Genre:
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Produced by:
Mary Parent, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Brian Rogers
Directed by:
Michael Dougherty
Written by:
Michael
Dougherty, Max Borenstein, Zach Shields
Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring:
Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally
Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ken Watanabe,
Zhang Ziyi
Runtime: 132 minutes
SYNOPSIS:
A new batch of godly monsters – Rodan,
King Ghidorah and Mothra - has risen to the surface, wreaking citywide havoc
and attracting the crypto-zoological agency Monarch’s attention. As the agency
is busy trying to get civilians to safety while also uncovering these monsters’
origins and purposes, another godly monster in Godzilla has also risen. Finally
ending his five-year exile, he is prepared to fight to the death to decide once
and for all who the true king of the monsters is.
REVIEW:
Godzilla is the epitome
of the monster movie genre. In fact, the character was such a cultural
phenomenon when it made its first appearance in 1954 that nowadays people just
don’t call monster movies, well, monster movies anymore. In the film industry dictionary,
the monster movie genre only has one name: Kaiju.
Godzilla and the Kaiju
genre’s domestic and worldwide success help pave the way for the next
generation Kaiju while at the same time, spearhead one of the longest-running movie
franchises in history. Godzilla has a
series of movies that span over thirty five titles, mostly Japanese production
under the Toho banner while others are Hollywood’s.
Typical of such a protracted franchise,
there are some hits and misses. With thirty two movies on its locker, all of
which are pretty well-received, Toho’s
version of Godzilla certainly isn’t
the problem. But the fact that there hasn’t been as many or even close to a half
of that in the U.S. shows that Hollywood’s Godzilla
is the problem.
Hollywood had tried to turn Godzilla into a franchise, which eventually
worked out on its second try. But still, that hasn’t been good enough to
satisfy the die-hard fans. Roland Emmerich first brought Godzilla to American soil, which drew so
many fans’ wrath for its faithfulness to Jurassic
Park than Godzilla that a sequel
never happened. And then there’s Gareth
Edwards’ Godzilla (2014), which
was so successful that it spawned Toho’s own MCU called the MonsterVerse. But
still fans are angry about that movie for one reason: there’s not much Godzilla
in it.
All of those things underline the
struggle Godzilla Kings of the Monsters
has to go through to win over the die-hard Godzilla fans’ heart. In some ways,
it’s got to respect those who liked 2014’s Godzilla,
but at the same time, fix the things people hated about that movie. As a
MonsterVerse movie, it’s got provide answers to questions left hanging in Kong: Skull Island (2017). Given more creative license to include other
Toho monsters in this universe, this promises to be different from past Godzilla or even MonsterVerse movie.
In that case, Godzilla Kings of the Monsters is true to its words. Despite being
in the same universe as well as a direct continuation to 2014’s Godzilla, Kings of the Monsters represents a drastic change of pace from its slow-burn
predecessor, which isn’t that much of
a surprise considering the many new personnel on and off the screen. For one,
the Godzilla sequel is not directed
by Gareth Edwards anymore, with Michael Dougherty taking over his place as director while also sharing
screenwriting credit alongside the MonsterVerse’s mainstay writer Max Borenstein. And save for Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins and David
Strathairn reprising their roles from 2014’s Godzilla, most of the sequel’s cast members here is fresh faces in both
the Godzilla franchise and the MonsterVerse.
But the audience needs no knowledge of
the casting and directorial change to figure out that this movie is going to be
unlike Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. Just the way this sequel builds
up the Godzilla’s appearance alone kind of says it all. In 2014’s Godzilla, Edwards builds up the titular beast’s appearance like it’s an unraveling
of a mystery, teasing his existence only through vague images of his shadow
behind clouds and smokes or his scaly back swimming in the ocean before he rose
to his full height a quarter to an hour to even an hour into the movie. Flash
forward to five years later, Dougherty’s
Kings of the Monsters just cannot keep
the mystery that much longer. Already during its cold open, Godzilla is shown
in his full reptilian form and godly height, standing amongst the burning rubbles
of San Francisco while bellowing his iconic roar.
In other words, Godzilla’s introduction
in Kings of Monsters is quicker than
in Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. It makes sense, since one,
this is a sequel and two, despite a few modification here and there, it’s the
same creature as the one that people saw and knew in 2014, so in a way, Edwards’ Hitchcockian approach isn’t
necessary for this movie anymore. At the same time, that opening sequence drives
home probably one of the most important messages for die-hard Godzilla fans. In
this movie, the monsters are going to be the stars of the show.
In that aspect, Kings of the Monsters is the better movie than 2014’s Godzilla. Cause let’s face it, this movie
is essentially a monster mash-up extravaganza. Imagine the Avengers (2012) but replace the Marvel superheroes with Toho
monsters.
As a MonsterVerse movie, this third
entry is the culmination of all the cool Easter eggs that the past two movies
have been setting up, Kong: Skull Island’s
post-credit scene in particular. And those eggs will eventually hatch into
what’s been billed as the fight of the century, featuring the American debuts
of fan favorites from the Japanese Godzilla
movies like Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah as Godzilla’s latest opponents. And
Dougherty’s direction of the
monsters does not disappoint. Rephrasing the words of Monarch’s veteran
scientist Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe)
from the first movie, anytime this sequel just let these monsters fight, the
director manages to cook up pure popcorn
spectacle that truly earns the word “God” in the Godzilla title.
Godhood serves as a major theme and
character arc throughout Kings of the
Monsters’ narrative. Godzilla is, for the lack of a better word, the
current reigning god, who has gained both his heroic and godly status based on
what he did in the previous movie. In a God v. Satan-like scenario, the other
fan favorite Toho monsters/god candidates come to fill the Satan position, challenging
for Godzilla’s throne. It’s their desire to rule over their own kind as well as
possibly mankind which drive them to kick each other butt.
Beyond its use as a narrative theme,
it’s obvious to the observant eye that Dougherty
draws heavy inspiration from the paintings of Greek mythological battles as his
visual and action set-piece point of reference. In truth, it’s a Greek mythological
battle rewritten as monsters fighting in modern-day America. As far as its
painting influence goes, the visual rely on elements of the setting’s bluish
clouds, lightning flashes and the monsters’ shadowy shapes to craft
chiaroscuro-inspired imagery that can only be invented by the stroke of a
paintbrush rather than the authenticity of nature. That comes together often
during the more suspenseful moments of the monster attack, which gives those
scenes an eerily beautiful quality to it.
And it represents the strength of the
action in this movie. Dougherty handles
the typically mind-numbing summer action blockbuster movie chaos with the
practiced skill of a painter. Monsters might spend the whole movie punching
each other or buildings, but it never feels repetitive or tiring since it’s
done in the most artistic of ways.
Besides the fights, Dougherty also makes use of the monsters for some emotionally
impactful imagery. In fact, one of the movie’s best shots has very little to do
with the monsters fighting. The scene in
question involves a wounded three-headed dragon-like beast King Ghidorah who,
after just losing one of his heads during a fight, begins to regenerate a new
head as he then blurs into the background while a piece of wood shaped like a
cross suddenly comes into the foreground. It’s only a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it
moment if compared to the movie’s many extensive fights, but it is by far the
most memorable. The head regeneration and the cross are parts of that scene’s
subtle, yet powerful metaphor for the Ascension of the Christ that lends biblical
weight and credibility to what could have been just a throwaway B-movie moment.
It would be remiss though not to
acknowledge the creature design’s role in the monster action. Godzilla has gone
through various full body puppet-to-CGI transitions over the years, but for
King Ghidorah, Rodan and Mothra, this is their first experience. Thanks to some
spectacular special effect work, Kings of
the Monsters shows that Godzilla’s supporting cast also belongs in CG flesh.
The CGI here is some of the most faithful, yet richly-rendered incarnation of
these Toho monsters on the big screen. Much of the characters’ basic animalistic
designs remain, only this time a few details have been slightly modified to
more closely resemble the image and spirit of those Greek gods and goddesses in
paintings than an animal.
It’s the Greek influence that helps lend
a greater sense of credibility to the idea that these monsters are beings with
godly, fantastical powers. This is where CGI proves more capable in handling
the Toho monsters’ godly elements than just a guy in a rubber suit, which
allows its monsters like Godzilla to have an atomic glow run his scaly back,
Rodan to have a body weirdly assembled by volcanic rocks, King Ghidorah to have
yellowish bolts of electricity crackle all over his body and Mothra to have
translucent wings and eye spots.
Talking about Mothra, she is this
movie’s scene stealer. Conceived as an emblem of feminine elegance, she conducts
herself like a diva, knowing how and when to command people’s attention. The majestic
sight of her spreading her wings out won’t just draw child-like awe from the
human characters or the battling monsters, but also its audience.
At the same time, the Godzilla franchise would not have the
longevity it had today without the music. And yes, Godzilla’s iconic roar does
count. Take that away, and then the atomic-breathing beast would not be any
different than other garden-variety Kaiju. The sight of Godzilla in his
reptilian form, head facing the sky and unleashing that beautiful roar is part
and parcel of the Godzilla cinematic experience. Similarly central to the
experience is the musical score. Other than creating the Godzilla roar, Akira Ifukube also serves as the series’
long-time composer. To this day, no one could quite capture the spirit of the Godzilla movies as succinctly as Ifukube. Godzilla, despite its genre trappings, was more than just the
popcorn thrills of seeing these monsters smashing everything in its sight. It’s
also about the biblical beauty and sometimes terror of seeing these godly
monsters descend onto planet Earth, evident through Ifukube’s many compositions.
Bear
McCreary
is tasked with continuing Ifukube’s
legacy in Kings of the Monsters, and like
the Japanese composer, his propulsive score beautifully captures the different
emotions unfolding onscreen. Typical of these summer blockbuster action, there’s
a large swell of intense, epic music permeating throughout the monster battles,
but then there’s also a touch of mystique through its feral, Japanese-inspired
percussive instrumentals anytime they tease a monster’s arrival or a touch of
beauty through its drawn-out, symphonic score anytime Mothra is around.
For all its technical achievement, Kings of the Monsters struggles with the
human characters. Yes, people don’t go to a Godzilla
movie for the human characters, but still, the least the screenwriters can do
is give them something interesting to do.
In Kings
of Monsters, humans are only there as the mouthpiece for Dougherty and Borenstein’s info dumps. Occasionally, they are out in the field with
the monsters but for the most part, they’re just sitting around, explaining and
listening to PowerPoint-driven presentations about the monsters. In a movie about
the Monarch’s heroism, there’s nothing heroic about someone doing a PowerPoint
presentation. Add that with their incompetence at their monster-tracking job, it
makes them look bad instead.
And its convoluted plot does the
characters no favor either. Godzilla
has a simple premise: monsters fight and humans try to escape from it, with a
tiny sprinkling of social commentary. Kings
of Monsters’ version of social commentary is by throwing in so many
needless layers of complication. Other than being a Godzilla movie, it’s also a hostage thriller about a mother and
daughter kidnapped by an eco-terrorist, a dysfunctional family drama about a
father who is distant from his wife and teenage daughter and an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D-style story about
the Monarch’s monster-tracking adventure. Yet, none of these subplots add
anything. Charles Dance’s
eco-terrorist character has no business being in this movie, the family drama seems
like a mere afterthought and Monarch remains as mysterious as it was. As far as
the human elements go, this movie doesn’t know what it wants to be.
And it also seems that Dougherty and Borenstein don’t know what Emma Russell’s (Vera Farmiga) character is. Their
bungling of her arc sum up all that is wrong with Kings of the Monsters’ storytelling. As a caring mother to her
teenage daughter Madison (Millie Bobby
Brown), she seems to only care about herself, evident by the many times her
decisions put Madison in great danger. As Monarch’s top scientist, her motivation
seems dumb once exposed to logic. While dumb is usually welcome in these kinds
of movies, unfortunately, her character here is on the wrong side of it.
It’s a missed opportunity considering her
compelling back story. Through its chilling cold open, the movie has a human
character worth caring about through a woman who had just lost her son to a
monster attack. It’s the kind of experience that should traumatize Emma, to the
point where she would not let herself or anyone, especially the only child she
had, come in close contact with them.
That was 2014’s Emma. 2019’s Emma has a
unique way of coping with her loss by … guess what? Yes, by taking care of
monsters. She even persuades Madison to touch a monster. Granted, the monster
she saw in 2014 was different to the monster she takes care now. But still, a
monster is a monster.
Her absurd monster fascination soon ties
in hilariously with a mid-film twist that reminds filmgoers what makes
unintentional comedy so good. Beyond its dumbness, it relies on the same old,
tired “humanity is the real virus” cliché that’s been the go-to character
motivations in the movies these days. Some might say that’s the point of
Godzilla’s origins. However, the way the twist correlates with the monsters kicking
butt makes no sense.
And even worst, the movie seems
unwilling to commit to its twist. If Emma starts off as A and suddenly she
turns out to be B all along, make her B for the rest of the movie. But the
writers seem to want to have their cake and eat it too. With only 20 minutes
left in the movie, when it’s all too late, she goes back to being A. And
somehow, people should be fine with her third act turn despite the fact that it
feels unearned.
Despite being a monster movie ensemble, it’s
easy to forget that Kings of Monsters
also features an incredibly talented cast playing the human characters. And
like in all Godzilla movies, the
actors are forced to rely on their own charisma to give their characterless
human characters some semblance of emotional weight.
Kyle
Chandler
leads the human cast as Mark Russell, a father who has been distant from his
wife and teenage daughter after their son’s death, and he gives by far the
movie’s acting highlight. He conveys the pain of losing his son and eventually
his family as well as the hatred towards the monsters that cause them all with
as much nuance as the script offers (meaning not many). Vera Farmiga plays Mark’s distant wife Emma, giving a far more
credible performance than her ridiculous character deserves. Millie Bobby Brown marks her film debut
on a rocky note, trying her best with the thankless role of the Russell’s teenage
daughter Madison, who is pretty much a pawn shifted around for plot
conveniences. Bradley Whitford pops
up once in a while as a comic relief, to hit-and-miss result. Ken Watanabe returns from 2014’s Godzilla as Dr. Serizawa, a.k.a. the Nick
Fury of the MonsterVerse, trying to keep a straight, the-world-is-at-stake’s
worried face upon delivering laughable lines.
CONCLUSION:
Godzilla
Kings of the Monsters
delivers on its promise of having more fun, epic monster v monster action than
the heavily restrained 2014 predecessor, but it all comes at the expense of a
sequel with lesser thrills and even lesser narrative wit and coherence.
Score: 6.5/10
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