Godzilla II: King of the Monsters (2019)

Directed by: Michael Dougherty | 132 minutes | action, adventure | Actors: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Anthony Ramos, Elizabeth Faith Ludlow, Jonathan Howard

After ‘Godzilla’ (2014) and ‘Kong: Skull Island’ (2017), ‘Godzilla II: King of the Monsters’ is the third movie in the MonsterVerse (monster universe) created by Warner Bros and Legendary Entertainment. The idea is somewhat copied from Marvel and creates a world where several legendary monsters from the history of cinema meet. Especially for fans of the original Japanese Godzilla films, this piece of work by Michael Dougherty will be a real feast of recognition. Godzilla II: King of the Monsters is populated by some of the most legendary creatures from the famed Toho stable. Think for example of the elegant and good-natured giant moth Mothra (which is still a gigantic caterpillar at the beginning of the film), the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah and the winged giant reptile Rodan rising from volcanic fire.

After the events of ‘Godzilla’, the secret organization Monarch now knows that human dominance on Earth is no longer undisputed. The monsters we see in that film and in ‘Kong: Skull Island’ are far from the only ones Titans to be who roam the earth. Monarch thinks he has things under control by keeping the creatures, who also appear in the age-old myths of ancient cultures, in a kind of slumber. Supreme Monster Godzilla has since disappeared from the radar. The trouble begins when eco-warrior Alan Jonah (Charles Dance) plans to unleash the Titans on humanity. The goal: restore the natural balance and counter the human overexploitation of the planet. When they free the gargantuan, three-headed creature Monster Zero/King Ghidorah from the Arctic ice with the help of a device developed by scientist Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga), Jonah and his cronies set in motion a chain of devastating events. It’s up to Godzilla to regain his status as king of monsters and stop the destruction instigated by Ghidorah.

Unsurprisingly, Godzilla II: King of the Monsters isn’t the movie for viewers looking for a layered, subtle, and rock-solid story, deep and structured plot, or complex human characters. The family vicissitudes of the Russell family are indeed used as a vehicle to also give the human worries some drama and weight, but that attempt largely kills. The storyline gets just a little too much attention, while the human characters are not as strong as in the predecessor ‘Godzilla’. The attempts to provide ‘Godzilla II: King of the Monsters’ with a good dose of humor largely fail. The jokes are mostly bland, flat and rather tasteless.

It is therefore the giant beasts that simultaneously form the essence and great power of this spectacular print. Where ‘Godzilla’ still searched fairly modestly for a delicate balance between bombastic monster elements and human drama, ‘Godzillla II: King of the Monsters’ pulls out all the stops. The makers have clearly addressed the main criticism of the first film, which is that Godzilla and his monstrous opponents were given too little screen time. The first giant monsters soon appear on the screen, while the title creature also makes its appearance fairly early and frequently. The result is spectacular and at times visually overwhelming, especially when you watch the film on a big screen. The CGI creatures smashing into each other and crushing everything in their path are of an almost unparalleled quality and truly steal the show. Especially the three-headed giant dragon King Ghidorah and the titular monster look fantastic. The battles between these two majestic behemoths for overall monster supremacy guarantee top-notch popcorn entertainment. The other monsters, led by Mothra and Rodan, make an excellent support cast. In terms of content, the film also examines the role of both humanity and the giant monsters. Are the gigantic organisms, despite their initially destructive influence, the bringers of a new balance within the natural systems so severely disturbed by us? And can man shed his fear, mistrust and destructiveness in order to live in harmony with the resurrected primordial Titans?

It’s crystal clear that ‘Godzilla II: King of the Monsters’ was created by and for true fans of the original Godzilla franchise. The appearance of the creatures, the music and sounds that herald the entrance of the various fan favorites, the references to the Japanese origin stories, these are all elements that strike just the right chord with the true lover of the better monster film. Although it’s a bit of a shame that a lot of room has been made as a compromise for poorly developed human vicissitudes, ‘Godzilla II: King of the Monsters’ is largely what you want and expect as a lover of the giant sea lizard: a spectacular spectacle brimming with epic-looking monster battles.