Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters
Godzilla 2: "King of the Monsters" is a big, bad movie with a bad plot, with an emphasis on the big and the bad. No worse than any other film in the franchise, there are enough ruined buildings to overlook some major failures that the shaky cinematography and overuse of foggy weather can't hide. Related to Kong: Skull Island and the 2014 Godzilla sequel, this release is co-written and directed by Michael Dougherty (Trick 'r Treat), whose horror background shows its ugly face in Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters. While the fight choreography is a lot of fun, two-dimensional characters with nothing to say don't add any value, and necessary elements for a better movie are left out.
An eco-terrorist (Charles Dance) kidnaps a scientist (Vera Farmiga) and her daughter (Millie Bobby Brown) along with their mind control device to be used on giant monsters called the Titans. He hopes to use the power of his captives to destroy humanity, which he believes will save the world. However, he doesn't expect Godzilla to destroy all of his classic foes: Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah.
To modernize this monster movie, the filmmakers try to focus on the people to gauge the emotional impact. The actors chosen to portray the various characters are great, but the script is so poorly written that they can't do much to showcase their screen presence. Godzilla fans come to see monsters and chaos; they don't need scientific explanations or family drama to try to do more than just the visceral pleasure of watching things break. For that matter, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters finally features a huge fight scene spanning the final 30 minutes of the film. But this is confusing for viewers who have witnessed a long, dramatic opening that differs very little from what unfolds as characters simply watch the carnage.
For a summer spectacle, bigger is better, but Godzilla himself gets very little screen time in his own film. While the film isn't boring, it lacks an appropriate amount of destruction. It's also hard to spot giant monsters in a movie that's mostly just about giant monsters; fog, rain, darkness of night and all sorts of things hide the villains when they finally appear, and then there are quick cuts to the horror of people reacting to a fight that the audience can't see properly.
Ultimately, Godzilla 2: King of the Monsters provides enough sizzle that the substandard steak can be partially forgiven. Thanks to the big budget, the sound and visual effects are great, enough to pump some adrenaline through the more boring parts of the film. The enhanced functionality version does nothing other than expand the trailer. The momentum is slowed down for everyone to see - monsters hitting monsters.