Review of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) by Filipeneto — 02 Mar 2020

With a somewhat inventive history, it has better interpretations and production values ​​than its predecessor.

This film is the predictable sequel to "Godzilla", with the appearance of a legion of monstrous creatures called Titans. I liked, in general, the 2014 film, and I went to see this film with some interest, believing that finally Godzilla was having a more interesting treatment from the cinema. And I confess that I am not disappointed, as the film is even better than its predecessor in some important points.

The film takes the point where the previous one ended and reveals to us the efforts made since then, to create a way of understanding and reproducing the vocalizations of the monsters already awake. It is with this technology that Emma Russel, allied with a group of mercenaries, tries to wake up the sleeping monsters that Monarch monitors. She thinks it will restore a natural balance in the world, perhaps through a massacre. I confess that I found this part of the script somewhat confusing. Against her is ex-husband Mark, who argues that all monsters should simply be killed or left to sleep. It doesn't matter, the fact is that they wake up the only one who should have been left to sleep: the Guidorah hydra, the only one that has the capacity to wake everyone up and control them to slaughter Humanity. It is now up to Godzila and her fellow humans to contain this threat, even if it means the partial destruction of the world.

As in the previous film, there are good and bad things in this story. It's a little hard to believe that creatures like that would spend thousands of years sleeping without being detected by curious humans. On the other hand, the film makes good use of material from classic legends involving monsters (Scilla, Kong, the Loch Ness Monster, Hydra and others). I was not convinced by the supposed alien origins of Hydra, I think it is a little credible detail of the script. There is also a time when everyone seems to stumble over Atlantean civilization, but that is never even mentioned.

The cast's work is more enjoyable in this film than in its predecessor. For a start, I felt that there were more possibilities to connect with the characters. This bet made the film gain more interest as we feel more involved in the action and care more about what happens. Godzilla, in this respect, is a character in his own right. Among the human cast I would positively highlight Kyle Chandler and Vera Farmiga. Both do a good job, even though the character of Farmiga is very difficult to understand and unworthy of our sympathy. Watanabe continues to maintain the good performance that started in the previous film, ending it brilliantly. I don't know if all the merit belongs to the actor or if the screenwriter also reserved better material for the actor, but the truth is that it worked very well. Bradley Whitford, Aisha Hinds, Ziyi Zhang and Sally Hawkins do a good job of support. Millie Bobby Brown is almost left in the film and has little to do but be in danger when the script needs an extra reason for the characters to move faster.

The film maintained the good production values ​​of its predecessor. And there is no doubt that there is a lot of money invested. A grandiose and impressive CGI, with scenarios of pure destruction everywhere, the bet on a more luminous environment, which allows the public to better see the destruction of the world and the epic battles that are fought among the human ruins. Now we see better what the first film kept wrapped in dust and shadows. The monstrous creatures also seem to me better worked and realistic. We also have impressive sound and visual effects, good post-production work, with excellent mixing and editing, well-crafted special effects, good sets, costumes and props.

Overall, it is a satisfying action and sci-fi film, with a somewhat elaborate story that works well if we don't think about it too much. You can pass the time, although it is not a work of cinema art. Godzilla will certainly continue to be a recurring monster in cinema, even though it does not give rise to really good films.