Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Five years after his last Hollywood film, Godzilla is back in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Director Michael Dougherty and his co-writers, Zach Shields and Max Borenstein, have created a certifiably colossal sequel. Let's see how it is.

Scientists Mark (Kyle Chandler) and Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) lost their son, Andrew, during Godzilla's brawl with the MUTOs in San Francisco. Both work for Monarch, the organization which researches Godzilla and other Giant Monsters called Titans. They're also divorced. Their daughter, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown), lives with Emma at a Monarch research facility. Emma created a device called the Orca, which communicates with Titans with sonic frequencies. Emma tests it on a newborn Titan Caterpillar, Mothra, before she and Madison are nabbed by Eco-Terrorists.

The main bad guy, Alan Jonah (Charles Dance), wants Emma to help him release the ominous three-headed dragon Ghidorah, aka "Monster Zero," from ice. Emma is all too willing to help him. Mark is recruited to help Monarch stop them. Godzilla shows up to fight Ghidorah for Titan supremacy. A bunch of Titans awaken, including Rodan, the Pteranodon.

Emma thought the Titans could save the world from man-made destruction. But that has nothing on the monstrous weather Ghidorah causes with his presence. It's up to Godzilla to stop Ghidorah, but he needs an atomic boost to do so. Mothra is there to lend a wing for the fight.

The film delivers on its Titanic promises. Godzilla and his Titan co-stars appear early and often compared to the 2014 film. There's plenty of city destruction in their colossal brawls. Basically, a classic Godzilla movie for the 21st century. The human stories are often dwarfed by their Titan co-stars. Emma suffers the worse, for her allegiances change too quickly and unclearly.

Now for the technical aspects. Cinematographer Lawrence Sher gives the main Titans an individual theme color. It's a marvelous sight when these colors come front and center. Case in point is Mothra's emergence as a Moth, illuminated by green luminescence. Bear McCreary's stunning arrangement of her classic theme by Yuji Koseki helps a lot. The rest of McCreary's score suits the Titanic visuals. A highlight is the arrangement of Akira Ifukube's Godzilla Theme at the end credits.

The Titans' designs are great. Sure, the old man in a rubber suit routine is classic, but the CGI Titans are intimidating, towering beasts. Godzilla himself is as formidable as he was in 2014. Wait till you see the climactic fight. Ghidorah's visage and the "Category 6" hurricane he brings makes him a living nightmare. Special credit goes to the three motion capture actors who play his heads, each with its own personality. Rodan's emergence from a volcano is as formidable as his magma body. Mothra is great as a Caterpillar and a Moth. My favorite minor Titan is the Behemoth, a Mammoth/Ape hybrid.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a strong monster mash. Anyone looking for a sensible plot may have to look elsewhere. But come on down if you want plenty of giant monster fights. While it could've developed its human characters better, there were some moments that stood out. To elaborate would spoil. It's a good matinee as long as you're in the right mood.

Stay through the credits to see some hints into Godzilla's future. That includes his impending showdown with King Kong.