Frustrating. But with moments of brilliance. Edwards' touch for images is undeniable - the camera lingers and paces itself in a way which recalls vintage Spielberg. In fact, its' closest cinematic cousin is Spielberg's take on 'War Of The Worlds' though you can also see touches of Jurassic Park, as well as Cloverfield, Super 8, and the King Kong remake. There are some truly fantastic moments where things land definitively; the opening credits, the jump, the final fight, and many chilling shots, and by God(zilla), they got their big hero right. There's one astonishing moment in the climax, where, emerging from clouds of smoke amidst the lanterns of San Francisco's Chinatown to sparse piano, he bends and roars with a primal force that incites sheer excited terror, that causes even Pacific Rim to shit itself.
Things become more polarized in the script department - Bryan Cranston is sterling,
but bows out after the first act, and beyond that point
the rest of the characters are mere archetypes in comparison, content to run in terror, have a sex scene interrupted by a phone, have to get on a plane to break their dad out of jail, make tearful appeals to military commanders, get separated in time for a joyful reunion, or all just deliver ominous soliloquies and exposition. It's standard stuff for the genre.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a better actor than I gave him credit for, and it's quite surprising how Ken Wanatabe's face can convincly convey so much dread. Yet, whilst nothing I've mentioned is strictly a dealbreaker, it's not enough to avoid pulling you out of the moment, puncturing the wonderful biblically dark mood that sometimes seems to arise spontaneously, underselling some of the cast and the nuclear backdrop, and curiously dragging and lurching in such a odd way you're left feeling dulled, and in need of some levity.
What is far more of a dealbreaker is that we get precious little of our monstrous hero. During all of the fights - the camera cuts away, at the point of contact no less, from the brawl to the human drama, and though this helps to build the anticipation for the final battle and is a brave directorial move, I was left feeling undersold every time - to be reminded of the last Hobbit film was a slight for me. One more brawl in full view would have made all the difference here.
Overall, the character development simply doesn't stand up, and isn't as dramatic as, well, seeing G-Man make another monster shit itself. But, this being essentially a modernized version of a Toho film, essentially a monster throwdown with cutout humans, I guess I couldn't have expected more, and it does succeed on that level, and more besides, with moments of perfection in atmosphere, and a truly great final scene. It just can't quite escape it's frustrating flaws.
Feels so much like a Toho Godzilla films. Godzilla himself seems very legit too and when he's on screen I held my breath. That's a movie I always wanted to see and it's finally here.
Many people seem to be disappointed which is their own fault. The movie is fine, but you have to have realistic expectations before seeing it. It's a Godzilla film, none of them were particularly great, but they are entertaining. Although I will say Godzilla 2014 is probably the most subtle and well made of them all. A lot of respect went into making of this film and it shows.
Godzilla isn't on screen for very long, but when he is on screen it's glorious. Every single shot of Godzilla in this film it's beautiful to look at and it wouldn't be the case if he was constantly showing-off.
This movie leaves you hungry for more, but it's better than nothing at all or even too much. At very least you should celebrate that Godzilla is finally back and he's not ruined.
I'm personally very happy.
It hit me halfway through that it was paced exactly like a Japanese Godzilla film - lots of build-up and blue-balling before a single final battle. I feel as though viewers lacking the experience of Toho Godzilla films will leave disappointed.
All of Godzilla's problems can be easily summed up in one issue: The main character.
Why we are meant to care about the antics of this generic Army grunt (or was it Navy?) is beyond me. He has no specific goals toward which he is pressing, and simply stumbles into one conveniently timed chance meeting after another, thrusting him into whatever plan the all-mighty US military has cooked up. I can't remember a single instance in which he did anything of his own volition, without being washed along in the flow of wherever chance happened to place him. This is not good character development! This is not good motivation! This is not good plotting! Yet for a good 2/3 of the film, we follow this generic grunt around as he does generic grunt things.
Are there any scientists who might have a comment about what's going on? Well, there's one, but everyone just ignores him until he's dropped from the narrative, once he says "Godzilla." Are there any side-characters we might be interested in following? Well, there's the wife, who stays at home, and makes sandwiches, or something. Are there any interesting leadership-type characters? One-minute scene, "Nuke 'em!" Hmm.
This film is at its best when it is setting the stage for events to come--which is done in an absolutely magnificent manner--and when the monsters are rampaging around, terrifying the little people. However, these brief glimpses of brilliance are quickly shoved aside for the Amazing Adventures of Captain Generic, as he hustles around with his military pals. Somewhere in the background, you might notice a giant lizard stomping about.
The differences between this and the Toho Godzilla films are simple: 1) The Toho films had likeable characters--even the '98 US 'Zilla had fun and memorable performances. And 2) the US Army is totally awesome(apparently)!!!!! Enlist today!
There are strong elements here with the main highlight being Bryan Cranston and David Straithairn who can do no wrong. That said, after the introductory historical scene, a flash forward takes away most of Cranston's character and leaves him a sad, trope of a hollywood blockbuster much like the other characters here.
The visuals are great, and I never felt that the CGI monster battles looked cheap or fake. Sally Hawkins is simply wasted, and Ken Wantanabe isn't given much better treatment.
That said, the plot is cut and paste from the standard hollywood playbook for modern action/disaster movies. It is predictable to a T. The ultimate takeaway of this movie is simply this: The Americans have a really big military.
If you're a huge fan of Godzilla, check it out. If you're just curious, give it a pass.
this movie wasn't bad. that in itself is an achievement.
though a tad too much was given over to the human characters, the monsters were pretty neat and had real presence, raising my hairs everytime they were shown. this movie did justice to the monsters and i think that is it's crowning achievement.
acting was ok. i would have expected more but i guess for a disaster movie, it suffices.
the directing and cinematography were FANTASTIC. a lesser director would certainly have mucked a lot of the shots with shaky cam but here the camera is appropriately slow and sweeping to accommodate these monstrosities. angles from the ground and from a distance really make you feel small and insignificant as these leviathans battle out in a frenzy.
enjoyed it but it really isn't for everyone. people may feel dissatisfied by how little godzilla there is
Found it a frustrating and in the end disappointing movie. REALLY liked the trailer, but no fan of monster movies. But where's Godzilla?????? The monster is hardly in the movie, focus is on 2 giant bugs. Some great shots and good start but overall disappointing.
Just read an interview with the director saying Jaws was a big inspiration for Godzilla and he wanted to re-create that tension without actually seeing a lot......
Sorry, but he didn't succeed. Main problem is that the tension or focus of the movie is NOT on Godzilla but on those 2 bugs.
This one was a rollercoaster. Where the rollercoaster measured the greatness of the movie. Scenes with Gozilla
and the other two huge things
- great! Scenes with Byran Cranston - Great. Emotional scenes between Kick Ass and his GF - not so great. Really most of the scenes Kick Ass had to carry himself - not so great. But it really cept me on the edge of my seat, and I liked that they kind of gave me godzilla blueballs.
If I were to compare the other American attempt at the franchise, by which I mean the unwatchable 1998 Roland Emmerich flick, I would point to how in contrast Gareth Edwards isn't ASHAMED of doing a Godzilla film. His monsters may be CG, but they look like they could be guys in suits. Godzilla has his full suite of powers and the way his plates light up before a radioactive breath blast is AWESOME. It neither tries too hard to make the kaiju "realistic" nor camp things up because "it's a silly premise", two traps the Zilla'98 fell into despite seeming like opposites. The destruction is great, and the original monster feels of a piece with Godzilla's rogues gallery. Edwards shoots the film as a homage, with neat little references to other monsters, but with an artist's eye as well. The theme, for the monsters as much as for the human characters, is the parent-child relationship, and we're often confronted with the sight of a child reuniting with a parent. Now, I don't think the human characters are all that engaging. The big stars don't get enough screen time and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a fairly forgettable action hero, but I've seen Godzilla movies before; that's par for the course, and they still do better than most. My one big complaint is the music. Not only is the memorable Godzilla theme absent, but the score feels entirely generic. I can't believe there was a rights issue when an indie like Holy Motors used it just last year. Get on that for God2illa, won't you?
Yes it has a serious problem with character development and a few issues with plot points (you dont use the Golden Gate Bridge to evacuate SanFran, why are these monsters fighting exactly?)
But over all this was a very exciting movie. The visuals and directing were stunning. It was well paced and had the right elements in set up. This movie was un-apologetically about giant monsters destroying things. The majority of the action is seen through the eyes of the casual witness, and a gritty mix of chopped up action sequences that worked well. this is the kind of style i was promised with last years "Pacific Rim", finally delivered.
Highly spectacular iteration of the Godzilla vs. _ movie with the usual amount of awesome fighting and boring plot. We got a few great actors for a limited time and a pretty monster that doesn't particularly stands out from the modern monster crowd (cloverfield, pacific rim and even marvel movies and transformers had big monsters). Edwards is pretty good in keeping the pace but overuses the action-movie-drone-noise, that you can hear every 2 minutes, even when you are 30 minutes away from any monster sighting. It's a movie to be seen on a big screen.
Very good review of ikkegoemikke, my impression was nearly the same. In short: less foggie, less children, more of the monster (less fat on it) and the movie were than better then the 1998 Godzilla. Still probably not very good, for this it has to be different movie, not only with better fx and technic, but also with another point of view.
Only watched as Godzilla Vs Kong is on TV soon which I heard was the best of this universe/reboot.
There were a few wow months, otherwise as expected. The wow moments gave it a good rating. Story and acting were fine. Unlike others I prefer the subtle monster move which this does well.
However, I loved Pacific Rim (moved from the VIP seats to the front) and not a shade on Jaws.
6/10
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 15 of 35
Scratch47
Frustrating. But with moments of brilliance. Edwards' touch for images is undeniable - the camera lingers and paces itself in a way which recalls vintage Spielberg. In fact, its' closest cinematic cousin is Spielberg's take on 'War Of The Worlds' though you can also see touches of Jurassic Park, as well as Cloverfield, Super 8, and the King Kong remake. There are some truly fantastic moments where things land definitively; the opening credits, the jump, the final fight, and many chilling shots, and by God(zilla), they got their big hero right. There's one astonishing moment in the climax, where, emerging from clouds of smoke amidst the lanterns of San Francisco's Chinatown to sparse piano, he bends and roars with a primal force that incites sheer excited terror, that causes even Pacific Rim to shit itself.Things become more polarized in the script department - Bryan Cranston is sterling,
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a better actor than I gave him credit for, and it's quite surprising how Ken Wanatabe's face can convincly convey so much dread. Yet, whilst nothing I've mentioned is strictly a dealbreaker, it's not enough to avoid pulling you out of the moment, puncturing the wonderful biblically dark mood that sometimes seems to arise spontaneously, underselling some of the cast and the nuclear backdrop, and curiously dragging and lurching in such a odd way you're left feeling dulled, and in need of some levity.
What is far more of a dealbreaker is that we get precious little of our monstrous hero. During all of the fights - the camera cuts away, at the point of contact no less, from the brawl to the human drama, and though this helps to build the anticipation for the final battle and is a brave directorial move, I was left feeling undersold every time - to be reminded of the last Hobbit film was a slight for me. One more brawl in full view would have made all the difference here.
Overall, the character development simply doesn't stand up, and isn't as dramatic as, well, seeing G-Man make another monster shit itself. But, this being essentially a modernized version of a Toho film, essentially a monster throwdown with cutout humans, I guess I couldn't have expected more, and it does succeed on that level, and more besides, with moments of perfection in atmosphere, and a truly great final scene. It just can't quite escape it's frustrating flaws.
It was good to see Vegas get trashed, though.
jktomas
Feels so much like a Toho Godzilla films. Godzilla himself seems very legit too and when he's on screen I held my breath. That's a movie I always wanted to see and it's finally here.Many people seem to be disappointed which is their own fault. The movie is fine, but you have to have realistic expectations before seeing it. It's a Godzilla film, none of them were particularly great, but they are entertaining. Although I will say Godzilla 2014 is probably the most subtle and well made of them all. A lot of respect went into making of this film and it shows.
Godzilla isn't on screen for very long, but when he is on screen it's glorious. Every single shot of Godzilla in this film it's beautiful to look at and it wouldn't be the case if he was constantly showing-off.
This movie leaves you hungry for more, but it's better than nothing at all or even too much. At very least you should celebrate that Godzilla is finally back and he's not ruined.
I'm personally very happy.
piratediscoking
It hit me halfway through that it was paced exactly like a Japanese Godzilla film - lots of build-up and blue-balling before a single final battle. I feel as though viewers lacking the experience of Toho Godzilla films will leave disappointed.KuroSawWhat
All of Godzilla's problems can be easily summed up in one issue: The main character.Why we are meant to care about the antics of this generic Army grunt (or was it Navy?) is beyond me. He has no specific goals toward which he is pressing, and simply stumbles into one conveniently timed chance meeting after another, thrusting him into whatever plan the all-mighty US military has cooked up. I can't remember a single instance in which he did anything of his own volition, without being washed along in the flow of wherever chance happened to place him. This is not good character development! This is not good motivation! This is not good plotting! Yet for a good 2/3 of the film, we follow this generic grunt around as he does generic grunt things.
Are there any scientists who might have a comment about what's going on? Well, there's one, but everyone just ignores him until he's dropped from the narrative, once he says "Godzilla." Are there any side-characters we might be interested in following? Well, there's the wife, who stays at home, and makes sandwiches, or something. Are there any interesting leadership-type characters? One-minute scene, "Nuke 'em!" Hmm.
This film is at its best when it is setting the stage for events to come--which is done in an absolutely magnificent manner--and when the monsters are rampaging around, terrifying the little people. However, these brief glimpses of brilliance are quickly shoved aside for the Amazing Adventures of Captain Generic, as he hustles around with his military pals. Somewhere in the background, you might notice a giant lizard stomping about.
The differences between this and the Toho Godzilla films are simple: 1) The Toho films had likeable characters--even the '98 US 'Zilla had fun and memorable performances. And 2) the US Army is totally awesome(apparently)!!!!! Enlist today!
frankqb
There are strong elements here with the main highlight being Bryan Cranston and David Straithairn who can do no wrong. That said, after the introductory historical scene, a flash forward takes away most of Cranston's character and leaves him a sad, trope of a hollywood blockbuster much like the other characters here.The visuals are great, and I never felt that the CGI monster battles looked cheap or fake. Sally Hawkins is simply wasted, and Ken Wantanabe isn't given much better treatment.
That said, the plot is cut and paste from the standard hollywood playbook for modern action/disaster movies. It is predictable to a T. The ultimate takeaway of this movie is simply this: The Americans have a really big military.
If you're a huge fan of Godzilla, check it out. If you're just curious, give it a pass.
aniforprez
this movie wasn't bad. that in itself is an achievement.though a tad too much was given over to the human characters, the monsters were pretty neat and had real presence, raising my hairs everytime they were shown. this movie did justice to the monsters and i think that is it's crowning achievement.
acting was ok. i would have expected more but i guess for a disaster movie, it suffices.
the directing and cinematography were FANTASTIC. a lesser director would certainly have mucked a lot of the shots with shaky cam but here the camera is appropriately slow and sweeping to accommodate these monstrosities. angles from the ground and from a distance really make you feel small and insignificant as these leviathans battle out in a frenzy.
enjoyed it but it really isn't for everyone. people may feel dissatisfied by how little godzilla there is
7.5/10
Prof. Lumpcicle
Godzilla looked awesome(when they let you see him, which wasn't often), the rest was full of boring Hollywood cliches.Earring72
Found it a frustrating and in the end disappointing movie. REALLY liked the trailer, but no fan of monster movies. But where's Godzilla?????? The monster is hardly in the movie, focus is on 2 giant bugs. Some great shots and good start but overall disappointing.Just read an interview with the director saying Jaws was a big inspiration for Godzilla and he wanted to re-create that tension without actually seeing a lot......
Sorry, but he didn't succeed. Main problem is that the tension or focus of the movie is NOT on Godzilla but on those 2 bugs.
CSSCHNEIDER
Makes for a great trailer and a very disappointing movie.Chikamaharry
This one was a rollercoaster. Where the rollercoaster measured the greatness of the movie. Scenes with GozillaSiskoid
If I were to compare the other American attempt at the franchise, by which I mean the unwatchable 1998 Roland Emmerich flick, I would point to how in contrast Gareth Edwards isn't ASHAMED of doing a Godzilla film. His monsters may be CG, but they look like they could be guys in suits. Godzilla has his full suite of powers and the way his plates light up before a radioactive breath blast is AWESOME. It neither tries too hard to make the kaiju "realistic" nor camp things up because "it's a silly premise", two traps the Zilla'98 fell into despite seeming like opposites. The destruction is great, and the original monster feels of a piece with Godzilla's rogues gallery. Edwards shoots the film as a homage, with neat little references to other monsters, but with an artist's eye as well. The theme, for the monsters as much as for the human characters, is the parent-child relationship, and we're often confronted with the sight of a child reuniting with a parent. Now, I don't think the human characters are all that engaging. The big stars don't get enough screen time and Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a fairly forgettable action hero, but I've seen Godzilla movies before; that's par for the course, and they still do better than most. My one big complaint is the music. Not only is the memorable Godzilla theme absent, but the score feels entirely generic. I can't believe there was a rights issue when an indie like Holy Motors used it just last year. Get on that for God2illa, won't you?nowhereman136
Yes it has a serious problem with character development and a few issues with plot points (you dont use the Golden Gate Bridge to evacuate SanFran, why are these monsters fighting exactly?)But over all this was a very exciting movie. The visuals and directing were stunning. It was well paced and had the right elements in set up. This movie was un-apologetically about giant monsters destroying things. The majority of the action is seen through the eyes of the casual witness, and a gritty mix of chopped up action sequences that worked well. this is the kind of style i was promised with last years "Pacific Rim", finally delivered.
this is a pure popcorn flick
stexdo
Highly spectacular iteration of the Godzilla vs. _ movie with the usual amount of awesome fighting and boring plot. We got a few great actors for a limited time and a pretty monster that doesn't particularly stands out from the modern monster crowd (cloverfield, pacific rim and even marvel movies and transformers had big monsters). Edwards is pretty good in keeping the pace but overuses the action-movie-drone-noise, that you can hear every 2 minutes, even when you are 30 minutes away from any monster sighting. It's a movie to be seen on a big screen.andype
Very good review of ikkegoemikke, my impression was nearly the same. In short: less foggie, less children, more of the monster (less fat on it) and the movie were than better then the 1998 Godzilla. Still probably not very good, for this it has to be different movie, not only with better fx and technic, but also with another point of view.boulderman
Only watched as Godzilla Vs Kong is on TV soon which I heard was the best of this universe/reboot.There were a few wow months, otherwise as expected. The wow moments gave it a good rating. Story and acting were fine. Unlike others I prefer the subtle monster move which this does well.
However, I loved Pacific Rim (moved from the VIP seats to the front) and not a shade on Jaws.
6/10
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