Jeri
Jacquin
In
theatres this week from writer/director Michael Dougherty and Warner Bros.
Pictures is the return of the titans with GODZILLA: King of the Monsters.
It has
been five years since the destruction that led to the death of Mark (Kyle
Chandler) and Emma Russell's (Vera Farmiga) son. Daughter Madison (Millie Bobby
Brown) has watched her parents go their separate ways not dealing with the
loss.
Emma is
working with an organization called Monarch and their goal is to find the
Titans to learn more about them. In their underground bunker, Emma and Madison
watch Mothra come into being. Helping to keep it under control, Emma created a
device called the Orca that only these Titans can understand.
Almost
immediately there is an attack on the facility and the two are kidnapped by
former soldier Jonah Alan (Charles Dance). Arriving at his place of research,
Mark is told by Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Graham (Sally Hawkins)
about the kidnapping.
He joins
them back at the center station where Dr. Ling (Ziyi Zhang) and Dr. Stanton
(Bradley Whitford) explain what is happening around the world. The military
wants to take over but the scientists believe there is another way.
In the
meantime, Emma releases the titan called Ghidorah as more and more monsters
like Baphomet, Typhoon, Abaddon, Bunuip and Methuselah wake up. Godzilla is
also on his way to Zero and the team must decide if this is the beginning of
working together.
The
problem is there are people that can't be trusted, titans who have a plan of
their own and so many questions as to how to stop the destruction!
Chandler
as Mark doesn't want to get involved in what ever it is that Monarch is doing
but once Emma and Madison are taken he has no choice. Especially when he
realizes that it is technology he helped develop that is devastating. Chandler has the ability
to look sorrowful when needed and jumps into action when he can.
Farmiga
as Russell takes on the titans when she should be home with her hubby Ed Warren
(The Conjuring) keeping an eye on their evil artifacts. Brown as Madison is a kid who
believes what she's told and has to choose what is right and wrong - and then
get back to the STRANGER THINGS cast.
Dance as
Alan proves that you can take the Hand of the King out of Westeros but you
can't stop Tywinn from still wanting to rule the world. Whitford as Dr.
Stanton is the sharp tongues comic relief especially when he sees his old White
House stomping grounds in sad shape.
Watanabe
as Dr. Serizawa is the strength of the group who is trying to keep Godzilla
alive while trying to find a way to stop the other Titans. I adore Watanabe and
this is a perfect character for him as it is strong but equally quiet. Zhang as
Dr. Ling is caught up in every minute of the chaos and it's nice to see Sayuri
and the Chairman (Memoirs of a Geisha) together again.
Other
cast include Thomas Middleditch as Sam Coleman, Aisha Hinds as Colonel Diane
Foster, O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Chief Warrant Barnes, Anthony Ramos as Sgt.
Martinez, Elizabeth Ludlow as Lt. Griffin, Jonathan Howard as Asher Jonah and
David Strathairn as Admiral William Stenz.
Look, I
know I am making a little fun of GODZILLA: King of the Monsters but there are
moments crying out for me to poke fun. The story is straight forward, the
technology is cutting edge, the graphics are on point and Godzilla never looked
so good.
That
being said, honestly I could have seen myself sitting at home watching this on
a bit 75" screen television with a sound bar and having a great time with
friends. I am a kid of the black/white Godzilla/Mothra/Rodan era and I spent
many a Friday night or Saturday afternoon watching the battles.
The first
film directed by Ishiro Honda in 1954 introduced everyone to Gojira aka
Godzilla and the reaction was huge. Everyone knows who Godzilla is even if the
youngsters of today don't know the back story. If they see a statue of Godzilla
- they know!
The
radioactive lizard looking and extremely HUGE creature slips through the ocean
with ease while destroying everything below his very large feet. I sort of have
the same problem so I can relate!
From the
1950s until today, Godzilla is part of film history and an icon that we love.
Although the films haven't always been successful (sorry Matthew Broderick aka 1998
version), this story works even if it is cheesy, campy and predictable.
Prepare
because Godzilla vs. King Kong is going to come large and in charge in 2020.
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