Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) - Part 1

[DarthSkywalker]

The human story does serve a purpose. To provide context to the Monster story.

Which is why they are important to the movie. That is basic formula for the vast majority of these movies. Which is why I don't understand the idea that they don't need to be engaging. So if you don't find them engaging, I can understand not being engaged with a Kaiju flick.

 

[Binker]

Maybe the reaction is trying to give KOTM the KISS criticism: Keep It Simple Stupid. Ie story and characters.

 

[superion]

Just got back from seeing it. It's a OK movie. The final fight saved the movie for me. Way to much time was spent on the very uninteresting humans.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Which is why they are important to the movie. That is basic formula for the vast majority of these movies. Which is why I don't understand the idea that they don't need to be engaging. So if you don't find them engaging, I can understand not being engaged with a Kaiju flick.

I mean, I get why some people don’t like this movie. I genuinely think Godzilla vs Destroyah is one of the best science fiction films ever made, but do you know how many people share my opinion? I’m a microscopic minority. I can get that Godzilla doesn’t work for everyone in a way that makes the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I mean, I get why some people don’t like this movie. I genuinely Godzilla vs Destroyah is one of the best science fiction films ever made, but do you know how many people share my opinion?

Not enough?

I don't mean you here Roose. I don't think you have asked the question of what people expect or argued that the humans aren't important in someway. I see a lot of post in here questioning what general audience's "want". Godzilla 2014's opening weekend showed us what general audiences wanted/expected. For everyone who showed up just to see the clash, there are a lot more who aren't going to the theater just for that.

 

[Ninjablade]

I mean my main reason for disliking it came down to how none of the action sequences really made up for how unengaging and poorly written all the human crap was. The movie's structure is fairly standard. 3 main action set pieces each closing out an act, lasting somewhere 10-30 minutes apiece. It's a two-hour movie, so give or take 10 minutes for the credits, that leaves a good 50 minutes at the very least dedicated solely to the human characters. With the amount of cutting back to them during the action, it's probably closer to 70-80. Heck, I don't even think Godzilla had that much more screentime than he did in the 2014 film.

So if you're going to dedicate that much time to your characters, make it worth it. Here, it wasn't. Everyone is cookie-cutter nonsense, spouting all the cliche lines you get when a writing team puts in the least amount of effort. Ken Watanabe and Vera Farmiga are really the only characters that served any real purpose, but even then, I'd say the latter is the only one that absolutely needed to be in the movie.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I’d say Serizawa is pretty damned vital, both for plot reasons and for more subtler character reasons.

I don't mean you here Roose. I don't think you have asked the question of what people expect or argued that the humans aren't important in someway. I see a lot of post in here questioning what general audience's "want". Godzilla 2014's opening weekend showed us what general audiences wanted/expected. For everyone who showed up just to see the clash, there are a lot more who aren't going to the theater just for that.

Sure, though I’m of the mind that even if the human story had been better crafted we wouldn’t see that much of a spike from the general audience going into this film. You can argue the merits of the human involvement, but I think the real discussion is would it have ultimately changed much regarding the GA’s interest in this film and it’s profitability?

 

[Sithborg]

I feel KOTM will be a cult film, agree?

It's a Godzilla film. You don't have a 60 year old franchise without having an audience. And with how different the films can be, you will find weird bastions in the fandom.

EDIT: And frankly, I think part of the issue with the human plot is that is very much worldbuilding. I would say most of their lines are exposition. Which doesn't necessarily lead to the best story.

 

[Pennywise]

Seeing this tomorrow!

 

[DACrowe]

Saw this, and this movie is ****ING AWESOME.

I usually agree with critical consensus, and when I disagree it's rarely on blockbusters, but this thing getting savaged is a real mystery to me. This thing is beautifully filmed, handsomely crafted, and bug nuts fun. Like this is what I WANT a Godzilla movie to be. Giant monsters throwing down, the humans being entertaining enough to not be boring (cough, Godzilla '14) but also knowing when to get out of the way.

It's not necessarily high art, but it's highly entertaining and not at all stupid. It knows what it is, and has fun with it. Also, the cast even with light material does not slouch with Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Vera Farmiga, and especially Bradley Whitford just owning the screen. I want to see this sucker again.

 

[TheBumFuzzle]

I think the real discussion is would it have ultimately changed much regarding the GA’s interest in this film and it’s profitability?

20014 a new Godzilla movie opens & any Godzilla movie will have certain expectations & it makes in its Opening Weekend $93,188,384

People ended up disappointed with Godzilla 2014 because it subverted expectations

Godzilla's 2019 Opening Weekend after people were disappointed with the last movie $47,776,293

The Box Office is a pretty good indication here of what people expects from a Godzilla movie

 

[TheBumFuzzle]

Saw this, and this movie is ****ING AWESOME.

I usually agree with critical consensus, and when I disagree it's rarely on blockbusters, but this thing getting savaged is a real mystery to me. This thing is beautifully filmed, handsomely crafted, and bug nuts fun. Like this is what I WANT a Godzilla movie to be. Giant monsters throwing down, the humans being entertaining enough to not be boring (cough, Godzilla '14) but also knowing when to get out of the way.

It's not necessarily high art, but it's highly entertaining and not at all stupid. It knows what it is, and has fun with it. Also, the cast even with light material does not slouch with Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Vera Farmiga, and especially Bradley Whitford just owning the screen. I want to see this sucker again.

What I saw was two actual fights in this movie & the first one ended fairly quickly. The second one repeated the same cutting away **** from 2014 & even more annoyingly so & the even more lamer & even more horrible human characters made it worse. I prefer Batman v Sueprman over both Godzilla movies & I hated all 3. I can only hope that this movie is a franchise killer & the next & LAST ONE flat out bombs

 

[Roose Bolton]

20014 a new Godzilla movie opens & any Godzilla movie will have certain expectations & it makes in its Opening Weekend $93,188,384

People ended up disappointed with Godzilla 2014 because it subverted expectations

Godzilla's 2019 Opening Weekend after people were disappointed with the last movie $47,776,293

The Box Office is a pretty good indication here of what people expects from a Godzilla movie

That says more about the last Godzilla movie than it does about this one.

 

[DACrowe]

What I saw was two actual fights in this movie & the first one ended fairly quickly. The second one repeated the same cutting away **** from 2014 & even more annoyingly so & the even more lamer & even more horrible human characters made it worse. I prefer Batman v Sueprman over both Godzilla movies & I hated all 3. I can only hope that this movie is a franchise killer & the next & LAST ONE flat out bombs

Well... that's like your opinion, man.

I thought all of the fights worked and had a real cinematic grandeur. Yes they were chaotic and stormy, but save one major character's death (where this person was eaten in a very confusing manner, likely due to keeping it PG-13), the action was very compelling to me.

I liked Cranston in the 2014 film, but no one else. Meanwhile, I laughed a lot at Bradley Whitford and was genuinely engaged in Ken Watanabe's major decision in the film. It's not high drama, but it kept me amused and all of it kept the plot moving to the next fight

What's funny is most kaiju films leave me cold. Didn't really care for the 2014 movie other than a few tremendous moments, was only so-so on Kong: Skull Island, and flat out disliked Pacific Rim. But this one worked for me in a "Saturday morning" kind of way. It reminds me of something as much like a B-Universal horror movie from the '40s. This "Let Them Fight" the movie, and for whatever reason it kept me smiling throughout. (Shrugs)

 

[TheBumFuzzle]

That says more about the last Godzilla movie than it does about this one.

That tells me people were disappointed with the 2014 movie & did not show up again for the 2019 movie. Kind of like people being disappointed with BVS & did not show up for JL (Snyder being fired is not why JL failed). Bad previous movies plays a part in sequels being successful or not. Just ask the likes of Batman Begins

 

[TheBumFuzzle]

Well... that's like your opinion, man.

Thats the magic of opinoins one can hate something & one can like it

 

[MbJ]

That says more about the last Godzilla movie than it does about this one.

Yeah. Sequels paying for the sins of a divisive or panned first installment is really common. I honestly don't know how something like this would've fared if they'd made it from the start without the weight of the first movie around their neck, but I am seeing a lot of "This is the one they should've made in the first place" sentiment. A Godzilla movie where they just cut loose and have him fight a bunch of monsters seemed to be what most wanted out of the first one.

 

[Roose Bolton]

That tells me people were disappointed with the 2014 movie & did not show up again for the 2019 movie. Kind of like people being disappointed with BVS & did not show up for JL (Snyder being fired is not why JL failed). Bad previous movies plays a part in sequels being successful or not. Just ask the likes of Batman Begins

Sure, but that’s not a criticism against this film. What I’m saying is, regardless of how this film handled its human storyline it wouldn’t have had much of an impact on how it opened. It was always going to have to carry the weight of the Gareth Edwards film.

 

[TheBumFuzzle]

What I’m saying is, regardless of how this film handled its human storyline it wouldn’t have had much of an impact on how it opened. It was always going to have to carry the weight of the Gareth Edwards film.

That would be studio incompetence. Not smart enough figuring out that people did not wanna see more of how the first one was done. The studio can only blame themselves after this franchise dies out after the next one & they reboot it again in a few years after the next one. The WB is slowly beocming the new Sony

 

[CB Fan]

Sure, but that’s not a criticism against this film. What I’m saying is, regardless of how this film handled its human storyline it wouldn’t have had much of an impact on how it opened. It was always going to have to carry the weight of the Gareth Edwards film.

True. I had to drag my family to this as they we’re not interested because they figured it would be exactly like the 2014 film. They ended up giddy and cheering throughout and couldn’t wait to see more after the end credits tease. The hard part was always going to get butts back in the seats after the 2014 bore.

 

[Roose Bolton]

That would be studio incompetence. Not smart enough figuring out that people did not wanna see more of how the first one was done. The studio can only blame themselves after this franchise dies out after the next one & they reboot it again in a few years after the next one. The WB is slowly beocming the new Sony

....no, not really.

What you’re talking about, this film in particular, if it truly had a big impact on audiences it would mean a big second week drop after people have had a chance to actually see and make that judgement for themselves. The general audience hadn’t seen this film a week ago, they had no real notion of it’s quality.

 

[HKpowerup]

Hopefully will be able to watch the movie this week. Based on the reviews I've read, my worst fears have come true - good monster action ultimately let down by poorly written characters & story.

But again no judgement until I see the movie.

 

[Loden Greatstorm]

 

[writer0327]

I feel like I watched an Asylum film on the Syfy channel, in fact I think they have a Godzilla ripoff coming out later on this month and I wonder if it will be better. But the way folks are describing this film, it's as if the human characters were expected to be complete afterthoughts and unimportant to the story. If that's the case, then I'd probably feel slightly better about it if they cast a bunch of no-names actors and actresses. But damn....that's Vera Farmiga, Charles Dance, David Strathairn, and Millie Bobbie Brown on the screen. Right or wrong, there's a certain expectation when you see a lineup of this caliber of talent in a film, and while it doesn't always pay off, you should never hear the refrain "oh their characters don't really matter at all", so frankly, I kind feel gypped and tricked.

I would have preferred 12-15 monster fights lasting about 8-10 minutes each, and the humans acting as NPCs just watching in horror and running along side of the action, narrowing avoiding death while maybe trying to evacuate some cities. Those are human characters that don't matter. But they gave these people lines to read, and some of the worst lines in film history at that.

 

[Stark Bauer]

Because audience scores on sites like RT tell us so much.

I could say the same for critics. They are getting paid to write reviews. I suspect their motives, especially when it comes to movies that have a different agenda than the critics’. I put more stock into the opinions of posters on message boards and Reddit. Especially those with similar interests and movie tastes