You can read our full thoughts on Godzilla: King of the Monsters in our review of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray HERE.
Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Warner Home Video brings Godzilla: King of the Monsters to Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer code for a Digital Copy. The Region Free, BD50 disc sits opposite a DVD-9 copy inside a blue, eco-cutout case with a glossy slipcover. After a couple of skippable promos, the screen changes to a generic static menu with options along the bottom and music.
The king of the monsters stomps home with an outstanding 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode that demands all other alpha challengers to bow down. Coming straight from a digital source, the freshly-minted transfer shows every bead of sweat and water rolling down the casts' faces with excellent clarity while still revealing individual wrinkles, pores and the tiniest blemish on their lifelike complexions. Fine lines and stitching in the clothing and the various computer gadgetry of Monarch are razor-sharp, and the debris and rubble from the monster destruction are distinct from a short distance. However, the heavily-stylized photography of Lawrence Sher, giving the CG action a smoky, hazy and dark grey look, tends to create a few blurry shots, but thankfully, it's all part of a deliberate look that doesn't ruin the overall quality of the video.
Presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the presentation also displays crisp, sparkling whites that suddenly brightens the screen with intense radiance, such as when the monsters glow with resplendent brilliance or when Godzilla illuminates with spectacular, arctic-blue highlights. In fact, the orange-and-teal palette continuously bathes the visuals with a rich, vibrant array of blues, cerulean and cyan with light undertones of greens. Sher's cinematography is a captivating mix of golden yellows, rusty browns and warm, fiery oranges while reds are also full-bodied and animated, and this eye-catching mix turns scenes like Mexico into demo material. At the same time, black levels are, for the most part, rich and opulent, sometimes creating a tad of crush during the all-out monster brawls, which is arguably intentional but still produces a beautiful, larger-than-life cinematic appeal. (Video Rating: 92/100)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters debuts on Blu-ray with the same demo-worthy Dolby Atmos soundtrack as its Ultra HD counterpart. For a more in-depth take on the audio quality, you can read our review of the 4K Ultra HD HERE. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 98/100)
Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters does precisely what it sets out to do, delivering an Americanized version of Godzilla that feels right at home with the original Toho franchise. Full of catastrophic spectacle, mesmerizing visuals and mindless monster-fighting fun, the sequel should satisfy kaiju action fans while delighting loyal Godzilla followers. The Titans reign supreme on Blu-ray with a gorgeous HD video presentation while stomping into home theaters with an exceptional, reference-quality Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Featuring a strong set of supplements, the HD package is highly recommended.
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