The monster-sized brawl is what fans expected and much more

In terms of most big-budget flicks in the “MonsterVerse” franchise, including “Godzilla: King of The Monsters” and “Kong: Skull Island”, you’ve seen all of them if you’ve seen one of them.

Known for their focus on the action between title characters above any level of plot or depth, viewers continue to return to see their favorites fight it out this time around. While they’ve fought once in the past (in 1962, to be exact), there was no clear winner. Nearly sixty years removed from their previous battle, there’s finally a clear champion.

Since Warner Bros. launched their latest attempt at a monster franchise with “Godzilla” in 2014, they have continued to slowly expand their worlds with other characters, both large and small. However, this represents the first official crossover within the universe between title characters.

If any audience member should expect a detailed, in-depth story and overarching plot, it’s best to turn away now. While the human characters do their best to come up with an explanation for why the monsters have returned and are fighting, the plot often detracts from what audiences came there for.

Just as with every other film in the “MonsterVerse”, the human interaction is most often the low points in the film that are exactly what a moviegoer would expect. Just as the “Fast & Furious” franchise manages to do time and time again to success; heavy amounts of action and destruction tend to catch the eye much more than long-winded pot development.

The aspect of the film that stands out above all else, as most would expect, is the special effects. Both Godzilla and King Kong look more realistic than ever, with the huge fight scenes looking gorgeous. With multiple fight scenes taking place during both daytime and nighttime, the cinematography and color palette used throughout the film is simply beautiful.

One of the largest criticisms of the most previous “MonsterVerse” film, “Godzilla: King of The Monsters”, was that most of the fight scenes were so dark that it was visually challenging to see what was going on. That’s far from the case this time around, as it seems they steered clear of making that mistake yet again.

Despite being offered on HBO Max at the same time as movie theaters due to the ongoing pandemic, it’s clear that there’s one place to see this film: On the largest screen possible. While that may be challenging for many, the film focuses on action and visual entertainment over any level of real acting or plot. Should anyone ever be in the mood for over-the-top, cheesy monster destruction, look no further than the biggest monster fight of the century.

Review: 3.5/5