Godzilla (2014)

[Rick Kitchen]

It's a decent movie, though the monster scenes are much more interesting than the people scenes.

 

[RapBert]

While I agree with you that the human characters were very bland, I have to say that I found the movie to be very good. I guess it depends on what you expect. It's far more serious than most Godzilla films, similar to the Japanese original. There are a few lighthearted moments inbetween, but overall it was very serious and dark.
 

The action scenes were few and a bit too short, but very well shot. The special effects were extremely well made. Several scenes are very effective, conveying just how utterly insignificant humans are to the monsters, considering their size and scope.

 

There's some meandering in the middle act, but nothing to bad. Also some wonky Hollywood science, but hey, giant radioactive lizard monster. It comes with the territory.

[Izzyboy]

I liked the movie a lot as well.  And I agree that the human characters were pretty bland, especially

after Cranston's character died

. 

 

I appreciated how they treated Godzilla as more of a force of nature, something that was going to do whatever if cared to do.  It wasn't good or evil, it just had a job to do and had to see it carried out.

[SunDevil]

I enjoyed it, but got really hung up on Elizabeth Olsen's character deciding to separate from her kid. I just couldn't wrap my head around it and it kind of ruined the end of the movie for me. 

[tinaw]

Just came back from seeing Godzilla. I liked it but I wish they showed godzilla more. Less humans would have been good too. The last battle was worth the wait. I will see this again

[jellysalmon]

I liked this for the most part, but it was weird seeing a CGI Godzilla that so closely resembled the original which was a guy in a the rubber suit. Godzilla had stumpy/fat arms and legs, little maneuverability and seemed to be unable to move his neck. He looks menacing, but during the fight scenes I kept thinking "this alpha predator sucks at predating."

[ArctisTor]

I enjoyed it, but got really hung up on Elizabeth Olsen's character deciding to separate from her kid. I just couldn't wrap my head around it and it kind of ruined the end of the movie for me. 

I think they were attempting, fairly clumsily, to establish the three members of the Brody family - not unlike the members of the Brody family in the "Jaws" movies - affected by the monster in different ways.  With the sequel already greenlit, I imagine that's going to follow-through somehow.  Either through the boring soldier son or his son grown-up.

 

I enjoyed the movie, but felt it would have been far better served if Cranston and Watanabe had been leading it throughout.  I think those two actors and their characters could have carried the movie.  I've liked Aaron Taylor Johnson in other things, I just didn't care for him here.  I could have done with a lot less of bland soldier guy and his equally bland family.  I don't care about the "Jaws" parallels, what worked for those movies didn't really work here.

[ShadowHunter]

I was rooting for Godzilla to eat or step on Aaron Taylor Johnson. I'm sorry but I really could not stand him in this movie.

[xls]

I just have loved Godzilla since childhood and I agree that there should have been more of him in this movie. I really wish they would have explored more of where he came from.

 

But when it comes on cable I will probably watch it a zillion times.

[xaxat]

Agree with the consensus, the movie needed fewer humans, more Godzilla. 

 

 

I was rooting for Godzilla to eat or step on Aaron Taylor Johnson. I'm sorry but I really could not stand him in this movie.

 

So was I. The guy had no facial expressions. Whether it was thinking that his father was crazy, seeing a freakin' huge ass monster or finding out that he had volunteered for a one way mission. 

 

Godzilla himself didn't disappoint though. That last kill was awesome.

[xls]

Just ran to Wal Mart the other day to get the original Japanese version on DVD. I've seen the Raymond Burr added one several times and love it but the uncut version is quite intense and dark. Several references to the war and Nagasaki were edited out for the American version.

The scene with the oxygen destroyer in the fish tank, I think, is one of the most powerful scenes in film to this day.

Jimmy Kimmel, got it right, sort of, Godzilla is based on real events.

Sorry I got so off topic, but the new movie did renew my interest in watching the older films.

You know I got the feeling that Godzilla was really not trying to hurt any people in this film, they were just insignificant to him and that pleased me. He was looking for a way to go around or under the bridge but they fired on him and of course, he plows right through it. And I loved the scene where he swims under the aircraft carrier.

I've head that the second will include Mothra and other GZ monsters, don't know if that's true or not. Being a big Mothra fan also, she's a goddess but has done a lot of damage in past movies too.

Edited June 10, 2014 by xls