Monthly Archives: June 2019

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

In the Aisles (2019): Life and Love in a Supermarket

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With books, we’re told to read between the lines, but when it comes to stores, it seems we need to look In the Aisles. Christian (Franz Rogowski; Transit) is a new hire at a large retailer. He is an extremely taciturn man, but a hard worker under the guidance of his assigned manager Bruno (Peter Kurth; A Heavy Heart). Soon after starting he encounters Marion (Sandra Hüller; Toni Erdmann), an employee in a different aisle, and develops feelings for her.

Director Thomas Stuber (Teenage Angst) immediately establishes the film’s most important character: the supermarket. The store is an enormous warehouse club and the camerawork always emphasizes its incredible size. The film’s opening shows the store’s night shift work and is set to the Blue Danube waltz, recalling the space stations from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Like outer space in 2001, the towering shelves and expansive aisles are a great unknown that the employees navigate in coordinated routines that are almost dance-like. Since Christian is on the night shift, the store is usually dimly lit, giving it a more bleak look than the overly bright areas shoppers are accustomed to.

There is a resigned hopelessness that hangs over the film. The characters shown aren’t upwardly mobile people trying to better themselves. They appear to be employees that follow the routine of their unglamorous jobs and have no plans to change. They aren’t ecstatic about their jobs, but they aren’t unhappy either. It’s more of a quiet acceptance that things will neither improve nor deteriorate and that their current stations in life are inescapable. This gives the atmosphere an oppressive quality, but there are still moments of modest joy.

Bruno’s affection for Christian is subtle, but sincere.

The store staff genuinely care for each other. They have long histories like family and have respect for each other. Bruno, as Christian’s boss and mentor, is a paternal figure that looks out for Christian and gently encourages him as he struggles with some of his tasks. The group celebrates together in holiday parties and suffers together in unfortunate circumstances. The permanence of their jobs means their connections are deep and closer to relatives than mere coworkers.

The relationship between Christian and Marion is only one part of Stuber’s focus. Christian’s inarticulate manners and his reserved demeanor are in stark contrast to Marion’s relative liveliness and his kind, subdued gestures towards her make for an endearing sight. While the film initially seems to be centered on their romance, it slowly reveals itself to be about the people of the store and what it means to them. Their jobs are mundane, repetitive, and don’t afford them any kind of lavish lifestyle, but it offers stability. The store’s familiarity brings solace and belonging to its staff, most of whom have little else outside of work. During the holidays, Christian lays in bed waiting for the store to reopen. Many will find the setting and characters banal and dreary and be put off by the film’s unhurried tempo, but there is a humble poignance to the characters’ lives. Stuber has captured a microcosm of souls locked in a monotonous, but sustainable existence. It may not be much, but the store and the routines and community that come with it provide enough simple meaning to their endure ordinary lives.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019): Pokémon Noir

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The first live-action feature based on the mega-franchise Pokémon is also the best video game adaptation to date, not that it had a lot of competition. Tim (Justice Smith; Paper Towns) comes to Rime City to collect the belongings of his estranged father that recently passed away. In his father’s apartment, he finds a Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds; Deadpool) searching through documents and discovers that it can talk and that he can understand it. The Pikachu has lost its memory but wears a Sherlock Holmes-esque deerstalker hat with Tim’s father’s address written on the inside. He believes that there is a coverup and teams with Tim to solve the mystery.

For a series targeted at children, Rime City is an unexpected location. Unlike the mostly clean, often idyllic towns of the anime, Rime City is a bustling metropolis. It’s a grimy, overpopulated place closer to the city from Blade Runner than anything else. It’s a city with underground fighting rings , secret labs, and corruption. One key difference is that it does not have Pokémon trainers in the traditional sense. Normally, characters catch and train Pokémon in order to fight them in battles against other Pokémon to win tournaments. Rime City is noted as a city where there is “harmony between humans and Pokémon” so instead of owning several Pokémon, each human appears to have a single Pokémon partner. This is a clever decision by the writers because it allows the city to feel dangerous, but neatly sidesteps any potential resemblance between Pokémon battles and animal fights that could cause controversy due to the realistic renderings.

The creature designs are incredibly detailed. Bringing the cartoon animals to life was no small task and the effects team has done a phenomenal job of making them feel realistic. The Pokémon are rendered with texture which is alarming at first, but it acclimates quickly. Psyduck has fur that gets tussled, Bulbasaur has slimy frog-like skin, and even Pokémon that don’t resemble animals, like Mr. Mime, have slight wrinkles to them. It makes these strange creatures tangible, but without betraying their original, iconic designs, unlike the recent Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

This isn’t in the actual movie, but it’s a great indication of the quality of animation on display.

With Pikachu, the effects team has taken this to another level. Pikachu is the only Pokémon in the film that talks and his animation is stellar. The way his fur moves and his fat jiggles as he runs is lifelike and they’ve taken special care in his facial animations. Using motion capture, Reynolds’s slightest expressions are mapped onto Pikachu’s face and it imbues him with Reynolds’s trademark sarcastic wit. He still sounds like Deadpool, but at no point in the film does he feel like a cartoon. Pikachu has all the charisma and physicality of a living, breathing character, while still being an adorable little furball.

The question then becomes “is this only for Pokémon fans?” and the answer is not quite. A tangential knowledge of a few main Pokémon like Pikachu is all that’s needed. The main plot resembles a standard film noir. Having watched the anime or played the games is beneficial but not necessary. The film mostly features the original 151 Pokémon so older fans that haven’t kept up with the franchise will be right at home. That being said, fans will gain so much more from the film. Most scenes contain references to Pokémon lore that knowledgeable viewers will eat up. Background elements like a Machamp using its four arms to redirect traffic around a sleeping Snorlax are amazing and it’s a joy to watch the believable way Pokémon interact and work with humans. The narrative itself is by no means special, but Reynolds’s performance as Pikachu and the thoughtful depiction of Pokémon-human interactions make this a worthy adaptation.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Photograph (2019): Slight, but Affecting Romance

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After the disappointment that was Our Souls at Night, it’s great to see director Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox) make a return to form and a return home to Mumbai. Rafi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui; The Lunchbox) works as a photographer selling instant photos to tourists at the Gateway of India. He has a chance encounter with a young woman, Miloni (Sanya Malhotra; Dangal), who absentmindedly walks off before paying him for the photograph. As a man approaching middle age, Rafi is being pressured by his grandmother (Farrukh Jaffar; Swades) to get married. To appease her and hopefully put an end to her nagging, he sends her the photograph of Miloni, claiming that she is his girlfriend. Of course, this backfires when his grandmother immediately decides to visit to meet her and Rafi has to ask Miloni to pretend to be his girlfriend until she leaves.

There’s nothing surprising about where the plot goes, but the journey is still enjoyable. As Rafi and Miloni spend time together and learn more about each other as part of the ruse, they gradually become closer. Miloni is younger and grew up in a upper-class urban family so she finds Rafi’s village background to be a fascinating escape. In a culture where public displays of physical affection are rare, their progression is slow, but noticeable in the extra time they spend together. Batra mines these unspoken feelings for subtle, but palpable romantic longing.

It’s this gentle approach to storytelling that has defined Batra’s directing style. His characters speak in soft voices, always too polite to fully express themselves, and their reluctance to act on their desires makes them all the more likable. His style owes a great debt to the films of Wong Kar-Wai, but there is an importance difference. Wong’s films tend to come from a place of melancholy. His characters were in doomed romances destined to end before they ever truly begin. With Batra, there are hope and genuine warmth behind his lens.

Jaffar’s nagging is unexpected source of humor.

Siddiqui and Malhotra make an endearing main couple, but it is Jaffar that steals the show. Despite being an elderly woman, Jaffar is clearly in command. She is the stern matriarch that always has advice and criticisms to offer, whether or not her grandson wants to hear it. Her constant admonishment and unnecessarily loud speaking voice will give anyone who has had to deal with controlling relatives shivers. Yet, her inclusion adds a tragic nature to the romance. She wants the best for her grandson before she passes away but the joy she feels upon seeing Rafi and Miloni together also carries the heavy guilt that the relationship is an act. Her character brings some much needed energy and provides an additional wrinkle to their could-be pairing.

When the film comes to a close, some may be left unsatisfied. There is a stopping point rather than a traditional conclusion. Batra has his characters explicitly address why he felt conventional closure was unnecessary, but many will still find the ending too hasty. Batra has executed on his signature brand of romantic longing, but given the predictable plot and abrupt conclusion, Photograph is a successful, but minor work.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Long Day’s Journey Into Night (2019): A Dreamy and Mesmerizing Feat

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There are movies that you try to piece together and there are movies that you give yourself over to. Long Day’s Journey Into Night is the latter. The film initially presents itself in the vein of a film noir. Luo Hongwu (Hang Jue), a middle aged man, returns to his hometown to look for a former lover (Tang Wei; Lust, Caution) who has never left his thoughts. But director Bi Gan (Kaili Blues) is not a traditional storyteller. He is more interested in Luo’s memories and emotions than anything else.

Anyone looking for an explicit narrative will be disappointed. As Luo looks for his former lover, the film constantly jumps around in the timeline. Establishing a chronology can be difficult outside of Luo’s graying hair and the narrative may leave some viewers perplexed. It has the unfortunate side effect of making the central relationship difficult to understand, but the structure is dictated by Luo’s state of mind. As a man searching for a connection to his past, the scenes play out like fragments of his memory triggered during his pursuit.

The dreamlike tone is accentuated throughout. Much of the film is shot at night with wet, reflective surfaces all around, establishing an ethereal atmosphere. Bi relies on the hushed tones of Luo’s voiceover rather than dialogue. His inner thoughts are poetic ruminations on memory and are a unique blend of Wong Kar-Wai, Terrence Malick, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul along with Bi’s own brand of introspection. It may test the patience of some, but the film’s deliberate pacing and mood are essential to its themes.

All of Bi’s framings have a pensive quality to them.

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the film’s 1 hour long take and I’m pleased to say it deserves every bit of praise it has received. Long Day’s Journey Into Night is not a 3D film, as an opening title card states, but when Luo visits a local movie theater he puts on a pair of 3D glasses and the audience does as well. The following long take is nothing short of astounding. Bi orchestrates an extended sequence of mind-boggling complexity, recalling and even surpassing many famous long takes like the opening of Touch of Evil. The camera follows characters on vehicle, down a zipline, soars over a town center, and into many buildings. There are several actions during the take that would be perilous to completing the shot, like precise plays during a game of pool, and at some point it becomes the cinematic equivalent of watching a high-stakes tightrope walk.

That’s not to say that Bi uses his long shot as a gimmick. It’s an immersive, surreal experience, essentially a lucid dream. The camera floats around the events, observing from nearby in an almost out-of-body experience, like the roaming camerawork from Enter the Void. It further demonstrates the director’s enormous talent and serves as a fitting coda to a feature that has little interest in explicit plot. Bi ends his film with this astounding sequence that emphasizes the enveloping nature our subjective memory and the lasting impact it can create long after events have transpired. It’s an awe-inspiring feat that will mesmerize viewers willing to accept it on its own terms.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019): Action Overload

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John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is proof that you can have too much of a good thing. This unexpected franchise, directed by former stuntman Chad Stahelski, has only grown in popularity with each subsequent entry. Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) plays the legendary hitman forced out of retirement. At the end of the previous film, he had broken the sacred rule of the Continental, the hotel for criminal underworld, by killing on its property. Because of his violation, a $14 million dollar bounty is placed on his head and every assassin in New York City is looking to claim the prize.

The world-building from the previous films has lost a lot of its appeal. In the first film, the secret underground world of assassins was intriguing. It wasn’t explicitly told, but could be inferred through the special currency, rules, and services offered. While obviously an unreal premise, it had enough subtlety to be somewhat believable as an unknown territory, just beyond the reaches of civilization. In the second film, the reach of this network was revealed to be larger than expected, but in the latest entry the writers have taken it to the extreme. When Wick runs on the streets of New York, heads turn in recognition. When he jumps into a random cab, the driver is aware of the Continental and addresses him by name. The expansive reach of this supposedly hidden society begs the question: who isn’t an assassin or connected to their society? The world-building was never meant to be truly realistic, but its omnipresence robs it of its mystique and often seems silly with how many different people are apparently involved.

Halle Berry co-stars as another dog-loving assassin.

The action, as before, is stellar. Fights are staged from a distance, allowing for full view of the combat without the confusion of over-editing or shaky cam. The scale of the set pieces has been taken up a level. In order to outdo their previous work, Stahelski and company use more high-stakes vehicular combat, like an impressive motorcycle fight, group fights, and settings that allow for a variety of kills. One such fight takes place within a store that sells exotic guns and knives leading to a plethora of unique ways to end someone. Reeves is as up to the action as ever. He appears slightly heavier and even more beleaguered as he runs with a limp and lands blows more messily than before. Wick is still a headshot machine and decimates opposing forces with precision aiming anytime a gun is in his hand.

Despite all these objectively positive aspects about Parabellum’s production, the unending stream of action takes its toll. The first film was praised for its stripped down narrative, but by the third entry the onslaught of violence has become exhausting. There is only so much action that a viewer can take before becoming indifferent. Without an additional wrinkle to his motivation, beyond fighting his way through the criminal underground again, the fights progressively lose their impact. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is exactly the barrage of non-stop violence it seeks to be, but crosses over into an exhausting action overload.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Dragged Across Concrete (2019): Quiet, Tense, and Detailed

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With Dragged Across Concrete, S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomehawk) wades into precarious subject matter. Fortunately, he has the talent to handle it with the gravitas it deserves. The film is split between two storylines. The first centers on two cops, Brett (Mel Gibson; Mad Max) and Anthony (Vince Vaughn; Brawl in Cell Block 99), that are put on administrative leave after a video of them “using too much brass” while arresting a drug dealer surfaces online. The second story follows two friends, Henry (Tory Kittles; Colony) and Biscuit (Michael Jai White; Black Dynamite), as they assist in a bank heist.

This is a movie that takes its time. The film runs nearly 2 hours 40 minutes yet doesn’t feel overlong. Zahler uses the runtime to invest in his characters. Where most directors would show Brett and Anthony on a single stakeout before the climactic action, Zahler chooses to show several. His screenplay exists in this repetition. He knows that it is these routines that allow viewers to understand how characters behave and how they relate to one another. He is also willing to spend significant screentime setting up a character and their motivations only to have them killed 15 minutes later because it give the violence impact. The attention to detail in how these characters live and what motivates them makes every minute engaging and every consequence significant.

Gibson and Vaughn have the natural chemistry of longtime partners.

For a film about police brutality, it isn’t as gruesome as the title suggests. The violence takes a step down compared to Zahler’s previous work and it’s a smart decision. Unlike his prior two films, this title is about an extremely sensitive topic that is affecting many Americans. There are moments where Brett and Anthony intimidate and rough up their suspects, but they are neither glorified nor condemned. The arrest that causes the police officers to get suspended is not nearly as violent as much of the real-life cell phone footage that circulates online. When they are called in to their chief’s office to discuss the incident, they plead their case. How can an entire career be judged on a 30 second video? Why is it that the impact of the drug dealer – and the impact of his arrest and actions allowed by the information he divulged – not a part of the discussion? Both of these are valid points and are expressed earnestly, although some of the lines appear to be not-so-subtle references to Gibson’s own history with audio recordings made public. In the case presented onscreen, they are questioning a man that is definitively guilty, but the film does not explore the ramifications of using the same level of force on an innocent man which is an important piece of the puzzle that is missing, but not to the detriment of the overall film.

Zahler applies the same attitude to the crimes committed by Henry and Biscuit. They each explain why they are resorting to theft and the film never judges them for it. This incredibly even-handed approach pays off immensely. It allows Zahler to tackle difficult and current subject matter without the flagrant messaging of a Spike Lee movie. If Zahler has any bias, it is towards his characters. They are written and portrayed with deep empathy for their situations and the actions they take given their limited choices. For a filmmaker known for genre films and excessive violence, Zahler has constructed a slow-burn procedural with a genuine compassion for its characters, regardless of their actions.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Us (2019): Double Trouble

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Us is the story of a vacationing family that is visited by unwanted guests. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and Winston Duke (Black Panther) play the Wilsons, a couple with two children going on a trip to their beach house in Northern California. One night, four masked strangers stand in front of their home. The people closely resemble each of the Wilsons and begin a murderous rampage as they attempt to kill their doubles. These intruders are known as the Tethered and the Wilsons have to escape and find out who these strange people are and why there are being attacked. The film is the second title from comedian-turned-director Jordan Peele (Get Out) and another entry into his particular brand of horror.

Peele tones down the social commentary in Us. His previous topic of race relations is barely touched upon and instead he focuses on wealth inequality. The demented doppelgangers are the have-nots to the main family’s haves and the disparity between their upbringings is mentioned in a monologue, but it never becomes the central theme.

For most of its runtime, Us is a slasher film. The initial encounter with the shadows is a great moment of tension. Peele weaves his camera through the hallways as the family frantically closes open windows and the other family invades with an relentless dedication reminiscent of a Terminator. Peele is not able to sustain this level of tension throughout the film. After the villains have been introduced and have explained their backgrounds, they lose their mystery and with it their menace. They still pose a clear physical threat to the main cast, but no longer have the fear of the unknown to accentuate their actions.

Nyong’o and the kids deliver great performances in their dual roles.

Horror films are rarely known for their logic, but Peele still makes an unsuccessful attempt. During an initial confrontation, the Tethered explain who they are and why they are hunting down the main cast. This proves to be a fatal mistake as the explanation raises several questions that reveal plot holes. Typically, it’s best not to think too critically about the mechanics of a horror villain, as was the case with Get Out, but Peele forces these issues into the limelight. As is the case with most horror films, the Tethered’s origins may have been more effective if only suggested rather than explicitly told.

Without consistent tension or an interesting social angle, Us is a step-down from Get Out. Get Out also had issues maintaining tension, but the commentary on racial prejudices provided enough substance to compensate. Peele is still a talented filmmaker though. He elegantly foreshadows later plot elements, even providing an early hint at the Tethered’s origins for genre film fans, and gets great performances out of actors. Nyong’o and the children are standouts playing both their regular selves and the Tethered. Duke, as the goofy dad, isn’t at the same level but does provide a good source of humor. Peele has the rare talent of being able to weave humor into a horror film without feeling unnatural and it continues to be his greatest strength has a director. Us doesn’t have the tension or narrative foundation needed to thrill, but Peele’s talents provide do some bright spots.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Booksmart (2019): Going Out With a Bang

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Some people live by the motto “Work hard, play hard”, others just work hard. Amy (Kaitlyn Dever; Short Term 12) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein; Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising) are in the latter group. The two girls spent their time in high school ignoring their social lives in order to get the stellar grades and extracurricular activities needed to get admission into a good college. They’re perfectly fine with their choices until Molly realizes that the popular kids she has looked down on also got into great schools which, causing a mini-meltdown. Not wanting to have gone through high school without ever breaking any rules, the two young women decide they are going to crash a graduation party on their last night of school.

Booksmart has been labeled by some as “the female Superbad”, but that comparison sells the film short. It does feature two best friends trying to go to a party at the end of their high school career, but where Superbad frequently relied on crass humor, Booksmart uses its deep bench of entertaining characters. That’s not to say the film doesn’t have its fair share of vulgarity, it certainly does, but rather it has more cards in its deck to use.

The film is carried by the exceptional chemistry of its leads. Amy and Molly have the natural back-and-forth of friends that have been inseparable for years. The way they finish each other’s sentences and have routines they play through, like giving each other effusive praise on their outfits, overflows with the effortless comfort of best friends.

Molly and Amy have the bevy of inside jokes that only best friends would.

Like any story that takes place in a high school, Booksmart deals with familiar tropes. There are jocks, popular kids, theater kids, and more, but the members of each clique are done with hilarious heart. The supporting cast is uniformly amazing with a rotating ensemble of high schoolers that make their way in and out of the movie. They never feel like characters that exist only to deliver a single line. The way they come in and out of the girls path feels organic, like they are living their own story just off screen. Special standouts are Gigi (Billie Lourd; Star Wars: The Last Jedi), an unhinged young woman who seems to pop up everywhere, and the overly dramatic theater kids that deliver every line with the flamboyant affect of a self-proclaimed thespian.

In her first outing as director, Olivia Wilde turns in strong work. Each of the film’s settings, from the school to the multiple parties, is authentically chaotic like any room filled with rambunctious teens would be. She controls the chaos onscreen and provides impressive visuals given the simple locations. Her greatest asset is her mastery of comedic timing. She knows when to cross-cut between conflicting scenes to contrast the insanity of a party and when to engage in the many extended takes to emphasize escalating action. This leads to a film that is consistently funny. Booksmart is one of the few films that can boast that every character with spoken dialogue will make you laugh, often several times. Wilde’s skill at directing comedy and the genuine affection of the central friendship make Booksmart an hilarious coming-of-age story.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Rocketman (2019): Stylish, but Overly Familiar

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After the gargantuan success of Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman is the latest attempt at a box office smash using the hit songs of a beloved artist. Produced by Elton John himself and directed by Dexter Fletcher (Eddie the Eagle), who stepped in to direct Bohemian Rhapsody when its original director was fired mid-production, the film opens with Elton John (Taron Egerton; Kingsman: The Secret Service) telling the story of his life at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Unlike most biopics about musicians, Rocketman is a full-on musical. Rather than reserving music for on-stage performances, the characters burst into song at any moment making the film feel like a jukebox musical in the vein of Mamma Mia!. The dance numbers are expansive with dozens of extras and a pace that distinguishes the film from others in the genre. The rapidly tracking camera and organized chaos of the backing dancers give these sequences a frantic energy that aligns with John’s rapid rise to fame. There are times when the musical segments are expected, during a key emotional moment for example, but Fletcher ingeniously transitions to song in several unexpected situations. The clever transitions and frenzied choreography add cinematic flair and keep the music visually interesting.

Bryce Dallas Howard is surprisingly perfect as John’s callous mother.

The basic plot is fairly standard. It’s amazing how so many one-of-a-kind superstars like Freddie Mercury and Elton John can have their life stories boiled down to essentially the same sequence of events. A child from a humble background exhibits preternatural musical talent, but is born into a conservative family that doesn’t fully approve of their passion and desired lifestyle. The child grows into an adult that meets key partners and quickly ascends into incredible success before falling prey to substance abuse only to apologize to their loved ones and redeem themselves around the 2 hour mark. There is nothing particularly surprising about what happens in Rocketman.

Within the usual story beats, Fletcher focuses on John’s unique problem. He continually emphasizes the lack of affection in John’s upbringing with a cold, distant father and an often cruel mother. As a child, he asks his father “When are you going to hug me?” and, more than anything else, this film is about a man in desperate need of a warm embrace. His later actions, and his mistakes, stem from his lack of love and, regardless of the success he achieves, the film cuts back to images of his younger, helpless self. But Fletcher doesn’t shy away from blaming John for his decisions. His erratic moods and mistreatment of those closest to him are his own undoing and Egerton grasps his spiral out of control. Edgerton carries John’s emotional pain in his performance and brings an exceptional singing voice as well. It’s a shame that the script doesn’t explore John’s enduring relationship with his co-writer Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell; Billy Elliot) as this is a major and unique element to John’s story.

Rocketman delivers the extravagant musical setpieces worthy of Elton John, supported by a strong performance from Egerton, but is held back by its extremely familiar plotting.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): Kaiju Free-for-All

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Everyone loves a good monster fight and Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the movie to deliver it. Set five years after the 2014 Godzilla, the mysterious organization Monarch is tracking monsters, called Titans, that lay dormant all around the world. Enter Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga; Up in the Air), a biologist that has developed a device that can mimic Titan sounds in order to control them. When eco-terrorists, led by Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), begin releasing the Titans and causing worldwide catastrophe, Monarch and Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe returning from the previous film) attempt to use Godzilla to protect humanity.

While the kaiju may not have an explicit personality, the film succeeds in giving them some semblance of character. Ghidorah, the three-headed, winged dragon-like creature, is shown as villainous, malicious, and portrayed as a usurper to Godzilla’s throne  The serpentine design of the long necks and the way the heads snap at each other convey a malice that isn’t present with Godzilla. He is shown as humanity’s savior and protector. He repeatedly ignores the vulernable main cast as he chooses to fight Ghidorah instead. Mothra in particular becomes an interesting character. She’s labeled as the “Queen of the Monsters” and becomes an ally to Godzilla and is one of the most likable monsters. Her resilience in fighting creatures like the fire-breathing Rodan, despite her comparatively smaller size, make her one of the most compelling characters in the film.

Dougherty makes bold use of color.

There are moments when the film tries to put forth a deeper message, but doesn’t devote the needed time or effort. The original 1954 Gojira was a parable about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Godzilla was awoken by weapons tests and left damage similar to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This film tries to weave in a similar theme, but this time with climate change. The eco-terrorists claim that the Titans are rising due to humanity’s increasing pollution. They view the destruction caused by the kaiju as a way to reset the balance of the earth and minimize the human population to the point that they can co-exist without harming nature. This may have been an interesting motivation, but when only briefly mentioned and used to justify devastating actions it feels hollow and more than a little silly.

But modern Godzilla isn’t about grand messages. It’s about big monsters fighting each other and this movie has that in spades. The 2014 Godzilla was criticized for withholding its action until the final minutes, but no one could ever make that complaint here. Director and co-writer Michael Dougherty (Krampus) has created gargantuan creatures that move with the heft often missing from CGI. Godzilla’s trademark roar is thundering and the fights between kaiju are intense with arresting use of simple, but effective coloring. Ghidorah’s yellow, Rodan’s red, and Godzilla’s and Mothra’s blue bioluminescence makes for a striking contrast that helps keep the visuals clean and discernable. Dougherty still includes some of the tension building from the previous film. He stages each battle with iconic tableaus of the monsters racing towards each other, igniting  anticipation for the glorious fight to come. The story may not be substantial, but Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers a kaiju free-for-all in gorgeous detail.

4/5 stars.