Primarily, the term “creature feature” is a barely snappier solution to say “monster film.” Sorry to make it sound a bit much less thrilling proper from the get-go, however it’s a movie with at the least one monster enjoying a outstanding position within the story. That is broad, and so it means the monster – or monsters – might be quite a lot of sizes, with Frankenstein technically being a creature characteristic (with Frankenstein’s monster being solely a bit bigger than an odd particular person), and so too is Godzilla, with the titular monster there towering over not simply individuals, but additionally multi-storey buildings.
And because the likes of Frankenstein (1931) and Godzilla (1954) present, creature options have been round for many years at this stage, and have remained standard into the twenty first century. What follows is a rundown of a number of the finest creature options/monster motion pictures which were launched for the reason that 12 months 2000.
10
‘Prey’ (2022)
Manner higher than you would possibly count on it to be, to the purpose the place it truthfully rivals the primary film within the collection it belongs to (Predator), Prey is simply a fascinating, to-the-point, and suitably intense motion/horror/sci-fi film. It goes again in time about 300 years to depict a Predator searching members of a Comanche tribe, notably a younger warrior lady who places up a surprisingly good struggle towards stated Predator, plus another threats related to the time interval.
Because it seems, saying, “Hey, let’s do Predator, however previously” is novel sufficient to make Prey intriguing, after which the execution can also be sturdy, which sustains the entire thing for many of its runtime. There’s nothing massively deep or groundbreaking here, as a horror movie, however it’s additionally exhausting to think about many individuals coming away from it not feeling, on the very least, considerably entertained by what they’ve simply seen.
9
‘Shin Godzilla’ (2016)
Shin Godzilla is not going to be for everybody, and may not even be for all Godzilla followers on the market, however it is among the cooler and most distinctive entries in the entire long-running series to date. It tries to have a look at what an emergence of Godzilla within the twenty first century would possibly appear to be, having probably the most modern-day – with out being futuristic – setting of any live-action Japanese Godzilla film by far.
It’s additionally a pretty effectively creepy giant monster movie, although it’s not with out some humor by way of how some authorities incompetence and copious purple tape hampers the response to the catastrophe at hand. Additionally, the model of Godzilla seen in Shin Godzilla is noteworthy, given how pained he seems and due to the best way he transforms/evolves all through the movie.
8
‘Pacific Rim’ (2013)
Some individuals would possibly complain about Pacific Rim being too silly, but those people are missing out. The movie may be very a lot conscious that it’s a giant and dopey one about large robots being constructed after which piloted for the aim of preventing again towards large monsters invading Earth, however there’s additionally a sincerity to the entire thing, because it’s self-aware however not likely in a means the place it needs to make enjoyable of itself.
Tonally, it’s odd, however Guillermo del Toro pulls it off. Actually, in order for you good monster motion pictures launched previously couple of a long time, his filmography is well-worth digging into, and he even made a Best Picture-winning monster movie (of types) with The Shape of Water, a number of years on from Pacific Rim. As for his biggest monster film of the twenty first century? For that, it’s important to return a number of years in time from the discharge of Pacific Rim, and in addition learn on, as a result of it will be mentioned right here in a bit.
7
‘Godzilla: Ultimate Wars’ (2004)
Truly, for all of the speak of Shin Godzilla being a doubtlessly divisive Godzilla film, it’s most likely not that to the identical extent as Godzilla: Final Wars, which was the previous Japanese Godzilla film to that aforementioned 2016 one. It’s additionally a wholly totally different beast of a movie, intended to be a 50th anniversary celebration for the collection as an entire, with the plot involving many monsters from the historical past of the collection attacking varied cities, and a super-powered Godzilla having to be unleashed to defeat all of them.
The existence of Godzilla: Ultimate Wars, in all its nonsensical glory, is type of stunning, as are a number of the creative selections it makes.
There are additionally a variety of chaotic motion scenes that includes the human-sized characters, so it’s simply relentless total, and about as maximalist as a Godzilla film has ever gotten. The existence of Godzilla: Ultimate Wars, in all its nonsensical glory, is type of stunning, as are some of the creative selections it makes, but when you will get on its wavelength, it’s truthfully fairly fantastic.
6
‘King Kong’ (2005)
One of the best King Kong film got here out greater than 90 years in the past (no, not Son of Kong), however as for the most effective one launched within the twenty first century? Look, an honorable point out ought to exit to Kong: Skull Island, since that one’s simply continuous and actually delivers a number of monster motion. It’s most likely the closest an American large monster film has come to feeling like Godzilla: Ultimate Wars, by way of it having only a ton of motion and basic silliness.
However the one that gives probably the most, and felt probably the most forward of its time for when it was launched, of the twenty first century King Kong motion pictures to this point, must be Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake of the original. It’s most likely too lengthy, as he tries to make it an epic in an analogous solution to how he tackled The Lord of the Rings (the size labored there, contemplating the supply materials), however most of King Kong is fairly rattling good, and the set items usually make it value a watch.
5
‘Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Big Monsters All-Out Assault’ (2001)
Godzilla had been a villain in Godzilla motion pictures earlier than Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Big Monsters All-Out Assault, however to not fairly the identical extent as he was right here. Additionally, King Ghidorah had by no means actually been something however villainous in his pre-2001 appearances, however right here, he turns into one of many good guys, becoming a member of forces with Mothra and (briefly) Baragon to fight back against the seemingly unstoppable Godzilla.
Additionally, they’re mystical and/or legendary beings, so Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Big Monsters All-Out Assault is much less of a sci-fi film than most Godzilla motion pictures, however it’s nonetheless there in some capability. So far as different genres go, this one also has a lot of action, will get horrifying and intense at factors, and in addition has some strong household drama going on with its non-monster characters. It juggles rather a lot, however balances the entire thing higher than you would possibly count on… or concern.
4
‘The Host’ (2006)
Talking of household drama in monster motion pictures, it’s an much more outstanding a part of The Host than it was in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Big Monsters All-Out Assault. There’s a larger number of family members here, the household is extra dysfunctional, and in addition, the monster that assaults close to the beginning of The Host is not as massive or outwardly damaging as most iterations of the titular character seen within the Godzilla collection.
However the creature nonetheless offers a blow to the household by capturing their daughter, and they also attempt to band collectively to seek out her, after which struggle the monster to try to get her again. It’s an odd household dramedy that simply so occurs to have a monster running around and causing chaos; a creature that would destroy their household, or strengthen their familial bonds, or possibly – one way or the other – even do a little bit of each.
3
‘The Cabin within the Woods’ (2011)
The Cabin in the Woods is a kind of motion pictures you can’t really explain without going into spoiler territory, however labeling it a monster film or creature characteristic hopefully is not an excessive amount of of a spoiler, contemplating the title does make it sound like a horror film. And it’s a horror film, however it’s not the form of horror film you’d count on, and there’s additionally a cause it’s exhausting to pin down so far as horror sub-genres go.
As a result of, certain, there’s a werewolf in that picture simply above, and the werewolf is related, however The Cabin within the Woods is not nearly a cabin within the woods and a werewolf and a few individuals having to outlive it. The twists really make this one, and so though the film is previous, and a few individuals would possibly really feel okay with freely giving one of many sudden turns the narrative takes, that’s not going to occur right here. When you’ve seen the film, you recognize why it’s particular and intelligent, and in the event you’ve not seen it however like horror motion pictures, then it is best to ASAP.
2
‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)
One of many best international films of the last few years, Godzilla Minus One is like Shin Godzilla within the sense that each are all about humanity battling Godzilla, and neither offers Godzilla different large monsters to struggle. However the method taken to those comparable premises ensures the movies differ fairly a bit, and Godzilla Minus One goes again in time… not so far as Prey, however it does set itself about 70 years sooner than Shin Godzilla, and it’s additionally set virtually a decade earlier than the unique Godzilla film.
This works as a result of varied Godzilla motion pictures have totally different continuities and variations of Godzilla, all in ways in which don’t make a lot sense until you make the choice to stay and breathe the collection, after which all of it works. However it might take pages upon pages of textual content to put out which of them are linked, which of them positively aren’t, and which of them is perhaps barely linked. Anyway. Not tremendous vital. Godzilla Minus One is awesome, emotional, and exciting. That’s what actually issues.
1
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
Talking of great movies not made in the English language, they don’t get an entire lot higher than Pan’s Labyrinth, which is kind of comfortably the best creature characteristic Guillermo del Toro has directed up to now. Nevertheless it’s additionally a cultured type of movie with rather a lot to supply, so even attempting to name it a creature characteristic feels a tiny bit rotten. There are monsters right here, however there’s extra to the fantasy world explored on this film, and there’s additionally extra to the film than the fantasy world.
Pan’s Labyrinth pairs its darkish fantasy stuff with a story about war, resistance, and a younger woman pressured to stay with a merciless stepfather. It does extra in two hours than many epic movies handle to do with three or 4 hours’ value of runtime, and calling Pan’s Labyrinth certainly one of the greatest films of all time (not simply of the twenty first century, and never simply of the monster-related ones) truthfully feels cheap.
