Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Destroy All Monsters Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 22, 2014

A film titled “Destroy All Monsters” makes a very specific promise about content. Especially as an installment of the longstanding series of Godzilla movies, a picture like this needs to deliver the goods. The 1968 production doesn’t exactly come through with fist-pumping highlights, but it does offer a rare gathering of kaiju stars, brought together to help Godzilla out for what was originally intended to be a swan song for the King of the Monsters, sending him out with a bang. The bang isn’t actually present, but the rest of “Destroy All Monsters” is an enjoyable odyssey that travels to the moon and back, working with a nifty premise that makes a game attempt to include familiar faces, unleashing the creatures for a battle royal.

As is the custom with these movies, Godzilla doesn’t make much of an impression in his own film. “Destroy All Monsters” is handed over to the human characters, basically boiling down to a battle of wits and speed between a crew of Japanese moon base jockeys and an invading alien force known as the Kilaaks. Plot is secondary in “Destroy All Monsters,” yet the production is determined to believe what it’s selling, playing everything with the utmost seriousness, including the wrath of the kaiju characters. The gang’s all here, with Godzilla sharing the frame with the likes of Mothra, Rodan, and Minilla, taking off across the globe to cause massive destruction and confuse Japanese scientists who’ve mastered a plan to control the snarling threat. Like anyone could possibly contain these brutes to their island home of Monsterland. Foolish humans.

Destroy All Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.41:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Destroy All Monsters" is similar to "Godzilla vs. Megalon" in its consistent softness. The slight blurriness doesn't detract significantly from the viewing experience, with detail still adequate, capturing monster designs and miniature craftsmanship. Brightness is also present, diluting intensity of blacks, but colors remain in satisfactory condition, offering decent primaries on costuming and sets, displaying no overt fade. Skintones look accurate. Print appears in fine shape, with only faint speckling.

Destroy All Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital sound mix carries a capable but unremarkable presence that's now always interested in providing exciting dimension. It's more of a blunt instrument, with heavy frontal action managing surges in scoring and dialogue exchanges. Voices sound tidy without any onslaught of hiss or damage, and music is complementary, never stepping on the action. Sound effects take over the listening experience in the end, presenting requisite roars and shrieks, while explosions and the monster stomp provides a more muted low-end.

Destroy All Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Destroy All Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Destroy All Monsters" eventually gets to the goods, bringing in King Ghidorah to rile up the Monsterland residents, but the focus never rests on the kaiju for very long. The production is more invested in human feats of derring-do, which tend to slow the picture, as they lack the primal urgency and cinematic comfort of man-in-suit combat.