If you’re walking into Godzilla II: King of the Monsters , you’re likely there for one thing: a front-row seat to an ancient, radioactive wrestling match. On that front, the film is a total heavy-metal album cover brought to life. It leans hard into the "Monster" in MonsterVerse, delivering a visual and auditory feast of legendary proportions. The Good: A Love Letter to Kaiju Fans

: Bear McCreary's soundtrack is a standout, cleverly weaving in classic themes from the original films to give every monster arrival a mythic feel.

For long-time fans, this movie is pure catnip. Unlike the 2014 predecessor that teased Godzilla's presence with brief glimpses, this sequel throws you into the deep end immediately.

While the monsters soar, the human plot often feels like it's stuck in the mud. Critics and audiences alike noted that the story can be a bit of a slog between the main events.