‘Godzilla II: King of the Monsters’ movie review: Fan favourite kaiju Mothra, Rodan and Ghidorah can’t save illogical action sequel

Published: 
Listen to this article

Despite the promise of the two previous MonsterVerse movies, the latest action adventure of the famous Japanese creature disappoints

Alejo Rodriguez Lo |
Published: 
Comment

Latest Articles

Australia’s ‘earless dragon’ faces extinction due to climate change

WHO Europe report says 16% of all adolescents were cyberbullied in 2022

Hong Kong’s MTR Corp to hike ticket prices by 3% this year

Conflict through a writer’s eyes: 5 books set during war

Hong Kong’s Central harbourfront gets splash of colour for ‘Art March’

Hong Kong household happiness at lowest in six years

The fights look impressive, but they're too dark for you to see what's going on.

Godzilla’s iconic, unique roar will once again echo through cinemas in Godzilla II: King of the Monsters. But don’t get your hopes up: as loud as this latest creation is, you will be almost certainly be disappointed by the predictable plot and unbelievably dumb movie mistakes.

The third instalment of production house Legendary’s “MonsterVerse” and sequel to 2014’s Godzilla, the story continues where its predecessor left off, after the destruction of San Francisco. The crypto-zoological agency Monarch is no longer a secret, nor is the existence of monsters around the world.

Monarch scientist Dr Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) develops a device called the Orca, which can wake monsters up from their hibernation. As more and more of these monsters reappears, Godzilla comes out from hiding to fight for his throne as the king of the monsters. He will have to defeat them all, including his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah, to prove that he is the top dog. Well, monster.

Long-time Godzilla fans will be happy to see Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah return to the big screen. The CGI of all these creaures is the film’s most impressive feat - but that’s not really saying much. Most of the scenes are so dark, set in heavy rain and fog, that it’s hard to see the finer details of each monster. And while there are more monster fight scenes in this latest instalment of the series, they are less entertaining than those in the other two MonsterVerse movies.

Another draw is Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the daughter of Emma’s daughter, Madison. Best known for her portrayal of Eleven in the hit Netflix TV show Stranger Things, her witty, cheeky personality translates well into this movie.

Sadly, her personality can’t save the film from boringness, a state caused mainly by its predictable plot. Every time the main characters are about to face danger or be killed, you knew Godzilla would swoop in - and he did. Even when he disappears, you can rely on him appearing with perfect timing every time.

The film is also littered with mistakes and things that just don’t make sense. For example, Emma starts out as a caring mother and committed scientist, intent on saving the world; her decision to create the Orca, and cause so much destruction isn’t explained or logical.

In another scene, Madison manages to get into a highly secure area, a move that in real life would be utterly impossible; and yet she manages it.

Perhaps the most offensive “reality glitch”, though, is how items appear exactly at the moment a character needs it the most. How does a soldering iron fit in a pocket? How can you whip it out and use it while two huge monsters are fighting in the background? And how does said soldering iron work in pouring rain? Things like this prevent the movie from being believable; you have to wonder if director Michael Dougherty approved these flaws.

Unless you are a huge Godzilla or monster-fighting fan, don’t bother seeing Godzilla II at the cinema, as it is let down by plot holes and illogical decisions. Even the biggest highlight, the impressive CGI, is lost due to poor lighting choices. Save it for a plane journey or when it comes out on TV.

You might also like: 

Godzilla II: King of the Monsters is a love letter to the epic Japanese creature

Sign up for the YP Teachers Newsletter
Get updates for teachers sent directly to your inbox
By registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy
Comment