Character discussion: Destroy all Monsters

[edgaguirus]

This is a fun film, and has some interesting, though 2 dimensional, characters.

Akira Kubo plays the SY3 captain Katsuo. Katsuo is the Capt. Gordon of the Showa series. He's a tough guy who's made for action, and can fire off a corny hero line like a pro. He has a habit of stating the obvious, but he shows courage, cunning, and a bit of a sense of humor. He's a fitting hero for the movie.

Kyoko, Katsuo's sweet heart, is best played when she's under Kilaak control. She makes a good villianess, showing a cold and effective manner. Her smile when she sees Rodan attacking the city is both confident and speaks volumes. When she's herself, Kyoko isn't that notable.

Then we have Dr. Stevenson. The old scientist just sits there and talks, but I find his raspy voice and intellectual persona fitting for a movie like this. DAM isn't a serious movie, and it plays right along, sometimes seeming like a serial from the past. Dr. Stevenson seems like the kind of man who'd you'd find in one of those old serials.

Last is the Kilaak queen. I think they were trying to go for a Controller vibe with the Kilaak queen. It doesn't quite work. The Kilaak is more arrogant and demeaning than ruthless and cunning. She's just not that threatening.

[Rodan]

There were characters in this movie?

Real talk, though, one of the reasons I find this entry interminably boring is because it has the blandest cast of two-dimensional characters of any of the Showa films. They engage in dully staged action sequences, move the plot forward, and that's it. There's not a quirk among them, and certainly not a relatable motivation outside of this very specific monsters-are-attacking plot.

I kind of like the Kilaaks visually though.

[Kubo]

Ah, Akira Kubo is nice. I wish he had more to work with though. No one really shines in the movie. It's flat across the board, but I really enjoy the movie anyway. Probably has to do with all the city destruction and kaiju action.

[edgaguirus]

The kaiju are what really draw me to this film. Luckily, they're given about as much screen time as the actors. Aside from Kubo's captain, most of the roles are bland.