For as long as the monster movie has existed, Godzilla has been the staple of the genre; the “king of the monsters” so to speak. The towering, ancient, dinosaur-like creature has gone toe to toe with some of the mightiest in Japanese monster cinema, always coming out victorious and retaining that title. In 2014, Godzilla made his triumphant debut in an American-produced film that continued his legacy. Now, he’ll go up against some of the world’s strongest beasts in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Five years after Godzilla’s victory against the Mutos in San Francisco, the organization Monarch is facing charges for the destruction of the city. Godzilla has not been seen since the incident, and more creatures of god-like magnitude, classified as Titans, are starting to appear all over the world. Though their mission is to contain each one and figure out which are good, they know that they can’t keep them at bay forever. When Monarch scientist Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and her daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) are kidnapped by an ecoterrorist named Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), Emma is forced to use an experimental sonar system of her own design to unleash Ghidorah, a massive, hydra-like monster who assumes dominance over all the world’s Titans. Jonah believes that giving the Earth back to the Titans will save the planet from humanity’s influence. Meanwhile, Emma’s ex-husband Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) is forced to help the organization in the wake of her and Madison’s capture. As Ghidorah unleashes a literal hell on Earth, the only Titan standing in his way is Godzilla, who will stop at nothing until Ghidorah falls. With the help of Monarch scientist Sam Coleman (Thomas Middleditch) and higher ups Ishirō Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins), they all fight to ensure the survival of both humans and monsters alike. In this reviewer’s opinion, the 2014 Godzilla film was an underrated gem. The idea not to show much of Godzilla until the end built up anticipation for the final battle in the end, which was so much fun. It’s a move that takes a more old fashioned approach to its source material, something that modern mainstream audiences didn’t have the patience for. So expectations for this one were very high, almost impossibly high. And it did not disappoint. Godzilla: King of the Monsters doubles the amount of Kaiju action from the first movie that fully embraces the epic nature of its global destruction, creating what only be described as a true work of art in the monster genre. The battles between Godzilla and the other monsters are spectacularly crafted and inject so much fun into the film, and the shots of the monsters look like paintings out of a museum. The performances of the cast are a real highlight of the film. It was great having Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins back from the first movie. Along with them is a cast of actors and actresses who are all playing roles they don’t normally play. It’s fun to see someone like Thomas Middleditch, known to normally do comedies, take on a more serious role. The true highlight performance, and probably the best part of the film, is Millie Bobby Brown. Starring in her first film following her role in Stranger Things, the character of Madison Russell gives her more emotional range compared to the near blank-faced Eleven. And she continues to prove that she is the best child actress working today. Surprisingly, her performance in here doesn’t come off as her television character. She really becomes her character and plays her with so much emotion that you won’t be thinking, “hey, it’s that girl from Stranger Things.” It’s rare to find an actress so young that can act so well. There is something to be said about the story, and while it’s not really ridiculous or stupid, it is only serviceable. It feels like a story from one of the classic, Japanese Godzilla films in how over-the-top the missions become. It doesn’t try to bring anything new to the table, and it becomes somewhat predictable, though it still has a number of twists that keep you guessing. However, no one ever comes to these movies wanting an original story or great characters. They come for the monster fights, and boy does this film deliver on that. There haven’t been fights as exciting as this since the first Jurassic World. Godzilla’s duels with the other Titans will have you jumping in your seat and cheering for the colossal creature. There’s no denying that, as much as you don’t like the story or characters, you will be more than entertained by the sight of Godzilla throwing Ghidorah into an office building. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is truly something to behold. Its unbelievably exciting action scenes and beautiful imagery are more than enough to make up for a story that does what it needs to without reinventing the wheel. No one ever comes to these movies expecting something on the level of a Best Picture winning marvel. But there’s no denying that summer blockbusters this exhilarating are very hard to come by these days.
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The Pokémon franchise has been with us ever since the mid-90s, and has gone on to become a staple of people’s childhoods. Kids everyone, at some point, find themselves in possession of Pokémon cards, or have competed in a Pokémon battle at school. Expanding into the world of video games, which continue to churn out new incarnations every year or so, this franchise has never lost its influence on pop culture. Now, for the first time, the beloved creatures are translated into live action in the new film Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.
Within the Pokémon universe, we are placed into the bustling, beautiful world of Ryme City, a place where humans and Pokémon live in harmony. Here, Pokémon are used to help people in their everyday lives without the threat of violence. There are no battles between Pokémon. There is only peace. In a far off town, Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) is called to the city when his father Harry, one of the most respected detectives in the city, has been pronounced dead. Though he barely knew him in life, he is devastated to learn of this. He goes to Harry’s apartment where he soon becomes acquainted with an unexpected ally: a pikachu in a detective’s hat. Even stranger, Tim can understand Pikachu’s speech. Tim is very reluctant to join this strange, caffeine-addicted Pokémon on his investigation. However, when he learns it involves what happened to his father, Tim starts to believe that Harry may still be alive. With the help of an overworked, yet ambitious reporter named Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton), they will work together to uncover a plot that threatens to upset the peace between humans and Pokémon. We all know the kind of track record that video game movies have had in the past: not good. From the very first attempt with Super Mario Bros., to recent endeavors like Warcraft, these kinds of films have never been a critic’s delight, and have very rarely ever been something other than a dumb fun time at the movies. Nevertheless, they somehow continue to be occasional successes at the box office. And Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is the latest in this decades-old trend. It’s the first time we’ve ever seen the world of Pokémon in something other than anime. The television series is beloved by most 90s kids, and is still airing new episodes to this day. American studios have never taken a stab at the franchise, and there were so many things that could’ve gone wrong with this movie. But while it is in no way a perfect film, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is without a doubt the best video game movie ever made. True, there are those that are just dumb fun, or so bad that they’re good, but this one is different. This is the first movie based on a video game that is a genuinely good movie. It looks like the filmmakers actually put effort into making this as good as it could possibility be. One thing that Assassin’s Creed, Tomb Raider, and Rampage had going against it is that, despite the great talent in front of the camera, the performances were sub-par at best. In this movie, the performances are actually pretty good. One of the highlights is Justice Smith, who improves on his talents from his performance in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. His deadpan delivery of his dialogue is always good for a hardy laugh. The true standout performance is Ryan Reynolds, who adds another great role to his filmography. His initial addition to the cast was weird at first. It made the whole project seem like a joke from an episode of The Simpsons. However, his portrayal of Pikachu is both hilarious and adorable. He had the best lines of humor in the film, and his delivery is always on point. The production values and visual effects are also a highlight of the film. Having seen Pokémon in nothing but anime for years, seeing them in a different platform felt very refreshing. The world of Ryme City is beautifully thought out and looks quite expansive. As you watch the film, you feel like you’re living in the world; something you should feel when watching a fantasy film. The Pokémon also fully fit into the world. Their presence never takes you out of the moment. They feel like they truly belong there. However, this movie gets bonus points for doing two things modern blockbusters don’t do these days. The first is that the movie truly stands on its own. While Warner Bros. is planning to develop this into a full franchise, they could end it if they wanted to. This movie has a beginning, middle, and end, and doesn’t spend its runtime blatantly setting up sequels. It’s its own story with its own personality. The second is the screenplay, which doesn’t feel the need to explain everything. In 2019 alone, there have been around 6 movies that don’t leave anything to the imagination, spoiling all its twists and having no shocking moments (this includes Captain Marvel and Hellboy). Detective Pikachu, on the other hand, doesn’t waist its time on exposition. It allows the audience to put things together for themselves, and that makes the plot twists even more shocking. For the first time in the history of video game movies, we got one that proves they can be not just fun movies, but good movies. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu has great performances, a beautifully conceived world, great effects, and is overall so much fun; while earning bonus points for not acting like a franchise starter and not boring the audience with over-bloated exposition. Everything about this movie felt like a breath of fresh air, and it’s a franchise that feels more than welcome. Just as long as they continue to put this kind of effort into its many planned sequels and spin-offs. |