Monday 3 June 2019

Movie Review: Godzilla King of the monsters

*As Annie going back home and done a review, she has another unexpected call, but from the door*

Annie: *opens the door* Hello?

???: Ah there you are, i just want you to come back to Team Blast's world, because i found the plan to change back.

Annie: Huh?? How did you know them and who are you?

???: My name is Nancy Turrelto, but the gems like to call me "Red Diamond".

Annie: Red Diamond? But you're a human?

Red Diamond: Yeah, but i was born as a hybrid from my mom, which she uses gem on me to sacrificing herself.

Annie: Yeesh, talk about life risking.

Red Diamond: Yeah... Anyway, i heard you and your time trying to get the stones, but went late. Which like your home, my world is also affected, which Cosmic and i lost Blue and Diamond Ramsay. Which we though it will be a good idea to inventing a time machine?

Annie: Ummm.... Yeah, but how?

Red Diamond: Well, we decided to going back in time to get the stones before the snap happening. So, my pal Red Pearl, Cosmic and other fellow gems are gonna building a time machine to bring back where we used to be, is it ok?

Annie: *nods* Yes.

Red Diamond: Alright, we'll be right back when we're done. *walks away for preparing the plan

(Review starts)


Hey everyone, my name is Annie and welcome back to the movie review.

From many years, we always love to see or talking the king of the giant monster name Godzilla, whether he's good or bad, he's always like to fighting with other monsters and destroying properties. From last year, we saw "Godzilla 2014", which it was easily considered to be a welcome return unlike the 1998 version we had, its no secret that we're gonna have a reboot series since Legendary entertainment bought the license from Toho to make their own film with big G, but with three more monsters.

"Godzilla: King of the monsters" is a 2019 Kaiju film written/directed by Michael Dougherty, produced by Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Brian Rogers, Mary Parent and Alex Garcia, then co-written by Zach Shields and Max Borenstein (for story).

From before, we've seen Godzilla was first born that unlike acted as a ruthless of destruction, he's once again, as a hero of the Earth to facing against Legendary's original monsters called MUTOs, though its a good film, but had some flaws with some average characters and most moments is too dark to watch. So after five years, we have a new installment where we see three of the most recognizable monsters back on big screen, Rodan, Mothra and Godzilla's biggest nemesis, King Ghidorah. I mean, we're hooked up when we heard about them.

So, with all that said, will this movie holds up for the epic showdown with four monsters, or is this film that Ghidorah is laughing his butt off as a bad installment as the 1998 version?

Well, lets find out.

The Story
Since this is a Kaiju film, is it really predictable that the story isn't much else to say or a weak writing? Well, its rather typical giant monsters on the loose.

Five years after the first Godzilla film, the citizens are protesting that rumors spreading that there are more monsters are coming that causing disaster on Earth, resulting the birth of "Monarch", an organization to tracking and study the giant monsters called "Titans". We introduced the half of Russel family Emma and Madison to going on the ground to see the giant egg that happens to be Mothra, which they invented "Orca", a device for using frequencies that the monsters hears it. Despite the device was success, but Emma and Madison got kidnapped by the eco-terrorist run by Alan Jonah in order to sabotage them to breaking free the main antagonist King Ghidorah in Antarctica. So the lone father Mark Russel was contacted by Ishiro Serizawa and Vivienne Graham from Monarch to not only finding Emma and Madison, but also see Godzilla and dealing with Ghidorah before the world is ruined.

I find the story it self is rather not bad, which i like the idea of an organization to finding and studying giant monsters, because we always to have a plot development for what the Titans is doing, the appearance and their powers, but the execution felt flat quickly, since the movie nearly focuses with the humans, which we can al agree that the plot with humans are easily the most forgettable parts of the film, especially they have a family reunion, but il talk about the characters later. But one that i probably considered a plot hole, is that there many countries that are located with Monarch about more Titans coming up, however, most monsters other than Mothra, Rodan and Ghidorah are introduced only in America continent, but we can briefly see them in rest of movie, which i understand we mainly focus on three Toho monsters, but the new monsters are rather unnecessary for the main plot. Its as if MUTO is laughing its butt off in the grave. So the other monsters outside of America continent have no purpose in the rest of the film, which my only guess is that they want to make more future movies in Monsterverse, depend how it goes after Godzilla vs Kong.

Though the story is rather good, but its just the human characters are the weakest part for dragging forever and a plot hole about the non-Toho monsters(?).

The Presentation
From the old days as we always know, we've seen a movie with actors in monster suit that they've done either scary or perhaps laughing at. In nowadays, its no secret that most monsters are done from motion capture and even CG. With this film, i find it rather pretty cool and intense.

At first, the location choice is obviously only located in America like US and Mexico, its a nice choice, but kinda disappointed that it would've been taking place in Tokyo, but thats just me. Though it also take place in Antarctica for the discovery of Monster Zero/Ghidorah.

The action scenes are easily more intense and shinier than the first Godzilla. Its as if they solve their mistake from the overdose of darkness from before, plus, the battle scene are shown more than two or three times, since we saw Godzilla vs Ghidorah two or three times, Rodan vs Ghidorah and Mothra vs Rodan. Even if the battle scene are cut away to the humans, but at least we can see them more than briefly, it was exciting and intense, especially with a big battle with Ghidorah. But sometimes, they also include some with a jumpscare that i hate the build up part that it hits my heart hard, i don't like the unexpected jumpscare outside of horror films.

As for the monster designs, aside of Godzilla, the designs of three Toho monsters are actually looks pretty good, as they trying to give them more detail and a bit more realistic. For Mothra, unlike when she used to be cute in fluffy butterfly appearance, here, they give her more beautiful and more feminine goddess moth with more color pallets and giving her an eye-spot on her wings. And of course, they make Mothra looks more like a real moth and give her long legs. Despite i find her look pretty good, but it was considered as the most difficult design of Mothra.

For Rodan, even though he looks pretty much like a giant Pteranodons, but also gives him a bird like appearance, especially with his legs. They also give him more detail with his body made of volcanic rock and fire pieces. So in other words, Rodan is sorta like a flying living volcano on rogue. In fairness, he looks not only accurate, but fitting nicely since he was born from volcano in Mexico.

Then for King Ghidorah, like Rodan, he looks pretty accurate, which they want to him similar from the Showa series, but giving more personality and a bit similar from king cobra. I really like the look of Ghidorah to make him powerful and scarier. But, they also stated that they don't want Ghidorah doesn't looks like it belongs to "Game of Throne" for a western dragon design. Aw well.

So, you're probably wondering Godzilla's appearance? Well, they kept the same design from the first one, but they give him a slight update like adjusting his claws, some extra dorsal plates and a bit bigger feet, which they wanted him to looks a bit similar from the 1954 iteration. Despite they use the same roar from 2014, but they also recycle his classic roar, which is nice and should've been in first place. And lastly, his atomic breath's beam looks more better to make his shinier too.

As for the other monsters that i mentioned before as a plot hole? Well, they look alright, most of...

And lastly, the soundtrack is pretty good too, especially it has the famous Godzilla theme by Akira Ifukube, with some upgrade, which is nice to listen to it in this film.

The presentation of this film is outstanding for the actions, the monsters appearance and well-respected return of Godzilla theme. Even though it has a small flaw, but the visuals and the effects are much more improvement than before.

The Characters
Oh boy, we're finally reached to the characters, before we talk about the Titans depiction, its no secret that the human characters are easily the most forgettable part that they always dragging on for the plot development and an unnecessary subplot.

The main focus of the humans are the Russel family with Mark (played by Kyle Chandler), Emma (played by Vera Farmiga) and Madison (played by Millie Bobby Brown), they're separately for different plots, such as where Emma and Madison must survived and being manipulated by the eco-terrorists thanks to the device Orca and where Mark not only return to working in Monarch, but also wanted to have a family reunion with his wife and daughter. But the problem is they're pretty much in underdeveloped, where Mark is a curious ex-employee of Monarch, Emma is an environmental activist of giant monsters and Madison is typical kid who's desperate for rooting for good monsters like Mothra and possibly Godzilla, but hey, at least she's not as annoying as the kids in Gamera films.

While some other new characters like Dr. Rick Stanton (played by Bradley Whitford) who's basically poor man version Rick from "Rick and Morty", Dr. Sam Coleman (played by Thomas Middleditch) is director of technology in Monarch and a liaison with the US government, Colonel Diane Foster (played by Aisha Hinds) who's pretty much as a female colonel and a leader of G-Team and there's Alan Jonah (played by Charles Dance), a human villain who's a former British army colonel and the leader of terrorist for stating the humanities are the blame for the planet Earth.

I find the new side characters are pretty much like a cardboard cutout and the new human villain is easily the lamest villain, he's pretty much the bad guy who "believe the humans are evil" cliche, like a typical evil environmental person.

Though they did brought back the previous characters from the first film which they're easily likable like Ishiro Serizawa (played by Ken Watanabe), who's a scientist who's much more believable about Godzilla who's a good guy and Vivienne Graham (played by Sally Hawkins) who's a Ishiro's right-hand woman.

Not to mention, most of the characters (aside Ishori and Vivienne) are either being useless or flat out idiotic for their decision that it frustrates me, like where Emma activates the bomb to awake King Ghidorah (which i wish Jonah should've done better while holding a bomb and holding Emma in hostage), or worst of all, the military threw an oxygen destroyer missile to nearly killed of Godzilla for one of the worst decision in Kaiju film history!
I mean, we all know that in the original film, the oxygen destroyer is an ultimate weapon to killing off Godzilla at the end of the film, but here, they though it will be a good idea for not just throwing missiles at Godzilla, but also Ghidorah too, which it doesn't make any sense for ruining Godzilla's appearance, otherwise it will suffer the same fate as "Batman V Superman".

Speaking of Godzilla, what about the monsters depiction? Well, as i said, they're more fascinating to see than the humans.
For Godzilla, unlike when he used to be a ruthless engine of destruction, he's more of a heroic god personality, especially when he was interacting with the humans, meaning he's rather harmless Kaiju. Even though some fans like to see him as a badass anti-hero monster, this one is nice to make him more of a real hero than harmful at humans, at least he didn't get too distracting towards humans like Gamera or even cowardly and weak like Zilla.
For Mothra, like before, she's a good monster to saving humanity, though sometimes she could get aggressive if they harming her when she was first started as a larva. but when she turned into a giant moth, she's sorta like a goddess angel when she shows up in the sky and she's possibly being loyal towards Godzilla. Even though without the twin fairies, its not gonna be easy, aw well.
For Rodan, there's not much else to describe, he's pretty much a giant Pteranodon posing a threat in Mexico and chasing after the plane, again, he's more of a flying rogue.
And for King Ghidorah, he has a different personality, which im ok with him, his middle head act as a leader for his intelligent and malicious, the right one is loyal and obedient follower, despite being irritated and aggressive, and the left one is acting like a moron for distraction. Though surprisingly, like most of reptiles, Ghidorah has the ability to regenerate his head, kinda like a Greek mythology serpent Hydra.

Its no secret that the human characters pretty much time wasting for plot development, unnecessary subplot and a BS decision. But at least the monsters are easily the likable in this film (minus Rodan who's not much else to describe).

And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, "Godzilla King of the monsters" is a pretty good sequel i might say, the story is ok (at the time), the presentation with visuals effects, the actions are awesome and intense and the monsters are always fun to watch. But when you adding a poor subplot, poor new characters for unnecessary reason with underdevelopment and a BS characters's decision, you nearly made a disappointing film.

Though like Venom, the critics gave it a bellow or kinda above average film, for me, i don't think its not that bad. Sure, it has a flaws that it nearly ruined the film, but at least it was rather fun for the epic showdown with monsters and military (despite they're rather useless), and a nice presentation. If you're a fan of Kaiju to see more than two monsters, i'd say check this one out. If not, well, you can probably agree that this could be a disappointing film.

For my rating, i wanted to give this 8, but withe flaws that i mentioned that ended up plain unfair, but as a fan of Kaiju, il probably give this one 7/10. Its not a perfect film like "Avengers Endgame", but at least it was fun.

So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Annie, signing out.

(Review ends)

Annie: *walks out of her front door to see Red Diamond* Hey RD, i was wondering how's going?

Red Diamond: We're close to finishing our project, maybe you can call your friends from other world to come here and working together for traveling back in time, please?

Annie: Alright...!

To be continued...

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