Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

Four Giant Monsters, One Sleeping Audience Member. Guess Who Won?

Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers shall we?

Ohhhhh boy.

Folks, I have a confession to make before we get into today’s review.

I fell asleep watching this movie.

No, seriously.

I actually fell asleep in the theater.

And I don’t mean I briefly closed my eyes for a couple of seconds.

Nope.

I mean I genuinely fell asleep during the movie and woke up when it was nearly finished.

I remember looking at the screen and thinking, wait a minute, what the hell did I miss!?

Now I should probably point out that I don’t normally fall asleep watching movies in theaters.

I mean, I’m paying money to be there, so obviously I wanna get my money’s worth.

But apparently Godzilla: King of the Monsters had other plans.

So here’s the thing.

I’ve previously mentioned this film in my Godzilla Minus One review, and I even brought it up when I reviewed Godzilla vs. Kong.

But because I slept through a good portion of the movie, I never felt comfortable giving it a proper review.

Well, eventually I decided to give it another chance on HBO Max.

And now that I’ve actually watched the entire thing, I can finally talk about it.

And unfortunately, while I can appreciate certain aspects of this film, I still don’t think it’s particularly good.

Which is a shame because on paper this sounds like the exact kind of movie that should be entertaining.

Godzilla! Mothra! Rodan! King Ghidorah!

FOUR GIANT MONSTERS!

How the hell do you make that boring!?

Well, apparently we’re about to find out.

Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

Taking place five years after the events of the 2014 film, humanity is still dealing with the discovery that giant ancient creatures exist.

An organization known as Monarch has been secretly studying these creatures, which they refer to as Titans.

Meanwhile, a scientist named Dr. Emma Russell has developed a device called the ORCA, which can communicate with and influence the Titans through sound frequencies.

Unfortunately, a group of eco-terrorists decides to get involved, and before long several Titans are awakened around the world.

Among them is King Ghidorah, a gigantic three-headed dragon who poses an enormous threat to humanity.

And wouldn’t you know it, Godzilla isn’t particularly happy about another giant monster showing up and challenging his position at the top of the food chain.

So now Monarch and the military have to figure out how to stop a worldwide catastrophe before humanity gets wiped out.

And that’s all I’ll say for the non-spoiler plot.

Character Rundown

Let’s start with Kyle Chandler as Dr. Mark Russell.

Mark is a scientist who previously worked with Monarch, but after a tragedy involving his family, he developed a deep hatred for Godzilla and the Titans.

He’s also separated from his wife Emma, and much of the film focuses on him trying to rescue their daughter.

Chandler is a good actor, but unfortunately I never found Mark particularly interesting.

He spends much of the film being angry, arguing with people, and trying to figure out what the hell is happening.

And while I understand why he’s upset, the character just never grabbed my attention.

Next is Vera Farmiga as Dr. Emma Russell.

Emma is a paleobiologist who created the ORCA device.

She’s also one of the most important characters in the story.

And oh boy, do I have some issues with her decisions.

I won’t spoil anything here, but let’s just say this woman has some extremely questionable ideas about how to save the planet.

Next is Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell, Emma and Mark’s daughter.

Now I’m gonna be completely upfront with y’all.

Millie Bobby Brown was actually one of the main reasons I wanted to see this movie.

At the time, I was already familiar with her from Stranger Things, and I was curious to see her in a major blockbuster outside that series.

And I do think she’s one of the better performers in the film.

Unfortunately, even she couldn’t stop me from falling asleep in the theater.

Sorry, Millie.

Next is Ken Watanabe returning as Dr. Ishirō Serizawa.

And I’m happy to say he’s still one of the better characters in this franchise.

Serizawa understands that Godzilla isn’t simply some mindless monster that humanity can control.

He sees Godzilla as part of the natural balance of the world.

I appreciate that the film gives him a genuine respect for these creatures.

Then there’s Sally Hawkins returning as Dr. Vivienne Graham.

Unfortunately, much like the previous film, she doesn’t get nearly enough development.

Bradley Whitford as Dr. Rick Stanton is essentially the team’s sarcastic scientist.

He’s there to explain things and occasionally make jokes.

Some of his dialogue is amusing, but other times it feels like the movie is trying a little too hard to be funny.

Zhang Ziyi as Dr. Ilene Chen and Dr. Ling Chen plays twin scientists connected to Monarch’s research.

I actually found their family connection to the study of Titans interesting, although I wish the movie had explored it further.

Charles Dance as Colonel Alan Jonah plays the leader of the eco-terrorist organization.

And while Dance certainly has the presence to play a threatening villain, the character himself is rather generic.

He is an eco friendly terrorist, uh huh because I completely buy that. Also hes wasted in this role, shocker.

According to a reveiwer, Charles Dance really elevated this film, oh yes he completely does. I just love all the scenes of him standing looking at monitor, yeah real riveting.

Finally, O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Chief Warrant Officer Barnes is one of the military personnel assisting Monarch.

He’s fine, although like several other supporting characters, he doesn’t get much to work with.

And of course, we have the real stars of the movie.

Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah.

Honestly, I found these four considerably more interesting than most of the human cast.

Which probably isn’t a good sign for the screenplay.

Pacing / Episode Flow

Now here’s where things get interesting.

This movie is approximately two hours and twelve minutes long.

And unlike the 2014 film, we actually get considerably more monster action.

So you’d think I’d automatically enjoy this one more, right?

Well, not exactly.

Because while the movie has more action, it also has a human storyline that I found incredibly uninteresting.

The film spends a considerable amount of time following the Russell family, Monarch scientists, military personnel and eco-terrorists.

And unfortunately, most of these scenes feel like they’re just moving characters from one location to another while explaining the next monster-related problem.

There’s also a ridiculous amount of exposition.

Characters are constantly explaining the Titans, their history, their biology, their behavior, and how humanity might be able to stop them.

And while some of this information is interesting, eventually it becomes exhausting.

I came here to watch giant monsters destroy things, not attend a two-hour lecture about fictional monster biology.

And apparently my brain agreed because it decided to clock out during the theatrical screening.

Now, having watched the movie again on HBO Max, I can appreciate the action sequences considerably more.

But the pacing problems are still there.

The film constantly jumps between human drama and monster spectacle, and the two sides never quite come together naturally.

Pros

Firstly, the monster designs are fantastic.

Godzilla looks great, and I appreciate that the filmmakers didn’t drastically change his appearance from the 2014 film.

But the real standout for me is King Ghidorah.

Good lord, this thing looks intimidating.

Three heads, enormous wings, golden scales, and the ability to unleash lightning-like gravity beams.

Yeah, I certainly wouldn’t wanna run into this guy.

I also love how the three heads have different personalities.

It’s a clever little detail that makes Ghidorah feel more like an actual living creature rather than just a giant CGI monster.

Mothra is another highlight.

Her design is absolutely gorgeous, especially when her wings illuminate the surrounding environment.

And Rodan?

This guy is basically a giant flying volcano.

What’s not to love about that?

The soundtrack is another major positive.

Bear McCreary does an excellent job incorporating classic Godzilla music while giving the film its own identity.

The use of the original Godzilla theme is especially satisfying.

The visual effects are also impressive, particularly when the monsters are shown at their full scale.

And finally, I appreciate that the film actually embraces the absurdity of the Godzilla franchise.

Unlike the 2014 film, which seemed determined to keep everything grounded, this one isn’t afraid to have giant monsters battling for dominance over the planet.

Unfortunately, embracing the absurdity doesn’t automatically make the screenplay good.

Cons

Firstly, the human storyline is boring.

I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t bring myself to care about most of these people.

The Russell family drama is supposed to be the emotional foundation of the movie, but I never found it particularly compelling.

Secondly, Emma Russell’s motivations.

Ohhhhh boy.

We’ll discuss her decisions in spoilers because I have some things to say about this woman.

Thirdly, the movie has far too much exposition.

I understand that the filmmakers are trying to establish a larger universe, but sometimes it feels like the characters exist solely to explain what’s happening.

Fourthly, the action can be difficult to follow.

Now don’t get me wrong, the CGI itself is impressive.

But the movie has this obsession with putting monster battles in the middle of storms, smoke, rain and darkness.

Seriously, can we PLEASE have a giant monster fight where I can actually see what’s happening!?

And finally, the film’s attempts at humor.

Some jokes work, but others feel completely unnecessary.

It’s like the writers were worried audiences might get bored, so every now and then someone has to make a sarcastic comment.

Unfortunately, the jokes weren’t enough to keep me awake the first time.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a frustrating movie.

Because unlike the 2014 film, this one actually gives us plenty of giant monsters.

And yet somehow I still found myself bored.

The monster designs are fantastic, the soundtrack is excellent, and there are some genuinely spectacular action sequences.

But the human characters are uninteresting, the story is unnecessarily convoluted, and the pacing is all over the place.

Now I know some Godzilla fans absolutely love this movie, and I can understand why.

If you’re primarily interested in watching Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah battle each other, there’s certainly entertainment to be found here.

But for me, spectacle alone isn’t enough.

I need a story that keeps me invested between the action sequences.

And this one just doesn’t.

Heck, I literally fell asleep during my original theatrical viewing.

If that isn’t a damning statement about my experience with this film, I don’t know what is.

Would I recommend it?

Maybe to die-hard Godzilla fans.

But for casual viewers like myself, I think there are considerably better Godzilla movies out there.

Especially Godzilla Minus One.

Rating: 5.5/10

Some spectacular monster action trapped inside a surprisingly dull movie.

—

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING ⚠️

Alright folks, from here onwards we’re discussing major spoilers, so if you haven’t watched the film, you’ve been warned.

Spoilers

So let’s start with the biggest revelation.

Emma Russell is secretly working with the eco-terrorists.

Yep.

The scientist who developed a device capable of communicating with giant monsters has decided that the best way to save humanity is to awaken a bunch of giant monsters.

Why?

Because apparently humanity has damaged the planet so badly that the Titans need to restore its natural balance.

Uhhhhhhhh.

WHAT!?

So let me get this straight.

Your solution to humanity destroying the environment is to unleash giant radioactive monsters that will destroy entire cities and kill potentially millions of innocent people?

Brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant.

Someone give this woman a Nobel Prize.

Oh wait, don’t. She’ll probably use it to awaken another monster.

Now I understand what the movie is trying to say.

Humanity has damaged the environment, and the Titans supposedly have the ability to restore nature.

But there’s a pretty significant difference between allowing nature to recover and deliberately causing mass casualties.

And the movie expects us to take Emma’s reasoning seriously.

I’m sorry, but I just can’t.

Anyways, Emma and Jonah’s organization awaken King Ghidorah in Antarctica.

And immediately things start going horribly wrong.

Because surprise, surprise, releasing an enormous three-headed dragon from the ice wasn’t the greatest idea.

Godzilla shows up to fight Ghidorah, and we finally get our first major confrontation between the two.

Unfortunately, Ghidorah escapes.

Meanwhile, Rodan awakens in Mexico and proceeds to cause absolute chaos.

And I’ll admit, this sequence is pretty damn entertaining.

The guy emerges from a volcano and starts flying over a town, creating massive shockwaves that destroy buildings.

It’s like a giant flying natural disaster.

Then Ghidorah shows up, and Rodan decides to fight him.

Which goes about as well as you’d expect.

Ghidorah defeats Rodan, and then Godzilla arrives for another confrontation.

And just when things are getting interesting, the military decides to launch a weapon called the Oxygen Destroyer.

Now this weapon is actually a reference to the original 1954 Godzilla film, which I appreciate.

Unfortunately, using it here causes a rather significant problem.

It nearly kills Godzilla.

But Ghidorah survives.

Whoops.

And now we discover something else.

Ghidorah isn’t even from Earth.

He’s an alien creature who doesn’t belong to the planet’s natural ecosystem.

Which means Emma’s brilliant plan to restore nature has accidentally unleashed an extraterrestrial monster capable of destroying the entire world.

Congratulations, Emma.

You somehow made everything worse.

Meanwhile, Mothra emerges from her cocoon, and we get one of the most beautiful shots in the movie.

Her glowing wings are absolutely gorgeous.

I genuinely wish the film had spent more time exploring her character and connection to Godzilla.

Unfortunately, we have more human drama to deal with.

Eventually, Monarch discovers that Godzilla is recovering in an underwater radioactive chamber.

And here’s where we get one of the film’s best scenes.

Serizawa volunteers to personally deliver a nuclear warhead to Godzilla’s resting place to revive him.

Now remember, this is the same man who spent the previous film arguing that humanity should respect Godzilla rather than try to destroy him.

So having him sacrifice himself to save the creature is actually pretty fitting.

He approaches Godzilla, places his hand against the monster’s face, and says goodbye before detonating the warhead.

Honestly, this was one of the few human moments in the movie that genuinely worked for me.

Unfortunately, we also lose one of the franchise’s most interesting characters.

And considering how forgettable most of the other humans are, that’s a pretty significant loss.

Anyways, Godzilla returns, stronger than ever, and heads toward Boston to confront Ghidorah.

And this is where we finally get the big monster showdown.

Godzilla versus King Ghidorah.

Mothra versus Rodan.

And an entire city getting absolutely demolished in the process.

I’ll give the filmmakers credit, the scale of this battle is impressive.

Unfortunately, the movie still insists on constantly cutting back to the humans.

Meanwhile, Mothra manages to defeat Rodan, but then sacrifices herself protecting Godzilla from Ghidorah.

And her energy is absorbed by Godzilla.

Now Godzilla begins transforming into Burning Godzilla, with his body glowing red and orange from the enormous amount of radiation inside him.

And holy hell, this design is awesome.

Godzilla starts releasing massive nuclear pulses that devastate Ghidorah.

He destroys the dragon’s wings and heads before finishing off the remaining head with his atomic breath.

And just like that, King Ghidorah is defeated.

Well, mostly.

Because there’s a little surprise waiting for us later.

But before we get there, let’s talk about Emma.

After spending much of the film helping unleash the Titans, Emma eventually realizes that her plan was a terrible idea.

No kidding!

She decides to sacrifice herself by using the ORCA to lure Ghidorah away from her family.

Now I understand the movie wants this to be an emotional redemption moment.

But I’m sorry, I just don’t feel particularly sympathetic toward her.

This woman willingly participated in releasing monsters that caused catastrophic destruction.

And while her sacrifice is supposed to make up for her actions, I don’t think it comes anywhere close.

Anyways, the film ends with the surviving Titans gathering around Godzilla.

Rodan even bows before him.

And Godzilla lets out an enormous roar, establishing himself as the King of the Monsters.

I’ll admit, that’s a pretty cool ending.

But wait!

There’s a post-credit scene.

Remember Ghidorah?

Well, apparently one of his severed heads has been recovered.

And Colonel Jonah purchases it from a group of fishermen.

Hmmmmmm.

I wonder what they could possibly want with a giant severed monster head.

Surely nothing bad will come from that.

Right?

Anyways, that’s the end of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

And while I appreciate the movie considerably more now that I’ve watched the entire thing on HBO Max, I still don’t think it’s particularly good.

The monsters are great.

The music is great.

Some of the action is great.

But the story?

Yeah, not so much.

I suppose the best compliment I can give this movie is that I managed to stay awake during my second viewing.

Which, considering what happened the first time, is apparently an achievement.

Anyways, hope y’all enjoyed today’s retro review!