Not too highly. Wasn't interested in Godzilla, still haven't seen Skull Island, was dragged and fell asleep during KOTM, and didn't care enough for GVK. I feel that they miss the point of Godzilla.
Godzilla was a bore at first watch but entertaining the second time around. Kong: Skull Island is a slog. Godzilla: King of the Monsters was absolutely amazing and one of my favorite Godzilla Movies right next to Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: All Out Monsters Attack. Godzilla vs Kong was a complete dissapointment, the reasoning between the two Kaiju fighting was dumb, the buildup for Mechagodzilla was half-baked and the Human Side of it was so, so much more unbearable compared to the 3 previous installments So it's like a B- Movie Franchise for me. I hate Post-Season 1 Stranger Things a bit more just cause of it smh
I gotta say, Godzilla taking his crown as King of The Monsters at the end of the movie King of The Monsters is such a great shot, and also tells you exactly how American this iteration of the franchise is. In that it sorta feels like they needed to justify the title given to the American remake of the original movie by making Godzilla literally the king of the monsters
They also kind of set themselves up for failure since that's something that should have happened later on, since now if a Global Threat ever happens, everyone will ask where is the other Kaijus? A King has subjects, like Rodan, so they would be called upon to assist him in battle. The only exclusion is if it's a battle of dominance, since Rodan only was involved in a battle against Mothra after submitting to King Ghidorah. Like for example, why did none of the Kaijus answer to the battle cry of Mechagodzilla? Unless it was seen as an Alpha Battle due to King Ghidorah's skull being apart of it's construction.
@@maylabrown4584 I have a theory maybe because Godzilla has already established himself as king, I think the reason why Ghidorah call work in the first place was because there was never an alpha so the throne was free for the taking.
@@justanaveragedragon831 Your theory is a fact. But I was talking about the reasons why Kaijus didn't go and help Godzilla and Kong against Mechagodzilla, once an Alpha is defeated then they become the Alpha like Godzilla did to King Ghidorah. So when Mechagodzilla defeated Godzilla, technically he became the Alpha, but since both Godzilla AND Kong defeated Mechagodzilla I guess that would make them Kings?
It’s is Godzilla is gonna get a live action series on Apple TV and it’s set in the monsterverse and king is getting a animated series on Netflix and is set in the monsterverse
well yeah, you gotta also think of the animators who spent years of their life working on these films and if they stop making these films, they’ll probably be laid off
I remember seeing the first trailer for Godzilla 2014, and I was instantly obsessed with the movie and this portrayal of Godzilla. To this day, I still think MV Godzilla is my favorite design of the character, and regardless of these movies’ actual quality, it’s always a pleasure to see this Goji throw down.
I totally agree with you Godzilla design in the Monster verse is my absolutely favorite a little know trivia did you know that his design was altered a bit between 2014 and king of the monsters most noticeably the dorsal plates
@@S3verusMyG yeah I noticed that too it was not only his legs but his feet as well if you remember in 2014 Godzilla's feet were like elephant but in king of the monsters the filmmakers decide to alter Godzilla's feet to be more dinosaur like. Yeah and I didn't notice that Godzilla was not as chubby and he was in 2014
Not only my favorite design but I absolutely adore the in-universe lore that Titans are the source material behind myth and legend. I feel there’s limitless potential to tap into for both new and classic monsters set within this world
“Japan is almost entirely absent” but it’s not, symbolically. A massive, often overlooked part of KotM’s plot was the clashing ideologies of eastern and western interpretation. That’s one of the core themes of the movie and there’s even a line about it in reference to dragons
My feeling is that the og Gojira from the first movie was a stand in for America/the nukes we ha/have. And turned into a cultural hero, that when bringing it over to America the first time...they made it threatening just not an existential crisis (like japan in ww2)
I disagree in a small aspect with the fact that Serizawa was maybe the best Character out of the first few movies,and I say his best Stuff was in KOTM. I would almost go so far and say they shouldn't have killed him off because none of the other human Characters outside of Marlow in Skull Island have really been as cool or endearing. Serizawa was the guy who created the Oxygen Destroyer in the original as he knew he needed to kill Godzilla,so it actually is pretty damn cool to see Serizawa be the Guy to Nuke Godzilla in order to save the Big guy. They didn't need to do that but they did and I give alot of credit for that.
@@dominiqueodom3099They also stated that his father died due to the nukes. So, he's kind of the stand in for Japan. I think there's a scene where he states that there is no hate for the nukes from him. It's also pretty cool to think that the country that suffered the most due to nuclear weapons is the one that set off the weapon in the end to save a monster that represented nuclear weapons and warfare and in turn (kinda) save the world
Marvel was pretty good. Now, it is the definition of mid with their whole bait and switch philosophy and bland writing At least the monsterverse movies are all decent or at the very least fun to watch
Godzilla vs Kong was a really important movie in the United States, because it signalled the end of pandemic restrictions on travel, and was the first major movie people really felt comfortable seeing in theaters again. As such, it being more fun than meaningful was a really important thing for us. It was like "things are going to be okay. It's okay to have fun and relax a bit. We made it through".
Godzilla's Personality in the MonsterVerse: In Godzilla, Godzilla's behavior is that of a territorial animal, Ishiro Serizawa theorized that Godzilla is the driving force to restore balance to nature whenever that balance is disrupted, suggesting that he essentially considers the entire Earth to be his territory. However, unlike previous incarnations, Godzilla doesn't blatantly attack or plow through ships at sea simply because they're there, in fact, with larger ships like aircraft carriers, he simply dives under them, even when the military launched a combined forces assault to stop him, he didn't react or fight back, and simply continued to hunt the MUTOs, even when he was being flanked by four naval ships. As opposed to any sort of morality, it appears to be that he simply considers humans to be tiny and insignificant and does not care about their general well-being but at the same time does not consider them worth destroying even though they, without harming him at all, fire at him nonstop. Godzilla does not seem to destroy on purpose, even when he destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge, it did not appear to be intentional, but just him reacting from being hit in the gills by explosives. He displays little interest in humans and focuses his attention entirely on the MUTOs. His supposed disinterest in the well-being of humans may be caused by their repeated attempts to kill him, the same attempt that showcased their destructive capabilities. After defeating both MUTOs, he leaves humans alone without any more conflict. However, Godzilla does occasionally display signs of advanced thinking, as he is seen adapting his strategies to fight the MUTOs and even uses sleight-of-hand to trick the male MUTO into approaching his tail, which he uses to impale him on a fallen skyscraper. He appears to possess some degree of emotion as he briefly looks Ford Brody in the eye when he collapses to his level, which also could suggest that he has at least some degree of interest in humans. Godzilla was designed to have a personality that would evoke the "last samurai" archetype, an ancient warrior content with solitude and preferring not to be a part of the world but has to resurface when certain types of events force him to appear and set things right. Godzilla's most notable relationships with other Titans are with MUTOs, Mothra, Ghidorah, and Kong. With Mothra, they are true allies, more so than their past incarnations that were prone to be at odds with each other since their species have symbiotic relationships with one another. Mothra's undying loyalty towards Godzilla is best demonstrated when she assists him in their fight against Ghidorah and Rodan, using her webs to glue Ghidorah onto a skyscraper, and incapacitating Rodan after he fought her. Their ancient alliance had been defined in romantic terms, with Dr. Ilene Chen calling Mothra "Queen of the Monsters" and Chief Warrant Officer Jackson Barnes questioning if "they got a thing going on", though subsequently Dr. Sam Coleman clarifying it as a "symbiotic relationship". As she died, Godzilla roared in grief while he absorbed her life-force, allowing him to go thermonuclear and vaporized Ghidorah. Following the battle, Godzilla had not forgotten Mothra's sacrifice, and her gift of life led him to find a new home. Godzilla perceived MUTOs as uneasy ally at best through Queen MUTO who submits to him as her alpha and both deadly pests and natural enemy at worst through the conflict with MUTO couple he killed at San Fransisco and MUTO Prime. Lastly, in the case of Ghidorah and Kong, the two are Godzilla's fierce rivals as shown in various cave paintings where he is depicted fighting alternatively with one of them for different reasons; whereas with the former, their feud could be best described as the battle between light and darkness owing to the extraterrestrial Titan's malicious nature and desire to lay waste upon Earth, Godzilla and Kong battled each other because of their species' long-standing rivalry, but the two nevertheless willing to put aside their difference in facing a common threat. After defeating Mechagodzilla together, the two make amends to each other and went on separate ways on better terms. When Godzilla becomes the alpha again after defeating Ghidorah, he does not attack the other Titans who followed Ghidorah and instead spares them when they swear their allegiance to him again. During his rule, Godzilla works to keep his fellow Titans from causing chaos and submit some who defy him, like Scylla and Tiamat. He also starts to care for the well-being of the human race and seeks the balance between both kinds, as evidenced by a clipping in the end credits mentioning that Godzilla is keeping the other Titans from attacking major human settlements. However, he also attacked some Titan traffickers that were trying to capture Na Kika. Ultimately, he sends all the Titans to hibernation, deciding that maintaining all of them under control was too much for him to handle. In Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla revealed to possess the capacity to become aggressive and violent towards humans and Titans alike if he is provoked, something Madison Russell acknowledged as it was not his nature to wreak havoc upon human settlements without cause or reason. He wreaked havoc upon Apex Cybernetics' facilities upon sensing that its human occupants were hiding what he senses is an alpha that was challenging him (the new ORCA was making alpha calls) that Godzilla calls the Hidden One. Godzilla eventually faces the one he calls "the Hidden One" in the form of the destructive, out-of-control Mechagodzilla - influenced by Ghidorah's remains grafted into its systems - and would've continued what the extraterrestrial Titan started had he and Kong failed to stop it. Godzilla's mission to eliminate the threat came into the conflict of Kong who - though having nothing to do with Ghidorah's resurgence - is an example of Godzilla's willingness to eliminate those who oppose him from his goal, in addition to their race's past conflicts. While he displayed brutal and prideful tendencies when fighting Kong at Hong Kong, as he gave of a particularly menacing grin followed by a grumble evocative of a chuckle of sorts when he singed Kong's back with his atomic breath, Godzilla's confrontation with Kong was partly due to frustration by his rival unknowingly deterring him from stopping Apex Cybernetics twice. However, this didn't stop him from sparing the ape-like Titan's life since the latter was not the threat he sought and to a subtle degree, Kong's defiance in the face of defeat earning him the King of the Monsters' respect. This noble decision ultimately saved his life during a hopeless fight against Mechagodzilla, since it allows Kong to assist his likely ally against a common enemy.
GVK not focusing on world building was fine for me, it felt like a break from story building and just a movie to appreciate the two monsters that have been with us for years, I say leave the world building to the separate monsters films, and just have the crossover be fun, plus, admit it, you thought you’d never see King Kong fight MECHAGODZILLA.
Uh gvk introducing the hollow earth literally was world building. You can't have a kaiju film without world building every film literally did that in the monsterverse thus far both the movies and comics. Gvk being no different.
I know this is probably known or has been mentioned by now, but the Monsterverse is still continuing. Earlier last week, it was announced that a Godzilla series set between 2014 and King of the Monsters is beginning production and is slated to be released on the Apple+ streaming service.
2014 is still my favorite of the American movies. It’s just the Godzilla movie I always wanted, slow, methodical, and brings the hype at the right moments.
And at the cost of teasing the kaiju too often. Slow burners are fine but there's a reason why they are not used often. G14 as a Slow burner made the same typically mistakes Slow burners make meanwhile shin gojira as a Slow burner was much better.
@@Kaiju-bm4ts what bothered me most about that was the directors excuse for it: ' oh, we couldn't find anything better for him to do but be a comedy side character'. Yes you could, him and his son could have spent the film reconnecting while trying to get to the wife and child. I mean, you wanted to place an importance on family, right? Would have made up for Aaron Taylor Johnson's dry acting.
@@samcooper2474 Bruh if Gareth said that then that's a really dumb excuse when I've seen and heard much better alternatives to keep Joe around. He and serizawa could of worked side by side despite them having different past and working for different reasons. Bryan was a much better actor and thus his acting literally carried the human story til he died. This is why the 1st act is good for human stuff and the 3rd act is good for monster stuff. 2nd act moved too slowly and was dull thanks to the lack of kaiju and Ford just being bland
I really enjoyed 2014’s grounded take on Godzilla. It made me wish that they stuck to that style for the rest of the monster verse movies. Although I do love how colorful Skull Island is. I can’t wait to see what Vogt-Roberts brings to the MGS movie…if it ever happens. Love hearing you talk about Goji, Matt!
Thanks so much, Diego! Yeah I really want that MGS movie to happen and I have no idea if it ever will haha I guess we'll just wait until there's any sort of date attached to its release?
Matt, you are such a talented storyteller, and I find great joy in supporting you on Patreon. Great Review, and as you point out, Godzilla, in the Monsterverse, has truly gone beyond what the creators at Toei originally intended; he is an almost godlike force of nature. Honestly, I like this characterization. For all of our vaunted technological advancement, humans are still tiny in the scheme of things. Godzilla is a symbol that serves as a reminder of that, especially in "King of the Monsters."
Sorry to point that out, Godzilla is from Toho. Toei's Tokusatsu franchise are Kamen Rider series（Mask Rider's original material）, Super Santai series（Power Ranger's original material）and Metal Hero series（VR Troopers and Big Bad Beetleborgs' original material）. As you can see, they're all superhero TV shows. Toei has few distribution to Kaiju movies.
I've been a fan of godzilla my whole life thanks to my dad so having these come out and bring people into the Fandom who didn't wanna watch the originals just bring me such joy, So many people didn't even know what godzilla was when i was younger.
I love King Of The Monsters so much, became of how much Love and just World-Building that it was given. Michael Dougherty did an incredible job. My Ranking on the Monsterverse: 1. Godzilla: King Of The Monsters 2. Godzilla (2014) 3. Godzilla vs. Kong (Had a lot of missing plot points and World-Building, but still good.) 4. Kong: Skull Island (There's nothing wrong with Kong: Skull Island, it's a great film.)
Glad to see someone NOT hating *Godzilla King of the Monsters 2019* besides me. I'm so tired of jerks hating this movie so much because of its flaws. Of course it's not perfect, but no film (even your favorite ones) are not perfect. The point of the movie is to enjoy the hard work put into it, not just immediately think it's bad from just one view
@@mwizachihana9551 Exactly. Especially Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, for whatever the hell reason, people decide to go all on a hate wagon on the Film for no reason.
@@ParkRanger2000 . Maybe they hate it because it's not following the "traditional Jurassic Park formula" or some nonsense like that. Or just hate it for the sake of hating it
@@mwizachihana9551 the 2019 is my favorite of the Monsterverse and if I may be so bold to say..... Godzilla King Of The Monsters reminds me of Terminator 2 Judgement Dayas far as sequels goes. Also it helps that the director genuinely loves Gojira
@@ParkRanger2000I personally feel the World series could have capitalized on the satire present in the 1st Jurassic World. They could keep building the conflict with the eventual world being occupied by dinosaurs again. I just feel they went about it with no tack and forethought. It's also slop, which unfortunately the first 2 Jurassic Parks weren't. So much potential all wasted for pretty much disposable media
18:46 This Godzilla doesn't need to be about Japan. Thats what differentiates it from Toho's Gojira. Monsterverse has created an entirely new lore for Godzilla and other classic Kaijus, magnifying their scale. Both literally and metaphorically. These are ancient predators who ruled/lived on Earth before it was habitable for humanity. In a way this accords more respect to the "Titans", while also being respectful of the original creators of Godzilla. The 2014 Godzilla is literally a tribute to the 1954 Godzilla, right down to serious and sombre handling of the story, and the way it was shot. People wanted more monsters, so legendary came with more monsters and expanded on the lore. I am personally very happy that we have two polar opposite interpretation of Godzilla and other Kaijus and we get to enjoy both in this lifetime.
I feel the same about 2014 Godzilla. Was disappointed in theaters but I’ve grown to appreciate more, over the years. And your list pretty much lines up with my preference. King of the Monsters was bonkers and Bear McCreary’s score was a beautiful tribute . The waterfall scene with Mothra was absolutely amazing with his score.
I really enjoy the Monsterverse and think it's a worthy addition to the Godzilla Franchise. It has a lot of respect for the past while trying to bring it into the future. It's not as deep as Shin Godzilla, nor does it have complex human characters like the Gamera trilogy, but I still enjoy it nonetheless for the respect it has for the monsters themselves. KOTM is my third favorite Godzilla movie.
@@BaldPerspective That's completely wrong, that's what the antagonists believe. The point of the film is that humanity must learn to co-exist with the Titans like Godzilla and Mothra, not that one or the other belong alone. Alan Jonah and Mark Russell are both wrong in their beliefs that only one or the other can belong on the earth
@@BaldPerspective Yeah, I meant the Trilogy. I thought I put that but instead I put franchise by mistake. The human characters in the Showa Gamera series can range from bad to charming.
@@BaldPerspective I think that point of view from Emma is supposed to he flawed and not really solve anything since she's the villain and is not thinking things through as well as she thought she has.
@@BaldPerspective Yeah, I haven't seen enough Showa Gamera movies to fairly judge them. I thought the human characters in vs Gyaos were charming and the ones in Jiger weren't too bad.
I really think that MV Godzilla and Shin Godzilla are the best things that have ever happened to the character. I really wish we were getting more of both.
While I haven’t seen every Godzilla movie I have watched a bunch, mostly when I was younger in the 90’s, these retrospectives have been SO much fun. I have a real nostalgic feeling towards all those early movies but still have a huge love for the original. I would absolutely LOVE to see you do a video in the history of kong movies.
There are two upcoming tv shows set in the Monsterverse. A live-action Godzilla show on Apple TV and an animated Kong show on Netflix. There is also talk of another Kong movie. So, the Monsterverse isn't going away anytime soon.
No matter it’s faults, I will always love the MV and hopefully it has more movies planned in the future. MV Godzilla is my favourite Godzilla when it comes to design and overall portrayal. It’s a good take on Godzilla to make him a god like creature that rules this planet and maintains balance.
Absolutely loved your retrospective on this era! It’s great seeing a deep dive into such a recent string of movies like this. And that ending teaser for Shin Godzilla? Chills. Love it!
Brilliant video man keep up the great work godzilla has always been a childhood favorite of mine and monsterverse is definitely my favorite of the franchise with KOTM being my number 1 film, long live the king of the monsters
The camera work and not allowing the camera to be were a person can’t is the best part of the 2014 movie. The monster designs are also really awesome. I really think it gets overlooked by other monster movies.
Godzilla's Origins in the MonsterVerse: Now grown to almost 400-feet tall, Godzilla stands as king of all he surveys. Initially thought to be a threat, we now understand his potential to become our world's ultimate guardian, a towering apex predator emerging from the mysterious depths of the ocean to battle aggressors that threaten the balance of nature. The creature designated Titanus Gojira draws its immense power from a bio-nuclear circulatory system that activates when threatened, triggering a neutron flux that travels up its shard-like backspines to nucleosynthetic throat chambers where it explodes into a directed wave of atomic breath. Through this remarkable process, Godzilla's roar itself becomes nature's most devastating weapon. The Monarch facility designated 'Castle Bravo' was built specifically as a flagship underwater observation base by Monarch to study Godzilla in his natural habitat. Our findings so far have been hard-earned but revelatory. Sub-aquatic audio captures suggest the creature utilizes a range of communication frequencies more complex than anything we had imagined. When not enraged into action, the creature is slow, graceful, inquisitive even. His size and radioactive signature make him easy to monitor, with scans showing him traveling through various oceanic channels on routine patrol routes propelled by his massive tail. There are sporadic gaps where his signature disappears from tracking logs, and analytics is working closely with our mythography team to determine the cause. Dr. Brooks' 'Hollow Earth' theory is gaining more traction because of this finding and is currently leading the ongoing investigation. It is possible that the epicenter of these sightings is proximal to a previously undiscovered vile vortex. CRYPTID PROFILE For Godzilla's return, the King of the Monsters was given a radically new origin story that deviates from the previously established origin of him being mutated by the hydrogen bomb: in Godzilla: Awakening, the prequel to Godzilla, Godzilla is explained to be an ancient life form from the Permian period. As the planet cooled and its natural atmospheric radiation began to decrease after the Permian-Triassic extinction event, he adapted to survive various other extinction events by diving deep into the ocean and consuming the planet's natural geothermal radiation in a hibernation-like state from its molten core until 1945, when the atomic bombing of Hiroshima woke him up along with the fearsome Shinomura, an enemy he previously fought in the past. Godzilla's species, Titanus Gojira, evolved during the Permian period millions of years ago. Though powerful and numerous, they had been driven to the doorstep of extinction by the MUTOs, a species of parasitic Titans that prey almost exclusively on the Titanus Gojira species. Furthermore, it was speculated that in the ancient past, Godzilla's kind engaged in direct warfare against the Titanus Kong members, Kong's species, in the Hollow Earth. The war lasted for centuries for dominance of the Hollow Earth, resulting in the remaining Titanus Kong members migrating to Skull Island. Other members of his kind are known to have existed throughout time at different points. Two individuals were killed at different times by MUTO Prime, with one of the Titanus Gojira skeletons being found in Siberia while the other, named Dagon, was found in the Philippines. Godzilla himself appears to be the last living member of his species by the events of the films. However, in Godzilla vs Kong, there are some species that bare similarities in appearance to Godzilla, implying some of the Titania Gojira or relatives live in Hollow Earth. Godzilla was theorized by Ishiro Serizawa to have been the alpha predator of his ecosystem and prevented other Titanus species from overpopulating and overrunning the world, acting as a force of nature that maintained balance. When Ghidorah arrived on Earth, he quickly established himself as a rival alpha to Godzilla. Godzilla and Ghidorah battled each other several times before they took their fight to Antarctica, which resulted in Ghidorah being buried in ice and Godzilla's victory. Godzilla's species also share a symbiotic relationship with that of Mothra's.
I appreciate folks like you giving thoughtful insight into this particular iteration of Godzilla. I unfortunately could never fully jive with the Monsterverse, as I personally felt that the films (KOTM especially) seemed to be more interested in providing surface-level spectacle as opposed to the strong human and monster stories in tandem that I feel the best Goji films managed (like the original, vs. King Ghidorah, vs. Destroyah, the Millenium Mecha Godzilla duology, and Shin), and that the environmental messaging got muddled after the first film, among other issues (especially the cultural dissonance in regards to nuclear power). It's good to know that even if I couldn't find as much to enjoy about the Monsterverse experiment as a whole that it means enough to others that great analytical work like this comes out of it. It makes me want to go back and reexamine the films myself, and while I don't know if my opinions will change, it'll at least give good context for what was being attempted more than during my initial viewings.
One thing that the Monsterverse does better than the MCU is that each film has its own distinct style that instantly differentiates from one another making them more memorable and rewatchable
@@smhfirebruh5630 He said he wasn't sure if he was going to do them, and I think the ending of this one shows he isn't, more power to him if I'm being honest.
I can't even properly write how much excitement comes over when a new Matt Draper video comes out, but Christmas Eve Kiddy Giddy describes my feelings towards a new Matt Draper Godzilla Film Video!!! Hmmmm, I think the Monsterverse is pretty good and just letting Godzilla fight against Kong once again was truly an event, but it definitely should have have a bigger message or ambition moving forward since I thought the concept of Titans becoming the new Apex and Humanity finding ways to co-exist was such a fantastic set-up that was severely underdeveloped in the latest film While I also appreciate the Grounded Approach in the first few entries, the Mythological side has been definitely sidelined as well and could bring a whole breath of fresh air to the saga, specially if it can be anchored with a Mikki Saegusa or Asagi kind of character... Definitely excited about it's future as the possibilities of what can be done with it are insane... Classics like Biollante or Destoroyah can become existential level threats to both Titans and Humans, The technology of Mechagodzilla could lead into more bonkers stuff such as Jet Jaguar or MOGUERA, perhaps even Mechani-Kong and distant dreaming, but this might be Gamera's chance to make Big Comeback! Sorry for the ramble....
I had no idea that Gareth Edwards was originally going to direct Godzilla: King of the Monsters. However, I don't blame him because Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a great film as well.
King of the Monsters deserved so much more love. It's a shame so many people complained about the first Legend Goji film having to much humans then went ahead and didn't watch the movie that had more monsters.
I really hope they continue the series. I would love to see the Xaliens and spacegodzilla vs Monarch's mogura and jet jaguar as well as Godzilla and Mothra
Granted I’ve not seen every Godzilla film but I’ve seen about 21 films, the 98 cartoon and singular point but I really think KOTM is the best of the bunch for me. Totally agree with your ranking and it kind of scares me we may not get some silly heisei spectacle inspirations going forward. Would love to see a film that takes characters and elements from KOTM and the cinematography of GVK in the monsterverse. KOTM was criticised for its characters but I honestly found them the most compelling. Sad to not have seen Zhang Zhi cast again to reprise her role as the Chen twins along with mothra for the up coming show or film.
THANKS,for covering the monsterverse,i apreciate all the retrospectives of all eras of godzilla,and i hope you get around to make other retrospectives of other giant monsters.
While Japan is not the main focus in the MonsterVerse, at the very least "King of the Monsters" does a great job paying homage to its Japanese roots with the character of Dr. Serizawa. The fact Ken Watanabe said his Goodbye to Godzilla in Japanese really hit me hard when I first saw the movie. It was the perfect culmination of his "the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons who created them." I felt like it sort of reflected how Godzilla transformed from the embodiment of Japan's fears and anxieties about nuclear technology and into a national icon of Japan. All of that wrapped up in Serizawa's final words in Japanese, "Goodbye, Old Friend."
The Monsterverse must go on! The foundation for Destoroyah to be brought in has already been established when they detonated the oxygen destroyer in the ocean in KotM.
Good video but the mutos are sick af- insane sound design, animation, and the designs are more unique than people give them credit for. Plus the concept of a breeding pair of kaiju fighting against godzilla is pretty cool too
Say what you will about legendary's godzilla... But Bear Mcreary (the composer for things like god of war and black sails) truly gave his love and tribute to king of the monsters soundtrack
I think the monsterverse is overall the most consistent series of movies in terms of quality. Personally, I love each movie of the series. Love the scores of the first two movies, love the monster designs, and the stories are serviceable to actually pretty good. I don't think it reaches as high as the best movies of the franchise like 1954 and Shin Godzilla, but it's really dang enjoyable. 2014 is my favorite movie out of the monsterverse.
Interesting retrospective and a great summary of my personal favorite "cinematic universe" of the 2010s... although I'd still argue Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves' rebooted Planet of the Apes (2011, 2014, 2017) trilogy is the strongest of the decade. I'd rank the MonsterVerse movies as: (1) Skull Island (best auteur stamp, pacing, and use of music), (2) GvK (most entertaining monster fights, memorable neon visuals), (3) Godzilla 2014 (best cinematography in terms of scale, admirable attention to realism and mood), and (4) Godzilla: KotM (definitely the most "Showa" of the series, but I hated the incessant weather FX and contrived family drama; otherwise fun to see Doughtery's incarnation of Toho's monsters).
The monsterverse has a huge amount of potential. I think the movies do well to cater to long time Toho fans, those that remember the TriStar film, and newer audiences. I think it would be within Toho’s interest to allow a renewal of the contract and let them purchase the rights to more monsters so that they can be reimagined and shown to new fans. We all know that everyone is demanding at least one more climatic movie that stars Destroyah and the groundwork is there to do it
They just announced a live action series on Apple TV, so I am excited to hear your thoughts eventually. In the mean time, a King Kong retrospective is due!!! Excellent work as always.
I love how G14 is so visceral. It's not spectacle, but looks great. Everything is heavy, and has a weight to it that you would expect. Its also exactly what an American interpretation should be. It touches on aspects of the American subconscious (ding ding, more 911 metaphor) in a way that the original Godzilla did with Japan, and later Shin Godzilla.
Eh, I don't really see the issue with the "cultural disconnect" thing, nor (growing up) have I ever seen the connection to said culture in the first place outside the majority of Godzilla movies being made in Japan. The original, I can understand as being made nine years after World War ⅠⅠ, but even then the intent on Godzilla's creation was never clearly meant to connect to Japanese culture and more having to do with modern man in general, and a warning of humanity's hubris and scientific technology being used for warfare rather than being used for our benefit. That and because he was designed as a Hollywood monster through Japanese lens. The ecocentrism themes that Godzilla has carried over the years since even that initial film feels more universal than to Japan specifically: like you said Godzilla is the embodiment of nature reasserting itself and remind how small humans are in the face of nature, and also how our science and technology has a way of backfiring on us when trying to control nature and pretending to stand equal to gods. That, to me, sounds like what Godzilla has always been about no matter what country interprets it, a universal message tied to humankind as a whole and not to one specific nation. One more thing: this is why the MonsterVerse Godzilla stands as my #1 favorite incarnation of all time - it's an amalgamation of every incarnation into one, with a refined characterization and has personality that validates him as an actual character, not just a construct (to which I am sick of), complete with a design that has every aspect of every past design mixed into one, keeping the classic look, while modernizing properly.
19:53 This is where I whole heartedly disagree. Call in personal bias/interpretation, but I believe that the Monsterverse exemplified Godzilla's personality and humanity perfectly. Everything from his recognition and interaction with humans, to his claim over the Earth as it's protector and his territory. Even in GvK, Godzilla is enriched with personality. Many scenes could be dubbed over or given thought/speech bubbles to express what he's saying and feeling. He's not some simple creature, a passive animal acting instinctually, he's a complex being with deep personal connections to this planet and its inhabitants, and it shows in every scene. Especially in his eyes.
I remember seeing Godzilla for the first time in the monsterverse and realising that the guys who made it in the west finally have some passion behind it
I honestly love the monsterverse. This is my summed up analysis of the four. Godzilla is a very good Godzilla movie and essentially the perfect adaptation for American audiences. Kong: Skull Island is also a good Kong movie, though not the best it is a stylized popcorn flick and a fresh and entertaining reintroduction to Kong that he deserved. Godzilla King of the Monsters is a very underrated movie that is a near perfect monster fight movie with great action, a defined tone, fair stakes, and understandable themes that add layers to a otherwise mindless kaishu movie and creates a well rounded film in the end. The film also adapted plot ideas and tropes from modern American action films and franchises along with tendencys of older Godzilla films that pay tribute to Gojira’s roots. Godzilla vs. Kong is tribute to classic Godzilla movies from the start. The opening title credits for the movie and the score reveal enough. In addition to the tone of the film it is light on pot and heavy on monster acting and expanding the universe that creates a satisfying experience that deep down we all really wanted. So yeah dumb, lighthearted monster movie.
How would you rank the Monsterverse?
Not too highly. Wasn't interested in Godzilla, still haven't seen Skull Island, was dragged and fell asleep during KOTM, and didn't care enough for GVK. I feel that they miss the point of Godzilla.
1. GVK
2. Godzilla King of the Monsters
3. Kong Skull Island
4. Godzilla (2014)
I liked Godzilla Vs Kong,
Godzilla, King Of The Monsters
Godzilla (2014)
Kong, Skull Island
Godzilla was a bore at first watch but entertaining the second time around.
Kong: Skull Island is a slog.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters was absolutely amazing and one of my favorite Godzilla Movies right next to Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: All Out Monsters Attack.
Godzilla vs Kong was a complete dissapointment, the reasoning between the two Kaiju fighting was dumb, the buildup for Mechagodzilla was half-baked and the Human Side of it was so, so much more unbearable compared to the 3 previous installments
So it's like a B- Movie Franchise for me.
I hate Post-Season 1 Stranger Things a bit more just cause of it smh
1 King of the Monsters
2 Godzilla
3 Godzilla vs Kong
4 Kong Skull Island
I gotta say, Godzilla taking his crown as King of The Monsters at the end of the movie King of The Monsters is such a great shot, and also tells you exactly how American this iteration of the franchise is.
In that it sorta feels like they needed to justify the title given to the American remake of the original movie by making Godzilla literally the king of the monsters
They also kind of set themselves up for failure since that's something that should have happened later on, since now if a Global Threat ever happens, everyone will ask where is the other Kaijus?
A King has subjects, like Rodan, so they would be called upon to assist him in battle. The only exclusion is if it's a battle of dominance, since Rodan only was involved in a battle against Mothra after submitting to King Ghidorah.
Like for example, why did none of the Kaijus answer to the battle cry of Mechagodzilla? Unless it was seen as an Alpha Battle due to King Ghidorah's skull being apart of it's construction.
@@maylabrown4584 I have a theory maybe because Godzilla has already established himself as king, I think the reason why Ghidorah call work in the first place was because there was never an alpha so the throne was free for the taking.
@@justanaveragedragon831 Your theory is a fact.
But I was talking about the reasons why Kaijus didn't go and help Godzilla and Kong against Mechagodzilla, once an Alpha is defeated then they become the Alpha like Godzilla did to King Ghidorah.
So when Mechagodzilla defeated Godzilla, technically he became the Alpha, but since both Godzilla AND Kong defeated Mechagodzilla I guess that would make them Kings?
@@maylabrown4584 maybe inorder to dethrone a alpha you need to kill it first,
@@justanaveragedragon831 I never thought about that, that actually might be the case
The Monsterverse deserves to continue.
It’s is Godzilla is gonna get a live action series on Apple TV and it’s set in the monsterverse and king is getting a animated series on Netflix and is set in the monsterverse
@@tylerjoseph5974 Not to mention, Legendary is doing another MonsterVerse movie.
@@Godzillakingofkaiju1 oh yea I kinda forgot bout that
Let’s hope not 😂
well yeah, you gotta also think of the animators who spent years of their life working on these films and if they stop making these films, they’ll probably be laid off
I remember seeing the first trailer for Godzilla 2014, and I was instantly obsessed with the movie and this portrayal of Godzilla. To this day, I still think MV Godzilla is my favorite design of the character, and regardless of these movies’ actual quality, it’s always a pleasure to see this Goji throw down.
Same here
I totally agree with you Godzilla design in the Monster verse is my absolutely favorite a little know trivia did you know that his design was altered a bit between 2014 and king of the monsters most noticeably the dorsal plates
@@animezilla4486 He also gets less fat and beefy over time, with his legs becoming slimmer
@@S3verusMyG yeah I noticed that too it was not only his legs but his feet as well if you remember in 2014 Godzilla's feet were like elephant but in king of the monsters the filmmakers decide to alter Godzilla's feet to be more dinosaur like. Yeah and I didn't notice that Godzilla was not as chubby and he was in 2014
Not only my favorite design but I absolutely adore the in-universe lore that Titans are the source material behind myth and legend. I feel there’s limitless potential to tap into for both new and classic monsters set within this world
Godzilla 2014 : A conspiracy theory sci-fi
Kong SI: Adventure action
KOTM: apocalyptic epic
GVK: wrestlemania main event
GxK: The New Empire: The ultimate team up againts a tyrant warlord.
Now we just need a final destination!🤣🤣🤣
@@Average_Internet_User101 Destroy All Monsters
@@thomasalexanian927 We're talking about the Mosterverse Titles, not Pre-Historic Mesopotamian Tabloids!💀☠️⚰️
@@Average_Internet_User101"mosterverse"
Infant spotted
“Japan is almost entirely absent” but it’s not, symbolically. A massive, often overlooked part of KotM’s plot was the clashing ideologies of eastern and western interpretation. That’s one of the core themes of the movie and there’s even a line about it in reference to dragons
My feeling is that the og Gojira from the first movie was a stand in for America/the nukes we ha/have. And turned into a cultural hero, that when bringing it over to America the first time...they made it threatening just not an existential crisis (like japan in ww2)
I'd argue that that's the "almost" in "almost entirely absent"
I personally, feel like they could pay a little bit more of a homage, but overall it's not completely necessary.
I disagree in a small aspect with the fact that Serizawa was maybe the best Character out of the first few movies,and I say his best Stuff was in KOTM. I would almost go so far and say they shouldn't have killed him off because none of the other human Characters outside of Marlow in Skull Island have really been as cool or endearing.
Serizawa was the guy who created the Oxygen Destroyer in the original as he knew he needed to kill Godzilla,so it actually is pretty damn cool to see Serizawa be the Guy to Nuke Godzilla in order to save the Big guy.
They didn't need to do that but they did and I give alot of credit for that.
@@dominiqueodom3099They also stated that his father died due to the nukes. So, he's kind of the stand in for Japan. I think there's a scene where he states that there is no hate for the nukes from him. It's also pretty cool to think that the country that suffered the most due to nuclear weapons is the one that set off the weapon in the end to save a monster that represented nuclear weapons and warfare and in turn (kinda) save the world
He ranked Kotm #1. What an absolute gigachad. Subbed.
The Monsterverse is actually my current favorite cinematic universe, I hope they continue.
Same. I prefer it over DC and Marvel
Marvel was pretty good. Now, it is the definition of mid with their whole bait and switch philosophy and bland writing
At least the monsterverse movies are all decent or at the very least fun to watch
Godzilla vs Kong was a really important movie in the United States, because it signalled the end of pandemic restrictions on travel, and was the first major movie people really felt comfortable seeing in theaters again. As such, it being more fun than meaningful was a really important thing for us. It was like "things are going to be okay. It's okay to have fun and relax a bit. We made it through".
That scene where all the monsters bow to Godzilla still gives me chills.
Godzilla's Personality in the MonsterVerse: In Godzilla, Godzilla's behavior is that of a territorial animal, Ishiro Serizawa theorized that Godzilla is the driving force to restore balance to nature whenever that balance is disrupted, suggesting that he essentially considers the entire Earth to be his territory.
However, unlike previous incarnations, Godzilla doesn't blatantly attack or plow through ships at sea simply because they're there, in fact, with larger ships like aircraft carriers, he simply dives under them, even when the military launched a combined forces assault to stop him, he didn't react or fight back, and simply continued to hunt the MUTOs, even when he was being flanked by four naval ships. As opposed to any sort of morality, it appears to be that he simply considers humans to be tiny and insignificant and does not care about their general well-being but at the same time does not consider them worth destroying even though they, without harming him at all, fire at him nonstop.
Godzilla does not seem to destroy on purpose, even when he destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge, it did not appear to be intentional, but just him reacting from being hit in the gills by explosives. He displays little interest in humans and focuses his attention entirely on the MUTOs. His supposed disinterest in the well-being of humans may be caused by their repeated attempts to kill him, the same attempt that showcased their destructive capabilities. After defeating both MUTOs, he leaves humans alone without any more conflict.
However, Godzilla does occasionally display signs of advanced thinking, as he is seen adapting his strategies to fight the MUTOs and even uses sleight-of-hand to trick the male MUTO into approaching his tail, which he uses to impale him on a fallen skyscraper. He appears to possess some degree of emotion as he briefly looks Ford Brody in the eye when he collapses to his level, which also could suggest that he has at least some degree of interest in humans.
Godzilla was designed to have a personality that would evoke the "last samurai" archetype, an ancient warrior content with solitude and preferring not to be a part of the world but has to resurface when certain types of events force him to appear and set things right.
Godzilla's most notable relationships with other Titans are with MUTOs, Mothra, Ghidorah, and Kong. With Mothra, they are true allies, more so than their past incarnations that were prone to be at odds with each other since their species have symbiotic relationships with one another. Mothra's undying loyalty towards Godzilla is best demonstrated when she assists him in their fight against Ghidorah and Rodan, using her webs to glue Ghidorah onto a skyscraper, and incapacitating Rodan after he fought her. Their ancient alliance had been defined in romantic terms, with Dr. Ilene Chen calling Mothra "Queen of the Monsters" and Chief Warrant Officer Jackson Barnes questioning if "they got a thing going on", though subsequently Dr. Sam Coleman clarifying it as a "symbiotic relationship". As she died, Godzilla roared in grief while he absorbed her life-force, allowing him to go thermonuclear and vaporized Ghidorah. Following the battle, Godzilla had not forgotten Mothra's sacrifice, and her gift of life led him to find a new home. Godzilla perceived MUTOs as uneasy ally at best through Queen MUTO who submits to him as her alpha and both deadly pests and natural enemy at worst through the conflict with MUTO couple he killed at San Fransisco and MUTO Prime. Lastly, in the case of Ghidorah and Kong, the two are Godzilla's fierce rivals as shown in various cave paintings where he is depicted fighting alternatively with one of them for different reasons; whereas with the former, their feud could be best described as the battle between light and darkness owing to the extraterrestrial Titan's malicious nature and desire to lay waste upon Earth, Godzilla and Kong battled each other because of their species' long-standing rivalry, but the two nevertheless willing to put aside their difference in facing a common threat. After defeating Mechagodzilla together, the two make amends to each other and went on separate ways on better terms.
When Godzilla becomes the alpha again after defeating Ghidorah, he does not attack the other Titans who followed Ghidorah and instead spares them when they swear their allegiance to him again. During his rule, Godzilla works to keep his fellow Titans from causing chaos and submit some who defy him, like Scylla and Tiamat. He also starts to care for the well-being of the human race and seeks the balance between both kinds, as evidenced by a clipping in the end credits mentioning that Godzilla is keeping the other Titans from attacking major human settlements. However, he also attacked some Titan traffickers that were trying to capture Na Kika. Ultimately, he sends all the Titans to hibernation, deciding that maintaining all of them under control was too much for him to handle. In Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla revealed to possess the capacity to become aggressive and violent towards humans and Titans alike if he is provoked, something Madison Russell acknowledged as it was not his nature to wreak havoc upon human settlements without cause or reason. He wreaked havoc upon Apex Cybernetics' facilities upon sensing that its human occupants were hiding what he senses is an alpha that was challenging him (the new ORCA was making alpha calls) that Godzilla calls the Hidden One. Godzilla eventually faces the one he calls "the Hidden One" in the form of the destructive, out-of-control Mechagodzilla - influenced by Ghidorah's remains grafted into its systems - and would've continued what the extraterrestrial Titan started had he and Kong failed to stop it.
Godzilla's mission to eliminate the threat came into the conflict of Kong who - though having nothing to do with Ghidorah's resurgence - is an example of Godzilla's willingness to eliminate those who oppose him from his goal, in addition to their race's past conflicts. While he displayed brutal and prideful tendencies when fighting Kong at Hong Kong, as he gave of a particularly menacing grin followed by a grumble evocative of a chuckle of sorts when he singed Kong's back with his atomic breath, Godzilla's confrontation with Kong was partly due to frustration by his rival unknowingly deterring him from stopping Apex Cybernetics twice. However, this didn't stop him from sparing the ape-like Titan's life since the latter was not the threat he sought and to a subtle degree, Kong's defiance in the face of defeat earning him the King of the Monsters' respect. This noble decision ultimately saved his life during a hopeless fight against Mechagodzilla, since it allows Kong to assist his likely ally against a common enemy.
It was amazing when Godzilla turned toward the city and roared after killing the female MUTO. It was like "hey humans, You're welcome"
@@GallowayJesse awesome, but MonsterVerse Godzilla is anti-hero, not really actual hero.
Loved this comment. The monster verse, while flawed in some aspects, has given us a ton of subtle Godzilla characterization and it's dope to see
@@N_o196 thank you very much
I'm pretty sure that's copy and paste from Wikizilla. Or at least most of it (that's not a bad thing).
GVK not focusing on world building was fine for me, it felt like a break from story building and just a movie to appreciate the two monsters that have been with us for years, I say leave the world building to the separate monsters films, and just have the crossover be fun, plus, admit it, you thought you’d never see King Kong fight MECHAGODZILLA.
Uh gvk introducing the hollow earth literally was world building. You can't have a kaiju film without world building every film literally did that in the monsterverse thus far both the movies and comics. Gvk being no different.
Yeah that's new for me never thought that Toho would be giving a green light for Mechagodzilla vs Kong in GVK
I know this is probably known or has been mentioned by now, but the Monsterverse is still continuing. Earlier last week, it was announced that a Godzilla series set between 2014 and King of the Monsters is beginning production and is slated to be released on the Apple+ streaming service.
And a gvk sequel was announced
2014 is still my favorite of the American movies. It’s just the Godzilla movie I always wanted, slow, methodical, and brings the hype at the right moments.
And at the cost of teasing the kaiju too often. Slow burners are fine but there's a reason why they are not used often. G14 as a Slow burner made the same typically mistakes Slow burners make meanwhile shin gojira as a Slow burner was much better.
@@Kaiju-bm4ts didn't help that the film went with the wrong protagonist.
@@samcooper2474 exactly. Killing off Joe was the biggest mistake that movie made
@@Kaiju-bm4ts what bothered me most about that was the directors excuse for it: ' oh, we couldn't find anything better for him to do but be a comedy side character'. Yes you could, him and his son could have spent the film reconnecting while trying to get to the wife and child. I mean, you wanted to place an importance on family, right? Would have made up for Aaron Taylor Johnson's dry acting.
@@samcooper2474 Bruh if Gareth said that then that's a really dumb excuse when I've seen and heard much better alternatives to keep Joe around. He and serizawa could of worked side by side despite them having different past and working for different reasons. Bryan was a much better actor and thus his acting literally carried the human story til he died. This is why the 1st act is good for human stuff and the 3rd act is good for monster stuff. 2nd act moved too slowly and was dull thanks to the lack of kaiju and Ford just being bland
I really enjoyed 2014’s grounded take on Godzilla. It made me wish that they stuck to that style for the rest of the monster verse movies. Although I do love how colorful Skull Island is. I can’t wait to see what Vogt-Roberts brings to the MGS movie…if it ever happens. Love hearing you talk about Goji, Matt!
Thanks so much, Diego! Yeah I really want that MGS movie to happen and I have no idea if it ever will haha I guess we'll just wait until there's any sort of date attached to its release?
He is directing the Netflix Gundam movie.
1. King of the monsters! Yes! This was the movie I've always wanted from an American studio!
The monsterverse has come back swinging, this side era is the little multimillion dollar engine that could. Long live the king
Matt, you are such a talented storyteller, and I find great joy in supporting you on Patreon. Great Review, and as you point out, Godzilla, in the Monsterverse, has truly gone beyond what the creators at Toei originally intended; he is an almost godlike force of nature. Honestly, I like this characterization. For all of our vaunted technological advancement, humans are still tiny in the scheme of things. Godzilla is a symbol that serves as a reminder of that, especially in "King of the Monsters."
Sorry to point that out, Godzilla is from Toho. Toei's Tokusatsu franchise are Kamen Rider series（Mask Rider's original material）, Super Santai series（Power Ranger's original material）and Metal Hero series（VR Troopers and Big Bad Beetleborgs' original material）. As you can see, they're all superhero TV shows. Toei has few distribution to Kaiju movies.
There’s other videos which covered the same topic and covered much more than what was stated here
I've been a fan of godzilla my whole life thanks to my dad so having these come out and bring people into the Fandom who didn't wanna watch the originals just bring me such joy, So many people didn't even know what godzilla was when i was younger.
They just announced a Godzilla/Monster verse series for Apple TV.
I know this was 2 years ago, but Monsterverse is now a 2 billion dollar franchise and will continue, since GxK is a massive success.
Say what you will, but I love the way Godzilla has been interpreted in the Monsterverse. I especially love the design of our favourite giant lizard.
You have my vote on the King Kong retrospective! The big ape needs more love, after all.
i love the monsterverse godzilla appearance, he's far more realistic looking than older zillas while still maintaining that sheer absurdity
I love King Of The Monsters so much, became of how much Love and just World-Building that it was given. Michael Dougherty did an incredible job.
My Ranking on the Monsterverse:
1. Godzilla: King Of The Monsters
2. Godzilla (2014)
3. Godzilla vs. Kong (Had a lot of missing plot points and World-Building, but still good.)
4. Kong: Skull Island
(There's nothing wrong with Kong: Skull Island, it's a great film.)
Glad to see someone NOT hating *Godzilla King of the Monsters 2019* besides me.
I'm so tired of jerks hating this movie so much because of its flaws.
Of course it's not perfect, but no film (even your favorite ones) are not perfect. The point of the movie is to enjoy the hard work put into it, not just immediately think it's bad from just one view
@@mwizachihana9551 Exactly.
Especially Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, for whatever the hell reason, people decide to go all on a hate wagon on the Film for no reason.
@@ParkRanger2000 . Maybe they hate it because it's not following the "traditional Jurassic Park formula" or some nonsense like that.
Or just hate it for the sake of hating it
@@mwizachihana9551 the 2019 is my favorite of the Monsterverse and if I may be so bold to say..... Godzilla King Of The Monsters reminds me of Terminator 2 Judgement Dayas far as sequels goes. Also it helps that the director genuinely loves Gojira
@@ParkRanger2000I personally feel the World series could have capitalized on the satire present in the 1st Jurassic World. They could keep building the conflict with the eventual world being occupied by dinosaurs again. I just feel they went about it with no tack and forethought.
It's also slop, which unfortunately the first 2 Jurassic Parks weren't. So much potential all wasted for pretty much disposable media
Mutos are actually kinda cool and I think there design's are very sleek and slick and have lots of thought put into there design's in my opinion
@@BaldPerspective I respect Matt's opinion on the Mutos but i think he was pretty bias about em
If there's one crucial deal-breaking flaw in the Monsterverse, it's that they went four full movies and somehow Tokyo remained completely intact.
18:46 This Godzilla doesn't need to be about Japan. Thats what differentiates it from Toho's Gojira. Monsterverse has created an entirely new lore for Godzilla and other classic Kaijus, magnifying their scale. Both literally and metaphorically. These are ancient predators who ruled/lived on Earth before it was habitable for humanity. In a way this accords more respect to the "Titans", while also being respectful of the original creators of Godzilla. The 2014 Godzilla is literally a tribute to the 1954 Godzilla, right down to serious and sombre handling of the story, and the way it was shot. People wanted more monsters, so legendary came with more monsters and expanded on the lore. I am personally very happy that we have two polar opposite interpretation of Godzilla and other Kaijus and we get to enjoy both in this lifetime.
I feel the same about 2014 Godzilla. Was disappointed in theaters but I’ve grown to appreciate more, over the years. And your list pretty much lines up with my preference. King of the Monsters was bonkers and Bear McCreary’s score was a beautiful tribute . The waterfall scene with Mothra was absolutely amazing with his score.
Would love a video on King Kong. He has more films than I think most people are aware of.
well he is public domain so
The problem with Kong's films are that they are all pretty much the same concept,kong gets discovered,kong likes pretty girl,kong dies.
That's why I love Godzilla so much. Humans are not above nature. We tend to forget it sometimes
I love how you tied HBK and Kane into this!
I really enjoy the Monsterverse and think it's a worthy addition to the Godzilla Franchise. It has a lot of respect for the past while trying to bring it into the future. It's not as deep as Shin Godzilla, nor does it have complex human characters like the Gamera trilogy, but I still enjoy it nonetheless for the respect it has for the monsters themselves. KOTM is my third favorite Godzilla movie.
Tbh KotM is pretty complex, although I don't know enough about Gamera to say if it's more or less complex than that
@@BaldPerspective That's completely wrong, that's what the antagonists believe. The point of the film is that humanity must learn to co-exist with the Titans like Godzilla and Mothra, not that one or the other belong alone. Alan Jonah and Mark Russell are both wrong in their beliefs that only one or the other can belong on the earth
@@BaldPerspective Yeah, I meant the Trilogy. I thought I put that but instead I put franchise by mistake. The human characters in the Showa Gamera series can range from bad to charming.
@@BaldPerspective I think that point of view from Emma is supposed to he flawed and not really solve anything since she's the villain and is not thinking things through as well as she thought she has.
@@BaldPerspective Yeah, I haven't seen enough Showa Gamera movies to fairly judge them. I thought the human characters in vs Gyaos were charming and the ones in Jiger weren't too bad.
I really think that MV Godzilla and Shin Godzilla are the best things that have ever happened to the character. I really wish we were getting more of both.
King of the Monsters is so underrated! It's my favorite Godzilla movie!
Godzilla as a global, elemental force works wonders for me. For a character over 50 years old, he needs to evolve.
While I haven’t seen every Godzilla movie I have watched a bunch, mostly when I was younger in the 90’s, these retrospectives have been SO much fun. I have a real nostalgic feeling towards all those early movies but still have a huge love for the original. I would absolutely LOVE to see you do a video in the history of kong movies.
There are already plans announced to continue the monsterverse, starting with an Apple TV+ series
There are two upcoming tv shows set in the Monsterverse. A live-action Godzilla show on Apple TV and an animated Kong show on Netflix. There is also talk of another Kong movie. So, the Monsterverse isn't going away anytime soon.
No matter it’s faults, I will always love the MV and hopefully it has more movies planned in the future. MV Godzilla is my favourite Godzilla when it comes to design and overall portrayal. It’s a good take on Godzilla to make him a god like creature that rules this planet and maintains balance.
Absolutely loved your retrospective on this era! It’s great seeing a deep dive into such a recent string of movies like this. And that ending teaser for Shin Godzilla? Chills. Love it!
Kong does deserve a retrospective video. I mean it's only fair considering you did one for Godzilla. So, you gotta do one for Kong.
excellent retrospective. so glad we are getting more monsterverse
Godzilla King Of The Monsters 2019 is my favorite Godzilla movie as far as the recent movies goes
So happy that someone out there agrees that KotM is the best Monsterverse movie!
Brilliant video man keep up the great work godzilla has always been a childhood favorite of mine and monsterverse is definitely my favorite of the franchise with KOTM being my number 1 film, long live the king of the monsters
I have two favorite Godzilla films.
They are tied at number one, but for different reasons.
Minus one and king if the monsters.
The camera work and not allowing the camera to be were a person can’t is the best part of the 2014 movie. The monster designs are also really awesome. I really think it gets overlooked by other monster movies.
Godzilla's Origins in the MonsterVerse:
Now grown to almost 400-feet tall, Godzilla stands as king of all he surveys. Initially thought to be a threat, we now understand his potential to become our world's ultimate guardian, a towering apex predator emerging from the mysterious depths of the ocean to battle aggressors that threaten the balance of nature.
The creature designated Titanus Gojira draws its immense power from a bio-nuclear circulatory system that activates when threatened, triggering a neutron flux that travels up its shard-like backspines to nucleosynthetic throat chambers where it explodes into a directed wave of atomic breath. Through this remarkable process, Godzilla's roar itself becomes nature's most devastating weapon.
The Monarch facility designated 'Castle Bravo' was built specifically as a flagship underwater observation base by Monarch to study Godzilla in his natural habitat. Our findings so far have been hard-earned but revelatory. Sub-aquatic audio captures suggest the creature utilizes a range of communication frequencies more complex than anything we had imagined. When not enraged into action, the creature is slow, graceful, inquisitive even.
His size and radioactive signature make him easy to monitor, with scans showing him traveling through various oceanic channels on routine patrol routes propelled by his massive tail. There are sporadic gaps where his signature disappears from tracking logs, and analytics is working closely with our mythography team to determine the cause. Dr. Brooks' 'Hollow Earth' theory is gaining more traction because of this finding and is currently leading the ongoing investigation. It is possible that the epicenter of these sightings is proximal to a previously undiscovered vile vortex. CRYPTID PROFILE For Godzilla's return, the King of the Monsters was given a radically new origin story that deviates from the previously established origin of him being mutated by the hydrogen bomb: in Godzilla: Awakening, the prequel to Godzilla, Godzilla is explained to be an ancient life form from the Permian period. As the planet cooled and its natural atmospheric radiation began to decrease after the Permian-Triassic extinction event, he adapted to survive various other extinction events by diving deep into the ocean and consuming the planet's natural geothermal radiation in a hibernation-like state from its molten core until 1945, when the atomic bombing of Hiroshima woke him up along with the fearsome Shinomura, an enemy he previously fought in the past.
Godzilla's species, Titanus Gojira, evolved during the Permian period millions of years ago. Though powerful and numerous, they had been driven to the doorstep of extinction by the MUTOs, a species of parasitic Titans that prey almost exclusively on the Titanus Gojira species. Furthermore, it was speculated that in the ancient past, Godzilla's kind engaged in direct warfare against the Titanus Kong members, Kong's species, in the Hollow Earth. The war lasted for centuries for dominance of the Hollow Earth, resulting in the remaining Titanus Kong members migrating to Skull Island. Other members of his kind are known to have existed throughout time at different points. Two individuals were killed at different times by MUTO Prime, with one of the Titanus Gojira skeletons being found in Siberia while the other, named Dagon, was found in the Philippines. Godzilla himself appears to be the last living member of his species by the events of the films. However, in Godzilla vs Kong, there are some species that bare similarities in appearance to Godzilla, implying some of the Titania Gojira or relatives live in Hollow Earth.
Godzilla was theorized by Ishiro Serizawa to have been the alpha predator of his ecosystem and prevented other Titanus species from overpopulating and overrunning the world, acting as a force of nature that maintained balance. When Ghidorah arrived on Earth, he quickly established himself as a rival alpha to Godzilla. Godzilla and Ghidorah battled each other several times before they took their fight to Antarctica, which resulted in Ghidorah being buried in ice and Godzilla's victory. Godzilla's species also share a symbiotic relationship with that of Mothra's.
really looking forward to Matt Fraction's Monsterverse series. And I would love to see you do a retrospective on Kong.
I appreciate folks like you giving thoughtful insight into this particular iteration of Godzilla. I unfortunately could never fully jive with the Monsterverse, as I personally felt that the films (KOTM especially) seemed to be more interested in providing surface-level spectacle as opposed to the strong human and monster stories in tandem that I feel the best Goji films managed (like the original, vs. King Ghidorah, vs. Destroyah, the Millenium Mecha Godzilla duology, and Shin), and that the environmental messaging got muddled after the first film, among other issues (especially the cultural dissonance in regards to nuclear power). It's good to know that even if I couldn't find as much to enjoy about the Monsterverse experiment as a whole that it means enough to others that great analytical work like this comes out of it. It makes me want to go back and reexamine the films myself, and while I don't know if my opinions will change, it'll at least give good context for what was being attempted more than during my initial viewings.
Nice to see "King of the Monsters" get some love....
I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on Kong through his strange, continuously rebooted film history!
Agreed!
Monster verse Kong=best Kong.
yeeeeees
One thing that the Monsterverse does better than the MCU is that each film has its own distinct style that instantly differentiates from one another making them more memorable and rewatchable
Since you've completed the Godzilla franchise retrospective I'd love to see you tackle other monster movie franchises
There's still one more left, Shin Godzilla
@@sebastienvondoom8615 and like the crummy Cgi anime movies
@@smhfirebruh5630 He said he wasn't sure if he was going to do them, and I think the ending of this one shows he isn't, more power to him if I'm being honest.
I can't even properly write how much excitement comes over when a new Matt Draper video comes out, but Christmas Eve Kiddy Giddy describes my feelings towards a new Matt Draper Godzilla Film Video!!!
Hmmmm, I think the Monsterverse is pretty good and just letting Godzilla fight against Kong once again was truly an event, but it definitely should have have a bigger message or ambition moving forward since I thought the concept of Titans becoming the new Apex and Humanity finding ways to co-exist was such a fantastic set-up that was severely underdeveloped in the latest film
While I also appreciate the Grounded Approach in the first few entries, the Mythological side has been definitely sidelined as well and could bring a whole breath of fresh air to the saga, specially if it can be anchored with a Mikki Saegusa or Asagi kind of character...
Definitely excited about it's future as the possibilities of what can be done with it are insane...
Classics like Biollante or Destoroyah can become existential level threats to both Titans and Humans, The technology of Mechagodzilla could lead into more bonkers stuff such as Jet Jaguar or MOGUERA, perhaps even Mechani-Kong and distant dreaming, but this might be Gamera's chance to make Big Comeback!
Sorry for the ramble....
I had no idea that Gareth Edwards was originally going to direct Godzilla: King of the Monsters. However, I don't blame him because Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a great film as well.
King of the Monsters deserved so much more love. It's a shame so many people complained about the first Legend Goji film having to much humans then went ahead and didn't watch the movie that had more monsters.
i personally really love the mutos, they feel like they have emotion
I really hope they continue the series. I would love to see the Xaliens and spacegodzilla vs Monarch's mogura and jet jaguar as well as Godzilla and Mothra
KOTM struggling at the box office is so infuriating as it's such a perfect, near flawless film.
Yeah no.
Granted I’ve not seen every Godzilla film but I’ve seen about 21 films, the 98 cartoon and singular point but I really think KOTM is the best of the bunch for me. Totally agree with your ranking and it kind of scares me we may not get some silly heisei spectacle inspirations going forward. Would love to see a film that takes characters and elements from KOTM and the cinematography of GVK in the monsterverse. KOTM was criticised for its characters but I honestly found them the most compelling. Sad to not have seen Zhang Zhi cast again to reprise her role as the Chen twins along with mothra for the up coming show or film.
Originally she was going to be appear in gvk but she was removed for some reason
THANKS,for covering the monsterverse,i apreciate all the retrospectives of all eras of godzilla,and i hope you get around to make other retrospectives of other giant monsters.
While Japan is not the main focus in the MonsterVerse, at the very least "King of the Monsters" does a great job paying homage to its Japanese roots with the character of Dr. Serizawa.
The fact Ken Watanabe said his Goodbye to Godzilla in Japanese really hit me hard when I first saw the movie. It was the perfect culmination of his "the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons who created them."
I felt like it sort of reflected how Godzilla transformed from the embodiment of Japan's fears and anxieties about nuclear technology and into a national icon of Japan.
All of that wrapped up in Serizawa's final words in Japanese, "Goodbye, Old Friend."
What I like about the Monsterverse is that it feels like it's on a grander stage
Godzilla:King of The Monsters and Godzilla Vs Kong are my ultimate 'this is ridiculously silly, but I love it' films.
I would love to see Matt talk about the 90’s Gamera trilogy.
I absolutely want to do this
King of the monsters has one of the best score I've ever heard in any movie I've ever seen in my life
Kotm definitely my favorite, loved this universe. Hope it continues. Great video!
Great stuff Matt!
The Monsterverse must go on! The foundation for Destoroyah to be brought in has already been established when they detonated the oxygen destroyer in the ocean in KotM.
Good video but the mutos are sick af- insane sound design, animation, and the designs are more unique than people give them credit for. Plus the concept of a breeding pair of kaiju fighting against godzilla is pretty cool too
God your content slaps so hard, amazing work from the scripting to editing thanks for providing such lovely entertainment ❤️
Say what you will about legendary's godzilla... But Bear Mcreary (the composer for things like god of war and black sails) truly gave his love and tribute to king of the monsters soundtrack
Great retrospective!!! Thanx!!!
I think the monsterverse is overall the most consistent series of movies in terms of quality. Personally, I love each movie of the series. Love the scores of the first two movies, love the monster designs, and the stories are serviceable to actually pretty good. I don't think it reaches as high as the best movies of the franchise like 1954 and Shin Godzilla, but it's really dang enjoyable. 2014 is my favorite movie out of the monsterverse.
Interesting retrospective and a great summary of my personal favorite "cinematic universe" of the 2010s... although I'd still argue Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves' rebooted Planet of the Apes (2011, 2014, 2017) trilogy is the strongest of the decade.
I'd rank the MonsterVerse movies as: (1) Skull Island (best auteur stamp, pacing, and use of music), (2) GvK (most entertaining monster fights, memorable neon visuals), (3) Godzilla 2014 (best cinematography in terms of scale, admirable attention to realism and mood), and (4) Godzilla: KotM (definitely the most "Showa" of the series, but I hated the incessant weather FX and contrived family drama; otherwise fun to see Doughtery's incarnation of Toho's monsters).
I love the Monsterverse movies. Godzilla being an unpredictable force of nature, indifferent to humanity and our cities, is really interesting
The monsterverse has a huge amount of potential. I think the movies do well to cater to long time Toho fans, those that remember the TriStar film, and newer audiences. I think it would be within Toho’s interest to allow a renewal of the contract and let them purchase the rights to more monsters so that they can be reimagined and shown to new fans. We all know that everyone is demanding at least one more climatic movie that stars Destroyah and the groundwork is there to do it
They just announced a live action series on Apple TV, so I am excited to hear your thoughts eventually. In the mean time, a King Kong retrospective is due!!! Excellent work as always.
Personally, I love 2014's Godzilla, and Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. I even enjoyed Godzilla Vs. Kong!
Love the Monsterverse !! I am the only one in my family that could really appreciate this movies . Will love this video
I feel like that when I see reviews about KOTM they never talk about the visuals and the introduction of every monsters
The monsterverse will forever stay in my heart as godzilla 2014 got me into godzilla
Love your channel and thank you for getting me into The Midnight. I've been listening non stop 👍
Godzilla (MonsterVerse), the giant Prehistoric Amphibious Reptile (Titanus Gojira). Heights: 108.204 meters tall and 119.79 meters tall.
I love how G14 is so visceral. It's not spectacle, but looks great. Everything is heavy, and has a weight to it that you would expect. Its also exactly what an American interpretation should be. It touches on aspects of the American subconscious (ding ding, more 911 metaphor) in a way that the original Godzilla did with Japan, and later Shin Godzilla.
Very nice review great job with the detail. Keep up the great work.
Eh, I don't really see the issue with the "cultural disconnect" thing, nor (growing up) have I ever seen the connection to said culture in the first place outside the majority of Godzilla movies being made in Japan. The original, I can understand as being made nine years after World War ⅠⅠ, but even then the intent on Godzilla's creation was never clearly meant to connect to Japanese culture and more having to do with modern man in general, and a warning of humanity's hubris and scientific technology being used for warfare rather than being used for our benefit. That and because he was designed as a Hollywood monster through Japanese lens.
The ecocentrism themes that Godzilla has carried over the years since even that initial film feels more universal than to Japan specifically: like you said Godzilla is the embodiment of nature reasserting itself and remind how small humans are in the face of nature, and also how our science and technology has a way of backfiring on us when trying to control nature and pretending to stand equal to gods. That, to me, sounds like what Godzilla has always been about no matter what country interprets it, a universal message tied to humankind as a whole and not to one specific nation.
One more thing: this is why the MonsterVerse Godzilla stands as my #1 favorite incarnation of all time - it's an amalgamation of every incarnation into one, with a refined characterization and has personality that validates him as an actual character, not just a construct (to which I am sick of), complete with a design that has every aspect of every past design mixed into one, keeping the classic look, while modernizing properly.
19:53 This is where I whole heartedly disagree. Call in personal bias/interpretation, but I believe that the Monsterverse exemplified Godzilla's personality and humanity perfectly. Everything from his recognition and interaction with humans, to his claim over the Earth as it's protector and his territory. Even in GvK, Godzilla is enriched with personality. Many scenes could be dubbed over or given thought/speech bubbles to express what he's saying and feeling. He's not some simple creature, a passive animal acting instinctually, he's a complex being with deep personal connections to this planet and its inhabitants, and it shows in every scene. Especially in his eyes.
That's actually the factually correct ranking of the Monsterverse. Good job!
I remember seeing Godzilla for the first time in the monsterverse and realising that the guys who made it in the west finally have some passion behind it
I honestly love the monsterverse. This is my summed up analysis of the four. Godzilla is a very good Godzilla movie and essentially the perfect adaptation for American audiences. Kong: Skull Island is also a good Kong movie, though not the best it is a stylized popcorn flick and a fresh and entertaining reintroduction to Kong that he deserved. Godzilla King of the Monsters is a very underrated movie that is a near perfect monster fight movie with great action, a defined tone, fair stakes, and understandable themes that add layers to a otherwise mindless kaishu movie and creates a well rounded film in the end. The film also adapted plot ideas and tropes from modern American action films and franchises along with tendencys of older Godzilla films that pay tribute to Gojira’s roots. Godzilla vs. Kong is tribute to classic Godzilla movies from the start. The opening title credits for the movie and the score reveal enough. In addition to the tone of the film it is light on pot and heavy on monster acting and expanding the universe that creates a satisfying experience that deep down we all really wanted. So yeah dumb, lighthearted monster movie.
i really like the monster verse design. G looks menacing
❤ Godzilla monsterverse thanks for the review Matt
The Monsterverse continues!
Another excellent job, Matt!
I come back to this series of videos so frequently, just incredible work! Any plans to cover the anime movies?
Jay Bauman gave my favorite review of GvK:
“It feels like a child wrote it, and that’s both a good and bad thing”
Really nice video 👏🏻