I have a strong affinity for the Big Guy, especially when he was portrayed by some poor schlub in a rubber suit, stomping around on model cities in Japan. To my mind he is, indeed, King of the Monsters, and the best of his early film exploits is Destroy All Monsters (1968), in which he, Rodan, Mothra and the other captives of Monster Island team up to save the world from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. Lo and behold, that’s exactly what the newest cinematic version of the Big Guy is doing, again.

Michael Dougherty’s film expands the background, however, to a global scope, and puts the impetus of all the monster fuss squarely in human hands. Scientists resurrect the ancient monsters for a crazy reason that has been used in a number of recent science-fiction / superhero movies, and it is up to science to save us again. Instead of Tokyo, however, Ground Zero for the Battle of the Behemoths is centered in Boston (somebody behind the scenes on this film really doesn’t seem to like the Red Sox).

Family drama takes center stage early, as Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) and daughter Madison (Millie Bobbi Brown) are trying to stop the beasts from rampaging, while mommy Emma (Vera Farmiga) has a different approach. The world can only watch and wait as no less than seventeen monsters (some barely glimpsed) cause global chaos. The destruction — and the cool technology used to fight it — is dandy, evoking fond memories of the original movies and the methods and models utilized back then.

I was probably going to like this movie no matter what, and I do. Certain things rub me the wrong way (like Charles Dance’s murderousness for no reason), but this is exactly the type of movie that brings out the kid in me, and makes me want to stomp around on my own model movie set. Godzilla is a mythic movie character and this movie, especially in one particular tributary scene involving Ken Watanabe, gives him the respect that he so deeply deserves. ☆ ☆ ☆. 29 July 2019.