Review: Godzilla – King of the Monsters

Welcome to the world of Godzilla, where insanely huge and monstrous creatures battle outside of a window that has two people talking about environmental impact and the pro-option of using nuclear explosions for the greater good. At least the older Japanese films were straight-forward in their messages.

ergo: Destruction bad, save human lives good, thanks again Godzilla, “Roooawwrrrr”!

Not to worry though, Godzilla: King of the Monsters should not be taken seriously. Much like a reality star asking the world for privacy, no on believes the words and messages being spouted.

For this story, we follow a family that has been broken up by tragedy, losing one of its own in the previous film’s ultimate fight between Godzilla and Muto. Now living in a world with true titans, Dr. Emma Russel (Vera Farmiga) and her daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) sleep mere yards away from a sleeping monster. all while working alongside the group Monarch, an organization tasked with finding more information on the monsters and what they want. Dr. Russel leads the group with a new breakthrough technology with hopes of using it to understand whether destruction or coexistence is the ultimate goal in this new world.

While she works, a mysterious terrorist group infiltrates the facility and captures Dr. Russel, her daughter and her new scientific breakthrough. With little to go on and little understanding of Dr. Russel’s new machine, Monarch enlists the help of her ex-husband Mark Russell (Kyle chandler), a specialist in animal communication and behavior. He joins the group in hopes of saving the family he once ran from before an apocalypse of “monstrous” proportions can begin.

Reviewing this film is fairly simple, walk into the theater looking for massive CGI monsters fighting each other and with an open mind for camp, and you’ll leave satisfied. Yes, there and not-so hidden messages and a somewhat emotional plot, but if you hold true and just cheer for your favorite radiated super lizard, you’ll find yourself not wasting timing on “what ifs” and just munch on popcorn with a mindset of “why not”.

Review: B-
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2hr 11m