just plain dumb. And it’s not Godzilla’s fault. The people who move the action along, especially the unpleasant scientist, are asking for a kick up the ass, but they manage to wake the monster, which then destroys the city and then they have a fight. Thank God for that, at least; otherwise there’s no point in even concerning myself with the cast. There are lots of battles and they’re much more monstrous than before. The alien dragon is a worthy opponent for Fatty. The caterpillar/moth seems really nice, not to mention Rodan the Pterodactyl (the aerial chase is incredible) and the mammoth. I think the sequel with Kong already has a clear winner, but I look forward to seeing it anyway. But with fewer people next time, please.
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Gallery (43)
Photo © Warner Bros. / Daniel McFadden
![Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Photos - Kyle Chandler, Thomas Middleditch, Ziyi Zhang, O'Shea Jackson Jr.](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/163/581/163581143_28e0aa.jpg)
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