You know, that was more enjoyable than I think it had any right to be. It’s the sort of movie that would have been far more spectacular on a big screen, but I haven’t been to the theaters in a while, so I’ll take smaller.

All around, it’s a visual delight. Transporting Kong is hilarious looking. The Hollow Earth is an insane idea, but it’s a beautiful world and all of those big beasties to fight are a lot of fun to see. Mechagodzilla makes even less sense than a lot of the movie / other human ways to fight the monsters. But once again, it makes for a wonderful visual.

The entire sign language subplot, with Kong learning how to speak (especially first with a tiny adorable girl), is wonderful. Actually, I enjoyed most of the characters.

Characterwise, I’d only seen Alexander Skarsgård in True Blood before and… it’s a bit jarring, but I’ll take it. I didn’t care for the B-plot with Millie Bobby Brown and Brian Tyree Henry as conspiracy nuts (who happened to be right), but they both acted the heck out of it. But really, Kaylee Hottle as Jia the little girl steals the show among the human cast.

But really, you go to a movie like this for the monsters. And they’re spectacular. Watching them beating the crap out of each other in various configurations is exactly like what we were looking for. And man they do a number of Hong Kong at the end. Beautiful devastation.

Also, I so want to watch Pacific Rim again. (Not a bad thing).