Movie
Godzilla: King Of The Monsters (2019) is easily the best Americanized Godzilla film yet.
Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is a love letter that is almost derailed with a frivolous family in peril subplot. The film continues the story of the 2014 Godzilla movie , but with a different human family. The whole Russell family drama could have easily been removed from the movie and the pacing of the film would have improved dramatically. Kaiju movies are almost defined by their environmental subtext and anti-nuke symbolism. Director Michael Dougherty and his team of co-authors replace the imagery of the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the horrors of the post 9/11 world for this new entry in the franchise. It really helps elevate the material like it did the original Godzilla movie 65 years ago. The exposition dumps complete with scientific mumbo jumbo is here, along with lots and lots of big monster fights. Unfortunately the family drama subplot is not fleshed out, and it bogs down the film and steals precious screen time from more important main plot. It's a real shame because Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, and Mille Bobby Brown are very good with their thin parts, but their storyline felt like it belonged in a Jurassic World film not in a Godzilla movie. This film had so many easter eggs, I expected to see a 60 foot buggs bunny stomping around. It will take dozens of viewings to spot all the Easter eggs. This sequel to the Godzilla (2014) film corrects the biggest fault with the latter film, a serious lack of Godzilla . This movie has Godzilla, Mothra and even King Ghidorah in many fun action packed fights. The fights are glorious. I felt like a four-year old kid again watching Godzilla for the very first time. I expect you will feel the same way too. You won't care about clunky dialogue and lack of motivation and characterization of the human characters because this movie is so much fun.
Ultimately Godzilla King of the Monsters delivers what fans want from a Godzilla movie (Action and plenty of it). I really can't wait for the sequel.
Final Verdict: 7/10