In the years since Godzilla battled the MUTOs the existence of giant creatures throughout the world became known. The giants, known as “Titans” were documented and steps were taken, by a scientific organization known as Monarch, to contain the creatures. Besides Godzilla, Sixteen creatures were identified. Some were believed to be benevolent and some not.
Paleobiologist Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and her husband Dr. Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) created a devise called “Orca” that can communicate with these Titans and alter their behavior. Problems in their marriage, as well as differences in their individual ideals, have caused them to split. Mark believes the Titans should be destroyed. Emma believes that these pre-historic creatures need to be woken up and released in order to rebalance the world from the destruction caused by humans. With her daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) in tow she has joined an eco-terrorist group led by Alan Jonah (Charles Dance). While Emma is working with Mothra the terrorists attack and take Emma, Madison and the Orca devise with them to Antarctica.
Monarch scientists Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins), believing that Emma and Madison are prisoners, enlist Mark to help them find them. They find out that Godzilla is heading for Antarctica. The eco-terrorists, already in Antarctica, awaken a creature called “Monster Zero”. Godzilla and Monster Zero battle but Monster Zero gets away. They then go to Mexico. Emma wakes up Rodan. Monster Zero and Rodan fight. Rodan is defeated but Godzilla appears. Monarch uses an oxygen destroyer to kill the two Titans; however, it only affects Godzilla, the only monster that could defeat Monster Zero.
Suddenly all the Titans are awakened. Dr. Ilene Chen (Ziyi Zhang) has been researching the monsters and especially Monster Zero. She discovers that Monster Zero is not a terrestrial animal. He is King Ghidorah an ancient alien. He came to Earth to terraform the planet for himself. Since he is not from Earth, the oxygen destroyer has no affect on him. He is also now controlling all the other Titans. Earth is not being rebalanced as Emma was expecting. Earth is being taken over and humans have got to go.
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” was released in 2019 and was directed by Michael Dougherty. It is the thirty-fifth movie in the Godzilla franchise and the third in Legendary’s Monsterverse. The first being “Godzilla” 2014, the second “Kong: Skull Island” 2017. It is also the third Godzilla movie produced, with permission from TOHO, by a Hollywood studio. It is a direct sequel to “Godzilla” 2014.
There are lots of nods to other people and films. Some of the outpost numbers refer to the year specific science fiction movies debuted. Outpost 61, “Mothra” 1961. Outpost 56, “Rodan” 1956. Outpost 54, “Godzilla” 1954. Outpost 33 at Skull Island, “King Kong” 1933. Outpost 55 in the Arizona Desert, “Tarantula” 1955. Outpost 77 located at Devil’s Tower, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” 1977.
Noted Special effect artist people nods: Lieutenant Bottin named after Rob Bottin, Corporal Winston after Stan Winston, Sergeant Baker after Rick Baker, G-Team officer Tippett after Phil Tippett and G-Team officer Harryhausen after Ray Harryhausen.
The Orca is named after Quint’s boat in “Jaws” 1975. Godzilla is taller in this movie at 393 feet than he was in “Godzilla” 2014 at 355 feet. His spines are also different. Dougherty had them changed to what Godzilla had in the original 1954 film. His claws are also a little bigger.
Ghidorah's heads have names. Ichi, Ni, and San which is Japanese for "one", "two", and "three". San's nickname, "Kevin", supposedly refers to how San is easily distracted. I, however, don’t know who Kevin is.
Lots of people had issues with having people in their Godzilla movie. As for screen time Godzilla got 9:53 minutes of runtime, (7.5% of runtime), Mothra got 4:29 minutes, Rodan got 3:14 minutes, King Ghidorah got 11:17 minutes and the other miscellaneous monsters got 1:06 minutes of runtime. All together there was 22:31, (17.1% of runtime), of monster mash-up.
The seventeen titans are: 1) Godzilla, 2) Mothra, 3) Rodan, 4) King Ghidorah: AKA “Monster Zero”, 5) King Kong, 6) MUTO 3. (MUTO’s 1 and 2 were in “Godzilla” 2014. MUTO 3 is awakened in “Godzilla” 2019.) The new titan creatures are: 7) Behemoth: AKA Titanus Behemoth. He looks like a cross between a wooly mammoth and a gorilla. 8) Scylla: Scylla is a giant spider. 9) Methuselah: Methuselah is the “Mountain Titan” that is briefly seen being awakened. These Titans were named but not seen in the film: 10) Mokele-Mbembe, 11) Baphomet, 12) Tiamat, 13) Typhoon, 14) Abaddon, 15) Leviathan, 16) Sargon and 17) Bunyip.
I liked the movie as much as, if not more than, “Godzilla 2014”. Of course because I got to see some great monsters, and some great monster fights. Add to that some great music and special effects gave my senses a lot of pleasant input.