Or Utopia is a fascinating character study set against a kaiju backdrop. A group of hotel residents have been left behind after the city has been overrun by giant monsters and the rest of the guests are evacuated by the military. They are forced to come to grips with their situation and with each other as it turns into a two year stay.
What sets this apart is that it is very similar to a stage play with everybody confined within the hotel and, in fact, the rampaging monsters are never actually seen. More Samuel Beckett than Ishiro Honda those expecting a CGI fest will be disappointed but, like Cloverfield, the emphasis is on the survivors of the initial attack over the destruction to the world which is actually a worthy take on these sorts of films. Director Yunsoo Kim manages to keep things interesting although at over two hours it does get draggy (so to speak) as many of the characters are unpleasant and can get you your nerves with such focused attention on them.
A quality addition to the kaiju universe although it might disappoint the more thrill seeking aficionados but I found it an intriguing stretch to what is possible within a constrained and often overworked genre.
