GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS - Movie Review (3/10)
I need to be honest here – if this review seems quite rough, its because I quite literally don’t know what to write for this movie. Released in 2019 and directed by the horror focused Michael Dougherty, this monster showdown feels to be the most unnecessary addition to the franchise. Now, that begs the question: are any of these movies necessary? Not really, but they at least they serve their part in introducing the two titans (Zilla and Kong) for their ultimate brawl. All this movie manages to introduce is [spoilers] and Millie Bobby Brown, and I can’t say either have been positive. The plot revolves around the revival of dormant monsters by eco-fascists, with the themes of family and humanity’s impact taking center stage. It drops us in post family conflict, without really establishing the normal dynamic (which it TRIES to make up through dialogue), and I couldn’t bring myself to care about it at all (shame, considering its 70% OF THE MOVIE!). But that’s not really why people come to this movie. Its for those juicy monster brawls, and I suppose it delivers in that department? The artic battle was quite fun, but the tight camera and the constant cutaways to humans really holds it back from being an enjoyable fight. The ending battle does deliver some good fun, but it comes a little too late. I sound like a broken record talking about the humans (and I won’t stop), but I can’t let them off the hook. Its really shocking how little they are always developed considering the vast amounts of screen time often afforded to them. Overall, the movie lacks the subtle but genius suspense that Godzilla (2014) achieves whilst also failing to deliver the unique and charming tone from Skull Island. It might kill time, but its hard to recommend this to someone unless they’re really trying to complete the Monsterverse. But I suppose that’s the franchise power these studios so desperately want – to continue making low-effort flicks while marketing them enough to make it seem necessary to watch them all (sigh).
Comments