Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters - Why It's the Most Anticipated Monster Movie of 2019

Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters - A Monster Movie Review

Introduction

If you are a fan of giant monsters, or kaiju, you may have heard of Godzilla, the most iconic and popular kaiju in Japanese media. Godzilla is a prehistoric reptilian creature that was awakened and mutated by nuclear radiation, and has since fought against various other monsters, as well as humans, in numerous movies, comics, games, and other media. The Godzilla franchise is one of the longest-running and most influential in film history, spanning over 35 films since 1954.

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In 2014, Legendary Pictures rebooted the franchise with Godzilla, an American-made film that introduced a new version of the monster, as well as a shared cinematic universe with other kaiju, such as King Kong. The film was a commercial and critical success, and paved the way for a sequel, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters, which was released in 2019. The sequel features Godzilla facing off against some of his most famous foes from the Japanese films, such as Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah.

In this article, I will review Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters, and discuss its strengths and weaknesses as a monster movie. I will also give some background information on the movie's plot, characters, and production. Finally, I will share my personal opinion and rating of the movie, and recommend some similar movies that you might enjoy if you liked Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters.

The Good

The monster action and visual effects

The main attraction of any monster movie is, of course, the monsters themselves. And in this regard, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters delivers spectacularly. The movie features four main kaiju: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. Each of them has a distinct design, personality, and power that makes them memorable and impressive. The movie also introduces several other kaiju that are briefly seen or mentioned, such as Behemoth, Scylla, Methuselah, MUTOs, and Kong.

The movie showcases several epic battles between the kaiju, both on land and in the air. The action scenes are well-choreographed and thrilling to watch, as the monsters use their physical abilities and special attacks to try to overpower each other. The visual effects are stunning and realistic, creating a sense of scale and weight for the colossal creatures. The movie also uses various camera angles and perspectives to enhance the immersion and excitement of the action.

The musical score and sound design

Another aspect that enhances the movie's monster action is the musical score and sound design. The movie's score was composed by Bear McCreary, who incorporated elements from Akira Ifukube's classic themes from the Japanese films. The score is epic and emotional, capturing the mood and tone of each scene. The score also uses various instruments and vocals to reflect the characteristics of each kaiju. For example, Mothra's theme features a female choir singing in Indonesian; Rodan's theme features tribal drums and flutes; King Ghidorah's theme features electric guitars and Mongolian throat singing; and Godzilla's theme features brass instruments and Japanese taiko drums.

The sound design is also impressive and immersive, creating realistic and distinctive sounds for each kaiju. The sounds are based on various animal noises that are mixed and modified to create unique roars, screeches, growls, hisses, etc. The sounds also convey the emotions and intentions of each kaiju. For example, Godzilla's roar is deep and powerful; Mothra is gentle and soothing; Rodan is fierce and aggressive; and King Ghidorah is menacing and chaotic. The sound design also creates a contrast between the kaiju and the human characters, as the kaiju's sounds are loud and dominant, while the human's sounds are quiet and subdued.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters cast and crew

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Godzilla: King of the Monsters sequel and MonsterVerse

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah in King of the Monsters

Mothra, Rodan, and other Titans in King of the Monsters

Godzilla: King of the Monsters soundtrack and score

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How does Godzilla: King of the Monsters connect to Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong

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How scary is Godzilla: King of the Monsters for kids

The themes and messages

The movie also explores some interesting themes and messages that relate to the kaiju and their role in the world. The movie presents the kaiju as ancient and powerful beings that have a natural balance and order among themselves. The movie also suggests that the kaiju are connected to the Earth and its environment, and that they can restore or destroy it depending on their actions. The movie also questions the human's relationship with the kaiju, and whether they should coexist or conflict with them.

The movie also touches on some relevant issues that affect the real world, such as environmental degradation, climate change, overpopulation, terrorism, nuclear weapons, etc. The movie shows how these issues can have negative consequences for both humans and kaiju, and how they can be solved or worsened by different choices and actions. The movie also challenges the audience to think about their own views and values regarding these issues, and how they would react in a world where kaiju exist.

The Bad

The human characters and dialogue

While the movie excels in its monster action and visual effects, it falls short in its human characters and dialogue. The movie features a large cast of human characters, but most of them are underdeveloped and uninteresting. The main human characters are Mark Russell, a former Monarch scientist who lost his son in the 2014 Godzilla attack; Emma Russell, his ex-wife who works for Monarch and has a device that can communicate with the kaiju; Madison Russell, their daughter who follows her mother's actions; Dr. Serizawa, a Monarch scientist who respects Godzilla; Dr. Chen, a Monarch scientist who studies Mothra; Dr. Stanton, a Monarch scientist who provides comic relief; Colonel Foster, a military leader who supports Monarch; Jonah Alan, an eco-terrorist who wants to unleash the kaiju; and Sam Coleman, a Monarch spokesperson who deals with the media.

Most of these characters have little personality or backstory, and serve only as plot devices or exposition sources. They also make illogical or inconsistent decisions that contradict their motivations or goals. For example, Emma Russell decides to join Jonah Alan and release King Ghidorah, believing that this will help the environment and humanity, but later regrets her choice when she sees the destruction and death caused by King Ghidorah. Mark Russell initially hates Godzilla and wants to kill him, but later changes his mind and helps him fight King Ghidorah. Madison Russell follows her mother's plan without questioning it, but later rebels against her and steals the device that controls the kaiju.

The dialogue of these characters is also poorly written and delivered. The dialogue is full of clichés, jokes, exposition, and technobabble that sound unnatural and forced. The dialogue also fails to convey the emotions or personalities of the characters, making them sound bland and generic. The dialogue also does not match the tone or mood of the scenes, often breaking the tension or seriousness with inappropriate humor or banter.

The plot holes and inconsistencies

Another weakness of the movie is its plot holes and inconsistencies that make the story confusing and implausible. The movie has several plot points that are either unexplained or contradicted by other scenes or information. For example, how did Jonah Alan know about King Ghidorah's location in Antarctica? How did he manage to infiltrate Monarch's base and free King Ghidorah? How did Emma Russell build the device that can communicate with the kaiju? How did she know how to use it to control them? How did Madison Russell know how to use it to call Godzilla? How did Godzilla survive being hit by a nuclear bomb? How did he recover so quickly from his injuries? How did he know where King Ghidorah was hiding? How did he become more powerful after absorbing Mothra's energy?

The movie also has several scenes that are illogical or unrealistic in terms of physics, biology, geography, etc. For example, how did Godzilla swim so fast across the ocean without causing any waves or currents? How did Mothra fly so fast without flapping her wings? How did Rodan fly so fast without breaking the sound barrier? How did King Ghidorah survive in space without oxygen or gravity? How did he regenerate his head so quickly without losing blood or energy? How did he control the weather with his electricity? How did he create a storm that covered the entire planet? How did he communicate with other kaiju across continents? The tone and pacing

The final weakness of the movie is its tone and pacing that make the story uneven and boring. The movie tries to balance between being a serious and dark drama, and a fun and light-hearted adventure, but fails to achieve either. The movie has several scenes that are supposed to be emotional or dramatic, such as the death of Dr. Serizawa, the sacrifice of Mothra, the reunion of the Russell family, etc., but they are undermined by the poor writing, acting, and editing. The movie also has several scenes that are supposed to be humorous or exciting, such as the jokes of Dr. Stanton, the chase of Rodan, the fight of Godzilla and King Ghidorah, etc., but they are overdone or misplaced.

The movie also suffers from a slow and inconsistent pacing that makes the story drag and lose focus. The movie has too many subplots and characters that distract from the main plot and conflict. The movie also jumps from one location to another without giving enough time or explanation for the transitions. The movie also alternates between long and boring scenes of human dialogue and exposition, and short and rushed scenes of monster action and spectacle. The movie also fails to build up suspense or anticipation for the climax, as it reveals too much information or shows too much action beforehand.

Conclusion

Summary of the main points

In conclusion, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters is a monster movie that has some strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are the monster action and visual effects, the musical score and sound design, and the themes and messages. The weaknesses are the human characters and dialogue, the plot holes and inconsistencies, and the tone and pacing. The movie is a mixed bag that may appeal to some fans of kaiju movies, but may disappoint others who expect more from a story or a character perspective.

Personal opinion and rating

Personally, I enjoyed Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters as a fan of kaiju movies, but I also recognized its flaws as a critic of movies. I liked seeing Godzilla and his fellow kaiju on the big screen, and I appreciated the homage to the Japanese films. I also liked the music and sound effects that added to the atmosphere and emotion of the movie. However, I disliked the human characters and dialogue that were bland and annoying. I also disliked the plot holes and inconsistencies that made the story confusing and implausible. I also disliked the tone and pacing that made the story uneven and boring.

I would give Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters a rating of 6 out of 10 stars. It is not a bad movie, but it is not a great movie either. It is a decent monster movie that has some entertainment value, but it could have been much better with some improvements in its writing, acting, and editing.

Recommendations for similar movies

If you liked Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters, or if you are interested in kaiju movies in general, you might want to check out some similar movies that I would recommend. Here are some examples:

Title

Year

Description

Godzilla (2014)

2014

The first movie in Legendary's MonsterVerse series that introduces Godzilla as a force of nature that protects humanity from other kaiju threats.

Kong: Skull Island

2017

The second movie in Legendary's MonsterVerse series that introduces Kong as a king of his island that faces various creatures and humans.

Godzilla vs. Kong

2021

The fourth movie in Legendary's MonsterVerse series that pits Godzilla against Kong in a battle for supremacy among kaiju.

Pacific Rim

2013

A movie directed by Guillermo del Toro that features giant robots called Jaegers fighting against giant monsters called Kaiju that emerge from an interdimensional portal in the Pacific Ocean.

Cloverfield

2008

A movie produced by J.J. Abrams that features a found-footage style of filming that shows a group of friends trying to survive in New York City during an attack by a giant monster.

The Host

2006

A South Korean movie directed by Bong Joon-ho that features a mutant creature that emerges from the Han River in Seoul and kidnaps a girl whose family tries to rescue her.

Shin Godzilla

2016

A Japanese movie directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi that features a new version of Godzilla that evolves and adapts to different situations and threats.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters and kaiju movies in general:

Q: Is Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters a sequel to Godzilla (2014)?

A: Yes, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters is a direct sequel to Godzilla (2014), and it continues the story of Godzilla and Monarch, the organization that studies and monitors the kaiju. However, you do not need to watch Godzilla (2014) to understand or enjoy Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters, as the movie provides enough information and context for the new viewers.

Q: Is Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters connected to Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong?

A: Yes, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters is part of Legendary's MonsterVerse series, which is a shared cinematic universe that features various kaiju, such as Godzilla, Kong, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, etc. Kong: Skull Island is the second movie in the series, and it introduces Kong and his island. Godzilla vs. Kong is the fourth movie in the series, and it features a crossover between Godzilla and Kong.

Q: Is Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters based on any of the Japanese films?

A: Yes, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters is loosely based on some of the Japanese films that feature Godzilla and his fellow kaiju. The movie pays homage to several classic films, such as Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964), Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), Destroy All Monsters (1968), etc. The movie also borrows some elements and ideas from other films, such as Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), GMK: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), etc.

Q: How does Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters compare to other kaiju movies?

A: Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters is one of the most ambitious and spectacular kaiju movies ever made, as it features four main kaiju and several other kaiju in one movie. The movie also has some of the best visual effects and sound design for a kaiju movie, creating realistic and impressive monsters. However, the movie also has some of the worst human characters and dialogue for a kaiju movie, making them bland and annoying. The movie also has some of the most confusing and implausible plot holes and inconsistencies for a kaiju movie, making them hard to follow and believe.

Q: What are some tips for enjoying Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters?

A: Here are some tips for enjoying Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters:

• Watch it on a big screen with a good sound system, as this will enhance the experience and immersion of the monster action.

• Do not expect too much from the human characters or dialogue, as they are not the main focus or strength of the movie.

• Do not think too much about the plot holes or inconsistencies, as they are not meant to be taken seriously or logically.

• Do some research on the history and lore of the kaiju, as this will help you appreciate the references and homages to the Japanese films.

• Have fun and enjoy the spectacle and thrill of seeing giant monsters fighting each other.

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