Movie Review: Godzilla
The 2014 version of Godzilla definitely draws most of, if not all it’s inspiration from the original 1954 film that started it all and wisely ignores everything about the first American version in 1998. Granted the French guy was cool, but he’s cool by default.
This new movie takes its sweet time setting up the tone and focusing on the human aspect of the story. We see Bryan Cranston playing a scientist who is not Walter White living in Japan with his wife and son. On his birthday of all days, the nuclear plant he works in mysteriously crumbles to the ground from an unknown earthquake, but not before he sends his wife down below to check, which you can imagine, is a major birthday bummer. 15 years later, Walt, I mean, whoever Cranston is playing becomes obsessed with finding out the truth behind the event. His son, the guy from “Kick-Ass”, has gone on to become an army guy with his own family. None of this is really important, but it’s necessary.
Finally about an hour in when the Japanese guy shows up and explains everything, the monsters appear… and they are beautiful. First things first, dude’s entrance causes a tsunami, and Godzilla in all his prehistoric glory looks badass, and HUGE. Once the movie gets rolling everything shakes when Godzilla is on screen. It almost felt like there wasn’t enough of him though. A fairly large chunk of the movie was the dude from “Kick-Ass” finding his way from Japan all the way back to San Francisco just in time to literally dive or “Halo Jump” right into the “Hell of Crazy” that was downtown San Fran as a ridiculously giant Lizard duked it out with not just one, but two other ridiculously giant monsters dubbed MUTOs.
The plot is thin, but you’re not expecting “Good Fellas” from the movie with monsters in it. Instead we’re treated to a Godzilla with the kind of face-lift that does him serious justice. He looks like everything he is supposed to…. ancient, scaly, leathery with the big hips and beer punch and all, they nailed it! And as oppose to being killed by Ferris Bueller, some F-16 fighter jet missiles and the Brooklyn Bridge like the last sad sack, this one rightfully kicks monster ass and is hailed “King of the Monsters”. Then he just bounces. That’s the movie.
And I hope they make another one.
Highly recommend you watch in IMAX 3D.