Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) [Blu-ray]
Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline: One King To Rule Them All

The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

Storyline: The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient superspecies, thought to be mere myths, rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance.

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Randy Miller III, August 23, 2019 As a sequel to Godzilla (2014) and a continuation of Legendary Pictures' "Monstervese" (established by that film and Kong: Skull Island), Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters would have big shoes to fill even if it wasn't riding the wave of a 65-year-old kaiju franchise that includes dozens of films -- many of which will be given new life on Blu-ray as part of Criterion's upcoming massive boxed set -- as well as video games and more than a few music albums, including this classic. Point being, Godzilla is a pop culture phenomenon that means a lot to his fan base...so anything but a perfect blend of great characters and massive destruction probably isn't going to go over well.

Case in point: King of the Monsters received mixed to negative reviews upon its theatrical release back in May, most of which focused on its bland (human) characters and pacing. Without question, both are easily its weakest elements and stem from the same root problem: a clear case of, respectively, too many and too much. King of the Monsters is absolutely stuffed with supporting characters and sub-plots -- enough to fill a sequel or two, perhaps -- which cripples the film's ability to focus on anything intently, robbing many scenes of greater impact due to the sheer excess of it all. Adding to the chaos are at least a half-dozen towering Titans (including Godzilla himself, of course, as well as Mothra, Ghidorah AKA "Monster Zero", and Rodan) and the CGI-laced destruction they leave in their wake. Even at a relatively slim 120 minutes before credits, King of the Monsters feels exhausting in its abundance, a figurative double feature that would have been much more potent with judicious editing and another draft of the script.

So why did I end up liking it anyway? King of the Monsters was obviously crafted with die-hard Godzilla fans in mind, and ones who will thoroughly enjoy picking up the little shout-outs and Easter eggs that pay respect to earlier installments. These small but important moments feel celebratory and authentic, not like some sort of short-sighted decision by committee to please the broadest possible audience. The wanton destruction and visual effects, excessive as they can be at times, are very well-done for the most part and convey a suitably enormous sense of scale. Bear McCreary's score is another highlight, carrying many of the dramatic moments nicely while likewise paying respect to classic cues. I'd call it an overall toss-up with Gareth Edwards' 2014 film and a big step up from that 1998 dumpster fire, but wouldn't dare rank it on a scale with the almost three dozen Toho films that began in 1954 and have no intention of stopping in the near future. I can only say that, for all its blatant human faults and overstuffed ideas, King of the Monsters feels spiritually closer in tone to the better Toho productions than either of its two previous Hollywood namesakes. Even if that's not good enough for you, give this one a shot and decide for yourself.

One thing's for sure: those who enjoyed King of the Monsters in theaters will love Warner Bros.' excellent Blu-ray package, and even those on the fence will likely be swayed by its charms. The outstanding A/V presentation (perhaps highlighted by a truly awesome Dolby Atmos mix) is almost worth the price of admission alone, but we also get a strong assortment of extras -- doubly impressive, considering the movie only premiered in theaters three months ago. It's a fine package only bested by its 4K counterpart, whose review is forthcoming. For now, let's dig in.

Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters is an attempt to travel further down the path forged by Gareth Edwards' 2014 film, as well as carve out its own identity while paying respect to the franchise as a whole. It'll appeal to die-hard fans first and foremost but, from a dramatic standpoint, doesn't always hit the mark: it's wildly overstuffed with characters and plot elements, some of which should have been saved for the forthcoming sequel. When it finally reaches critical mass, King of the Monsters does destruction and chaos very well...so if you're in it for big monsters and buildings, you'll probably get your money's worth. You'll also enjoy Warner Bros.' Blu-ray from top to bottom: not only do we get an excellent A/V presentation, but the extras are well-rounded and surprisingly stacked for a first-time release with such a short theater-to-video window. Recommended to established fans and newcomers alike.

[CSW] -1.0- This reviewer said it better than I could:
I gotta say that this is quite possibly the worst sequel to a great movie ever! There is no reason for an audience to be subjected to two hours of ridiculous and stupid and determined family dysfunction. It completely ruins the movie. There is more time spent with these 3 people demonstrating their horrible lack of brains and emotional stability than there is spent on the Monsters. Additionally they decide to kill off the chief person, most knowledgeable about the Titans. This movie makes no sense whatsoever. And of course, there is going to be a King Kong and Godzilla movie. This makes no sense and I will apparently have to wait for it to reach cable or streaming because I will never go to another movie by these people because they ruined the franchise. I'm willing to bet that they believe that adding this ridiculous miserable family drama does so much to make it more family entertainment. What it really does is totally take away from the entertainment value because the audience is subjected to ridiculous human behavior predicated solely on family dysfunction while the monsters are about to destroy the world. It's hard to believe how so much of this movie depends on the utter stupidity all of the characters and the storyline. and of course, the finale is identical to the previous movie. Garbage!
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[V4.5-A5.0] MPEG-4 AVC D-Box really enhanced this movie but the movie was so bad that it nothing could save it.



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