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Godzilla Vs King Kong

Watching Kong go through his ordinary day on Skull Island was just about the coolest opening to a big monster movie I have ever seen. WOW. We learn everything about who the good guy is and why we need to cheer for him to win this battle of the titans. We are getting sweet and soulful Kong here and he's the emotional heart of the film. His connection to humanity is a native deaf child who he protects and loves and just may be able to communicate with.

The open credits are also very creative in the way that they convey vital backstory information about the history of conflict between these APEX PREDATORS and exactly where we are in the story right now and who our combatants are. A tale of the tape as it where. Again, WOW.

An evil corporation? That specializes in ROBOTICS?? More, give me more. I have the feeling that this one might make up for the disappointing Kaiju film of the past decade with the exception of Kong of Skull Island which I really enjoyed.

The visual effects are stunning and on the IMAX screen they must really pop. If I was a kid in that kind of theatre watching this film in 3D I think my tiny little mind would be blown for all time. I have a good friend who is a real Godzilla freak and I only wish I could be inside his head when he watches this one for the first time.

And the story MOVES. Once it starts it doesn't let up for a second and even the arrival of Millie Bobby Brown can't ruin something this good. Again, to me she is such a weak actress that she can't pull off anything resembling talent. She is just an annoying brat who thinks Godzilla is a good guy even after a major attack on a research facility. I won't even begin to explain the shenanigans she gets herself into. It's all so contrived but isn't the whole film when you get right down to it? 

As usual, the human characters seem an annoyance when all we want to see are the monsters. Millie Bobby Brown is the biggest human annoyance I can think of adding to a film like this. I hate the time she takes up on screen. Four buildings full of toddlers can be destroyed in the time she wastes with her part which is totally USELESS to the plot. She could at least do SOMETHING and be good at something like a computer but she is just dead weight. The same expression regardless of the emotion she is required to convey. 

Super cool futuristic hollow earth flying spaceship?? YES PLEASE. Evil Corporate executive with evil Asian henchman? Check. I so hope they are going along on the journey to the center of the Earth. I don't even care right now why they have to do it. Just happy that they are GOING to be doing it.

It's great how everyone in the story knows everything that every other character knows. There are no secrets or people keeping any unexpressed thoughts to themselves. As long as it advances the story and this technique of storytelling does just that. No matter how ridiculous it can all seem, I just went with it. I didn't want the movie to make me think too much. Mission accomplished but in a good way.

It's all balloon juice but it's such well done balloon juice. I can feel that thrill building in my chest that always comes from a watching a movie that doesn't try to be anything other than what it is - a monster movie with dumb humans sprinkled in for good measure. The confrontation does not disappoint and the final understanding between our two Titans feels heartfelt and real. The two most interesting characters are the monsters and that is the way it should be.

Hey, the evil corporate CEO has a snotty but beautiful daughter. Check.

The initial battle on the ocean is a spectacular piece of CGI business. Again, the filmmakers know exactly what we want to see and they deliver. We can FOLLOW the fight unlike most of these CGI movie battles we have been subjected to our whole lives. The polar opposite of a Transformer's movie where everything is filmed in annoying close-up.

Then if one Godzilla wasn't enough, we have a big robot Mechagodzilla which of course was created by the evil corporation for their own evil reasons, none of which make any sense if you pay attention too closely.

What the hell is a man carved temple doing in Middle Earth? You are telling me that a race of giant monkeys made themselves a church, basically? All so that we could find Kong his own Mjolnir? So we could see him sitting on a carved throne? Sure, why not?

Okay, giant flying chickens menacing the people. Sure, why not?

Then we get to the next round in a city destroying battle for the ages. The CGI here is again the star as city buildings fall apart as if they were made of paper. The fight choreography is also incredible. Like two WWE wrestlers in rubber suits - and all of it from a distance where we can enjoy it.

The central problem with any such movie like this is that we like both monsters. I didn't want either to lose. I only wanted the stupid humans who made dumb decisions to die. And if that means a car or something heavy and sharp falls on Millie Bobby Brown? Sure, why not?

The arrival of the true villain in the form of Mechagodzilla brings our two foes together for the team-up that fans of the franchise wanted to see the most. Could the story have went any other way? This is where Godzilla vs King Kong really excels. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Monster Super Friends Forever.

I liked it. I smiled at the end and am happy to recommend it to all fans.

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