New Godzilla an epic smackdown showcasing impressive visual effects

The spectacle in the latest adventure of our favourite radioactive reptile is repeatedly undermined by cutaways to pesky little humans with their buzz-killing backstories.

Godzilla is back!

Not that the radically radioactive reptile has ever really gone away for a good spell. 30-plus movies over 60-plus years says it all when it comes to the enduring love out there for the mighty ‘Zilla.

This new adventure is primarily an angular sequel to the blockbuster Hollywood reboot that stomped, chomped and whomped its way through the world’s cinemas in 2014.

While monster-movie enthusiasts generally liked what they saw in that production, there was one stinging criticism that kept cropping up.

The audience biggest gripe with the Godzilla movie from 2014 was how long it took the beast himself to show up.

Scene from the movie Godzilla: King Of Monsters. Roadshow Pictures/Warner Brothers.

The angst was all to do with Godzilla’s very late entrance into proceedings, waiting all of 80 minutes until finally getting busy with his majestic brand of fighting, biting and (relatively) controlled demolitions.

So have Godzilla’s tardiness issues been seen to in King of the Monsters? Not totally. It still takes an hour or so to get the big fella into the action.

However, the important difference this time around is that the filmmakers have come up with a better way of filling the wait time until Godzilla is unleashed.

Make that three better ways, as the first hour of King of the Monsters is dominated emphatically by the resurrection of Godzilla’s most infamous super-species enemies.

The terrifying trio of Rodan, Mothra and the tri-headed demon dragon Ghidorah are all triumphs of cinematic creature design.

There is nothing cheap and plenty nasty about how much we get to see of this badass bunch in planet-shaking attack mode.

The epic final smackdown showcases some quite impressive visual effects.

The spectacle is repeatedly undermined by cutaways to pesky little humans with their puny subplots and buzz-killing backstories.

Then Godzilla is finally roused from a deep sleep to set about putting this gang of gargantuan monsters back in their place.

As it is Godzilla we are talking about here, it takes a sizeable nuclear detonation to wake him up.

All roads (and roars) lead to an epic final smackdown showcasing some quite impressive visual effects.

As with the last film, the spectacle is repeatedly undermined by cutaways to pesky little humans with their puny subplots and buzz-killing backstories.

Their principal function is to look upwards, look worried, and keep just enough of a safe distance from their marauding co-stars.

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As for Godzilla himself, you can bet your bottom dollar he won’t be taking another major nap any time soon.

Another movie titled Godzilla vs Kong is already in the can, and will be with us in March next year.

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (M)

Director: Michael Dougherty (Krampus)

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford.

Rating: **1/2

At its best when all gets to munch