Before I even get to Godzilla: King of the Monsters, I should make it perfectly clear that I’m of the opinion that Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla from 2014 is damn good movie. What it might lack in fanboy impulses it more than makes up for in awe-inspiring imagery that held some thematic weight regarding the idea of human insignificance in the face of global catastrophe. I can certainly understand why that might not be everybody’s bag, but it was certainly mine, and I stand by it. And this is coming from someone who was highly anticipating this new film pretty much exclusively for its seemingly unabashed fanboy impulses.
The film is directed by Michael Dougherty, who co-wrote it with Zach Shields. Dougherty is best known as a horror director having made cult hits like Trick ‘r Treat and Krampus, both of which are very good and worth checking out. King of the Monsters marks his first big budget film, as a director at least, and the results are mostly satisfying. One can’t help but make comparisons to the last Godzilla film, but it’s easy to see how this can be seen as a reaction to the response that Edwards’ film received.
The 2014 film built upon the mold inspired by the likes of Steven Spielberg, utilizing suspense, keeping the monsters hidden, and using various cinematic techniques to ground the larger-than-life spectacle, usually by literally keeping the camera on the ground, or at the very least, in places where a camera could conceivably be at any given moment. Dougherty’s approach leans harder on the rock ’em sock’ em action that a lot of audience members demanded. And on that level, the film succeeds in spades. The kaiju action is some of the best I’ve ever seen, the scope of it is incredible, and the imagery that comes with it is glorious to see on the big screen, especially if you’re already a fan of these monsters. Although, I do wish the fights weren’t largely at night, when it’s all cloudy and rainy.
Now that isn’t to say the film forgoes a human story, far from it. In fact, I’d say the ratio between story and action is roughly similar to the 2014 film, you just wouldn’t realize it because it moves at a more frantic pace and is quick to get to the good stuff as opposed to taking the time to build a moment up. The story involves a family, which consists of Mark and Emma Russell (Kyle Chandler and Vera Farmiga, respectively), and their daughter, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown). Mark and Emma were employees of the secret organization, Monarch, but after the attack in San Francisco – from the end of the original film – they lost a boy, and Mark became an alcoholic, which got so bad, it broke their marriage. He’s recovers years later, but still hasn’t fully reconciled with his now estranged family.
However, circumstances bring Mark to assist Monarch after Emma and Madison were kidnapped by an eco-terrorist group, led by former British colonel Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), who is after a piece of technology that Emma developed with Mark called “the Orca.” The device basically acts as a sort of dog whistle that is ultimately used to awaken the titans. Seventeen of them begin wandering the planet, wreaking havoc, but we focus specifically on Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and of course, Godzilla, who has to come in and save the day. We also learn more about their history on the planet, giving more context as to what they really are and what their place in the world is. It’s honestly not as fascinating as the movie thinks it is, at least, when it’s given to us in the form of exposition, which there is a lot of in this movie.
I honestly found this story of the family more affecting than I anticipated, and it’s most likely due to the actors portraying these characters. I love Kyle Chandler, I love Vera Farmiga, and I’ve been quite impressed with what Millie Bobby Brown has been doing in Stranger Things. They lend emotional heft to some really thin material, and it’s a testament to their talent that I was somewhat invested in their family dynamic. Unfortunately, the impact is lessened because the film does lose focus on occasion. It’s more plot driven than character driven, and the family who should be the emotional center of all the action is stuck having to share screen time with an absurdly large ensemble cast, many of whom could have easily been cut out or combined with other characters. The actors here are great – Charles Dance, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Thomas Middleditch, Ken Watanabe, Aisha Hinds, David Strathairn, Zhang Ziyi – it’s truly an embarrassment of riches from a casting standpoint, but there’s just not enough material to go around. It’s to the point where a significant character dies, and I didn’t realize it until a few minutes later. Plus, most of Dougherty’s idiosyncrasies ends up getting lost in all the chaos. It’s truly a shame because the story with the central family explores some interesting territory when it comes to grief, how it can change you, and make you do things that might have stood against your moral compass, and I liked where they took that.
So, yeah… that’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. In a way, I am disappointed because I expected better from Michael Dougherty. I don’t know if if this was a “too many cooks in the kitchen” situation or what. Though, I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a really good time despite its flaws. The fights are satisfying for anyone who is into kaiju action, there’s some fun nods and references for fans of the Godzilla franchise, and the film keeps things going at a snappy pace. There is a better, more emotionally satisfying story buried somewhere in here that I wished was the one we ultimately got because the ideas are all there, the ingredients are set, and the actors are all game for it. The film lacks the elegance and simplicity of the 2014 film, and it doesn’t have the zany, offbeat style of Kong: Skull Island, but it manages to bring just enough childlike joy and compelling ideas to the monster mash that people are going to the theaters for, and that’s not nothing. I’m still eager to see where Godzilla goes for his next adventure.