King of the Monsters overcomes script complications due to it’s unparalleled VFX, and nearly unmatched level of impactful scale.
From the director of cult classic Trick ‘r Treat, and 2015’s Christmas-time horror film, Krampus, Michael Dougherty takes a step into blockbuster film-making by scaling the heights of Godzilla and his most infamous foes in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Set five years after the events of 2014’s Godzilla, King of the Monsters looks to get us right back into the heat of dealing with the fallout of the events of the first film. Here we are introduced to the smaller monsters of the film. Monsters that look and talk just like we do, and for better or worse, we follow these human characters throughout the entirety of the film. Led by Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, and Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown, the Monarch corporation is looking to imprison the ancient titans of our land to study them. It is shortly into the film that Charles Dance and his anti-Monarch corporation have other plans for the titans of the Earth, and as new revelations appear, Godzilla rises and the scale may be the biggest we’ve seen.
After a general criticism towards the characters and lack of interesting personality traits for us to get attached to in 2014’s Godzilla, King of the Monsters intends to integrate a much more resonant angle for the film’s human characters. Truth be told, this is a movie that hinges on this working, and for some it does, and others it doesn’t, but I feel as if it did just enough to levy the stomping feet of the film’s monsters. It is neither terrible, nor emotionally gripping, but like the first film, they exist as a unit of people to grant us a level of perspective for the events crumbling around them. Although not as tightly framed here (handheld camerawork is huge in this film), there is a palpable level of gravity to the monumental scenario that is being unleashed on citizens across the globe. It’s chaotic, but there is a method to the madness that evokes a sense of nearly unparalleled grandeur by stapling it’s glowing tapestry from corner to corner. Creating moments amidst all of the hectic camerawork that will have you audibly responding with your favorite exclamatory words (mine ended up being “Wow”).
The technical craft is nearly second to none. From Bear McCreary’s score honoring the past as the foundation to create something of his own, to the entire team dedicated to creating the CGI monsters (the credits for this team could be its own short film), there is always something to take away from every scene of the film. The creation of the titans themselves is absolutely something to marvel at, and the potential gold standard of CGI creations on this level. Each monster is crafted to have their own unique look, and the team put together a full house of monsters that are distinctly different from one another. Highlighting certain elements of their design to make them stand out from a usually grey, dust-clouded sky masking some of their budget (if I had to assume). This gives each monster their own visual personality that stands out as it’s very own, so when the clashing finally begins we never become lost on a visual or auditory level. From Godzilla’s echoing scream, to Mothra’s musical outcry, the sound design seamlessly interweaves with the visual output that it’s camerawork is given a bypass to give the audience a level of clarity the likes of which we haven’t seen. If you’re going to have any reason to see this movie, the technical craft alone should push you to spend some hard earned cash.
Despite a level of cheesy gushing over these key components of the film, King of the Monsters is not without a fair share of bizarre decisions. There are countless moments that will make you wonder how it couldn’t have been caught in the editing room, or how much better the script could have been if it went through another draft. There are some character motivations that make sense within the natural progression of the universe, but as more beats are hit, the more muddled and head-scratching they become. Strangely enough, this movie might be dealing with more characters than anything Marvel has given us, and it showcases how NOT to juggle characters by comparison. Compared to the 2014 film where director Gareth Edwards channeled Nature v. Mankind through a stable visual language, King of the Monsters regurgitates themes, motivations, and age old prophecy through copious amounts of dialogue across video screens. Rather than entrusting the audience with the ability to digest the film’s visual storytelling to resonate with the ideas it’s presenting, information is force fed directly to us through various outputs. Had the character count been reduced, King of the Monsters could have easily streamlined it’s intentions through returning players, and considering they have future installments in sight, this film tumbles alongside many other blockbusters that are focused on telling a larger story, rather than a singular one. It’s bound to happen with these cinematic universe movies, but it’s further proof that it’s a model that can rake in billions, but the quality itself hits a dropping off point.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters has plenty of moments ranging from marvelous awe, to dandruff creating head-scratching. When it has it’s sights sets on it’s singular identity of Godzilla and the ultimate monster mash, King of the Monsters soars beyond any preconceived expectations of the limits of CGI. Elevating it’s material due to a dedicated team that wants to thrill audiences with a Western iteration of Godzilla, by paying homage (endless amounts of homage) to it’s Eastern roots that made Godzilla the staple of worldwide entertainment that he is. Unfortunately, despite all of the chill-inducing fan service within this behemoth, these intentions don’t always compliment one another and it creates a film that connects big, glamorous moments with thin strands that bend, but don’t entirely break. There is levels of silliness coursing throughout the script that are nearly overcome, and it’s beaming visual aesthetic veils some of it’s issues to create an electrifying experience that just might make your head pop. This isn’t the film to end all monster films, but it is a damn good disaster movie that contains all of the good, the bad, and the Godzilla.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters gets a 70/100