Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Godzilla: King of the Monsters 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 25, 2019

NOTE: The screenshots on this page were captured from the included Blu-ray disc. For an additional 20 1080p images, please read my review of the standard Blu-ray edition.

As a sequel to Godzilla (2014) and a continuation of Legendary Pictures' "Monstervese" (established by that film and Kong: Skull Island), Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters would have big shoes to fill even if it wasn't riding the wave of a 65-year-old kaiju franchise that includes dozens of films -- many of which will be given new life on Blu-ray as part of Criterion's upcoming massive boxed set -- as well as video games and more than a few music albums, including this classic. Point being, Godzilla is a pop culture phenomenon that means a lot to his fan base...so anything but a perfect blend of great characters and massive destruction probably isn't going to go over well.

Case in point: King of the Monsters received mixed to negative reviews upon its theatrical release back in May, most of which focused on its bland (human) characters and pacing. Without question, both are easily its weakest elements and stem from the same root problem: a clear case of, respectively, too many and too much. King of the Monsters is absolutely stuffed with supporting characters and sub-plots -- enough to fill a sequel or two, perhaps -- which cripples the film's ability to focus on anything intently, robbing many scenes of greater impact due to the sheer excess of it all. Adding to the chaos are at least a half-dozen towering Titans (including Godzilla himself, of course, as well as Mothra, Ghidorah AKA "Monster Zero", and Rodan) and the CGI-laced destruction they leave in their wake. Even at a relatively slim 120 minutes before credits, King of the Monsters feels exhausting in its abundance, a figurative double feature that would have been much more potent with judicious editing and another draft of the script.

So why did I end up liking it anyway? King of the Monsters was obviously crafted with die-hard Godzilla fans in mind, and ones who will thoroughly enjoy picking up the little shout-outs and Easter eggs that pay respect to earlier installments. These small but important moments feel celebratory and authentic, not like some sort of short-sighted decision by committee to please the broadest possible audience. The wanton destruction and visual effects, excessive as they can be at times, are very well-done for the most part and convey a suitably enormous sense of scale. Bear McCreary's score is another highlight, carrying many of the dramatic moments nicely while likewise paying respect to classic cues. I'd call it an overall toss-up with Gareth Edwards' 2014 film and a big step up from that 1998 dumpster fire, but wouldn't dare rank it on a scale with the almost three dozen Toho films that began in 1954 and have no intention of stopping in the near future. I can only say that, for all its blatant human faults and overstuffed ideas, King of the Monsters feels spiritually closer in tone to the better Toho productions than either of its two previous Hollywood namesakes. Even if that's not good enough for you, give this one a shot and decide for yourself.

One thing's for sure: those who enjoyed King of the Monsters in theaters will love Warner Bros.' excellent 4K package, and even those on the fence will likely be swayed by its charms. The outstanding A/V presentation (highlighted by great use of HDR and a truly awesome Dolby Atmos mix) is almost worth the price of admission alone, but we also get a strong assortment of extras -- doubly impressive, considering the movie only premiered in theaters three months ago. It's a fine package overall and the best version currently available for fans and first-timers alike.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Without knowing quite enough to venture into absolute specifics, I can say that Godzilla: King of the Monsters was shot on a mixture of film and digital and finished at a 2K digital intermediate. That, of course, makes this an upscale instead of a true 4K disc, but the format's better compression and HDR grading clearly yield a more robust visual presentation. Godzilla is extremely dark at times with vivid highlights; both are key elements of an impressive-looking 4K disc, and this one's no exception. As mentioned in my Blu-ray review, the lighting aims for an unabashed "cool factor" instead of following any kind of logical consistency, with near-monochromatic shots enjoying more subtle color variances thanks to the benefits of HDR. On-screen displays and computer graphics stand out with crisply-rendered lines and extremely sharp text, while more organic textures like clothing, scales, and metal are likewise more convincing. Shadow detail and contrast levels are also more refined, which made some of the darker moments easier to follow. (Then again, it was my second viewing.) As mentioned earlier, 4K's extra real estate allows for improved encoding and fewer instances of banding and compression artifacts, even during the most complex and chaotic moments of destruction. Without question, it's a rock-solid presentation and likely the best that King of the Monsters will look on home video.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For an evaluation of the Dolby Atmos mix, please read my review of the standard Blu-ray edition. Please note that the 4K disc includes different foreign subtitles than its Blu-ray counterpart, which are listed above.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

King of the Monsters is packaged in a standard dual-hubbed keepcase with a matching slipcover and Digital Copy code. The included Blu-ray houses all the extras, although the audio commentary is available on both discs. A nice touch!

For an evaluation of these on-disc bonus features, please read my review of the standard Blu-ray edition.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters is an attempt to travel further down the path forged by Gareth Edwards' 2014 film, as well as carve out its own identity while paying respect to the franchise as a whole. It'll appeal to die-hard fans first and foremost but, from a dramatic standpoint, doesn't always hit the mark: it's wildly overstuffed with characters and plot elements, some of which should have been saved for the forthcoming sequel. When it finally reaches critical mass, King of the Monsters does destruction and chaos very well...so if you're in it for big monsters and buildings, you'll probably get your money's worth. You'll also enjoy Warner Bros.' 4K release from top to bottom: not only do we get an excellent A/V presentation, but the extras are well-rounded and surprisingly stacked for a first-time release with such a short theater-to-video window. Recommended to established fans and newcomers alike.