Such is the longevity of the franchise that the first movie was released way back in 1954 (yes you read that correctly) with a succession of others subsequently released over the years and the most recent one being released in 2014. This version features a great cast led by Kyle Chandler (First Man), Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel) and Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) whose star continues to rise with each role she plays. Clearly all the makings of a good movie but does this reflect practically?

Cast – Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance & Thomas Middleditch

Directors – Michael Dougherty

Genre – Fantasy/Sci-fi

Running Time – 2h 12m

The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species – thought to be mere myths – rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

Saying it outright, this movie is a good effort with a lot put behind it including the marketing which was done expertly leading up to the eventual launch. For those that are familiar with the franchise there will be nothing new as it essentially involves all kinds of monsters with one in particular standing out, and as the title implies, is the king of the bunch. Therefore the story line is quite predictable, it’s not exactly rocket science.

The predictability is neither good nor bad, it’s just what it is. After all there’s only so much you can do with such a franchise. Comparatively though with other similar movies such as Kong and Planet of the Apes we can’t help but feel that this falls behind both. In that sense we feel more could have possibly been done especially, again, if you compare it with the 2014 version which was fantastic. Visually it’s quite appealing especially in 3D, as expected, but from a general story line point of view it’s not mind blowing. No doubt it will and does provide the entertainment value with numerous action sequences plastered all over the movie.

In our view, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is an okay and good movie. We were expecting more and maybe that’s a bit unfair. But when you look at other similar franchises as well as other sci-fi movies and how cleverly those were done then you can’t blame us. One to watch if you are looking for a good escape with all kinds of action sequences but certainly not a must watch. A bit disappointed we are but certainly not the worst movie we have seen. If anything it sets up intrigue for the next movie in the installment which has been confirmed to involve Kong in what will be a Godzilla v Kong showdown set for release in 2020. For now though this one gets a 6.5 out of 10 rating from us.

All our thanks to the cool kids at Nissan SA for the great evening and screening, classy!

Complete with an intriguing cast, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the sequel to Gareth Edwards’ 2014 film Godzilla. The guys at The Verge explain perfectly what the above trailer illustrates:

“The trailer kicks off with Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) fleeing a disaster as a scientist (Vera Farmiga) explains that we’re experiencing a new threat — the “fever” sent to fight the “infection” that humanity has become — as monsters like Godzilla are returning to the Earth after remaining in hiding for years. “Unless all the Titans are found,” she says over a surprisingly effective “Clair de Lune” synch, “our planet will perish, and so will we.” It looks as though there’ll be more than just Godzilla here as well: Mothra makes an appearance, as well as several monsters, teasing some major clashes between the film’s titular hero and those that would challenge him.”

This is of course just a taste with surely other trailers scheduled to be released in due time. What I do like about this one is that it strikes the perfect balance between getting you hooked but not giving too much away at the same time. Godzilla: King of the Monsters officially hits the big screen on May 31st, 2019. I’m amped!