GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (2019)

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Godzilla 2019 movie poster
Secret experiments have revived the ancient monster Godzilla and other gigantic creatures. The three-headed King Ghidorah seeks domination over mankind with help from Rodan and other Titans. But Godzilla, along with Mothra and human members of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch, attempt to stop this threat to the world.

This monster-sized, expensive-looking "B" popcorn movie delivers exactly what the trailers promise. For this reason alone it
deserves a marginal recommend - satisfying the desired audience. The monster battles are sometimes impressive. Massive CG effects, including motion-capture, replace men in monster suits. Director Michael Dougherty ("Krampus"), who co-wrote the story and screenplay with Zach Shields and Max Borenstein, provides maximum action - for the most part. Only stupid dialogue, supposedly meant to inject some laughs to relieve tension, gets in the way. Contrived angst doesn't help. A broken family, with a loss due to a previous encounter with Godzilla, is the focus of the human drama. Kyle Chandler stars as Monarch ex-employee Mark Russell, a loner who joins the latest confrontation to save his ex-wife Emma (Vera Farmiga), a paleobiologist for Monarch, and gifted daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown). Charles Dance plays Jonah Alan, the leader of an eco-terrorist group trafficking Titan DNA, who kidnaps Emma and Madison to aid in his plan - a bit of added human danger. Half the fun is picking out which actors will succumb to the creatures. Among the huge supporting cast are O'Shea Jackson Jr., Bradley Whitford and Thomas Middleditch. They deliver the throwaway one-liners as a soldier and two company scientists. Reprising their roles from 2014's "Godzilla" are Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe and David Strathairn as two members of the Monarch team and a Navy admiral. This is the latest entry in the Warner Bros. MonsterVerse series that includes Godzilla and King Kong. As such, there are several past references for fans. Composer Bear McCreary's score is thunderous and includes a new version of Blue Oyster Cult's song "Godzilla" over the closing credits. If this is your cup of tea, be sure to see it on the biggest screen possible and stay through the credits for a final scene. The creature comfort "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" won't dethrone this series. (2.5/5 CAMS)

Rated PG-13 (for sequences of monster action violence and destruction, and for some language)
Running Time: 131 minutes

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