Godzilla (2014) Reviews/Discussion (1 Viewer)

[mattCR]

Surprisingly good. For a Godzilla film, this has a surprisingly cerebral plot outline. The handling in the setup is very effective. I thought the middle act could have improved, but best film to hit theaters since Cap2 this year.

 

[Dalton]

Well I guess I'm in the minority from what I have read. I just didn't like it all that much. I loved the monster effects but overall the movie was unsatisfying for me.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Real quick thoughts:

Saw it on IMAX 3D with a appreciative crowd who cheered and clapped for each and every monster moneyshot (not the pervy kind, heh).

A grade of B or 3 stars for the monster-on-monster action.

A grade of C+ or 2.5 stars for the puny human subplots.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Is it really worth seeing this in 3D or IMAX?

 

[Patrick Sun]

I don't regret seeing it on IMAX, which means you'll have to deal with the 3D, which was a solid up-conversion job, except maybe a few aerial shots following a helicopter, it was a little tough to maintain the 3D-ness of the scene with moving parts all around.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The reason I ask is that my local theater is a brand new complex. It doesn't have an IMAX screen, but it does have a 70 ft wide screen with Dolby Atmos. The nearest IMAX screen is 45 miles away without Dolby Atmos. Which screen would you choose to see it in?

 

[Patrick Sun]

The reason I ask is that my local theater is a brand new complex. It doesn't have an IMAX screen, but it does have a 70 ft wide screen with Dolby Atmos. The nearest IMAX screen is 45 miles away without Dolby Atmos. Which screen would you choose to see it in?

How wide is the IMAX screen (typical ones are 52'x72', but the one closest to you may be a lot wider/bigger)? If it's within 20% of the 70 foot screen, save the gas.

 

[mattCR]

Ok. With some sleep on it and talking to my wife about it, I've realized this:
The first segment, all the way to the big discovery, and reveal at the site is fantastic. The characters and drama are great, Bryan Cranston is great and the pressure is solid. That entire beginning segment sucks me in and really worked VERY well.

The Middle segment to me is weak.. really weak. Everything from the moment they hit the aircraft carrier until San Fran is just mind numbing. The final fighting sequences are fantastic.

I'm trying to avoid any spoilers and paint with just very broad brushes here.. nothing above should give anything away. As a whole, I liked it. It worked for me. But the middle segment drags me the farther I get from the viewing and the more I think about it.

IT's still a solid B

 

[Robert Crawford]

I just got back from my showing. I wasn't really impressed to be honest with you. At least, not to the extent that I would give it a B rating. More like C+ and that's due to the monster fight scenes.

 

[TravisR]

I never really got into Godzilla (I saw a handful of the movies as a kid and I've seen the 1998 movie) and I found this movie to be just OK overall. The scenes when the monsters fight pay off handsomely but outside of the fights and the scenes with Cranston and Binoche, the rest of the movie was fairly uninteresting to me. In the end, it's not bad but it's a movie that I have no interest in seeing ever again.

 

[Yavin]

Figured I would start a review thread for this (instead of posting to the teaser anticipation thread). If mods feel differently, please feel free to merge.

Anyway, a snippet of my thoughts ...

Surprisingly, the ultra-serious (bordering on dour, at times) story by screenwriter Max Borenstein spends a lot of time dwelling on the human characters — who, frankly, aren't all that interesting — making early scenes with the monsters themselves frustrating for their lack of follow-through in the carnage-and-mayhem department. At the same time, even though the flick boasts an impressive cast, much of that talent is underused.

But when the film finally gets to the good stuff — those prolonged sequences of monster-on-monster action — it pays off in a big way. Unlike Roland Emmerich's 1998 version, this 2014 iteration of the iconic character strikes the perfect balance between CG creation and the classic man-in-a-rubber-suit look, and it's made even more perfect by the inclusion of that unmistakable roar. Watching the Big G — in all his building-stomping glory — lay the smack down on his monstrous opponents makes it worth sitting through two acts of build-up, as Edwards' orchestration of the climactic battle is nothing less than operatic. The film's visual effects magnificently convey the scope and magnitude of the destruction, occasionally evoking the passé disaster epics of the late 90's. But Edwards never forgets that it ultimately boils down to the audience rooting for Godzilla to emerge as the champion. That serves as the key differentiator between this new Godzilla film and its previous American incarnation, and it makes all the difference in the world.

3.5 out of 5. As Godzilla lumbers towards its generally predictable conclusion, you can't help but wonder whether this will be the film to get North American filmgoers to truly embrace the legendary monster. Because even though his popularity as a cult character has soared for decades, he hasn't had the box office draw to match. However, this latest incarnation — though not perfect — is a promising start to what will hopefully flourish as a new franchise.

Here's my full review.

 

[Dalton]

Robert and Travis, I agree with you guys completely. Exactly my thoughts. I was a Godzilla fan as a kid and this movie just didn't have enough of the big guy in it for my tastes.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I just saw Godzilla today at our iMax in Little Rock. I give it a B+. First, this is not your Dad's Godzilla…well maybe it is a little. I am not a fan of man-in-a-rubber-suit Godzillas. I've watched the original on Criterion, and the appeal escapes me. The countless remakes have always seemed very cheesy to me. This Godzilla is truer to the look of the original, while the USA remake of years back had a much different look. However, at no time did I think this was a man in a rubber suit stomping on miniature cities. The 3D is good, but not great. There were a couple of moments when I thought an audience member was blocking my view until I realized it was part of the film, that was slick. And I noticed in one rainy scene that some of the rain was very much out of the screen. Other than that, there were no in-your-face moments. I thought the depth was good. Every one is panning the supporting cast, and yeah, no oscar nominations here. I think I liked the non-monster aspect of the movie better than most. The new Godzilla has realism, weight, and power. And he's got a really great roar. During the final battle sequence I was really caught up in the action and the emotion of the moment.

Spoiler

There was a moment in the final battle when Big G was getting the crap beat out of him. I found myself gripping my armrests and I nearly muttered out lout for him to get up. I'd call that successful moving making.

The USA remake of a few years ago, which I like better than many, had a lighter tone to it. This new Godzilla is darker in tone, and there's only a few moments that are lighter in tone, where characters smile. Even then, this one is serious all the way. It always takes itself seriously.

If you like monster movies, go see this Godzilla. If you've liked the man-in-a-suit Godzillas, I think you'll like this too. His heritage is evident.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Robert and Travis, I agree with you guys completely. Exactly my thoughts. I was a Godzilla fan as a kid and this movie just didn't have enough of the big guy in it for my tastes.

Wow, I couldn't disagree more. I'm a believer that less is more and that you can have too much of a big thing. If Big G had been there from the very start I think it would have been too much. The best chillers build up the tension and even make you impatient for the payoff. There really can't be payoff without a buildup.

Did I want to see more of G at the end? Yeah, I did. What's the old saying? "Always leave the audience wanting more." Better that, than feeling "enough, already."

It is a rare monster movie that reveals the monster within the first few minutes. SyFy movies excepted, of course. And they're crap.

 

[mattCR]

Oh god, did anyone else get the trailer for 'The Storm'? Our early audience yelled out 'where are the sharks'. Died laughing.

 

[TravisR]

Wow, I couldn't disagree more. I'm a believer that less is more and that you can have too much of a big thing. If Big G had been there from the very start I think it would have been too much. The best chillers build up the tension and even make you impatient for the payoff. There really can't be payoff without a buildup.

I thought making the audience wait to see Godzilla was a great idea. However, I think the movie ended up taking the idea of "less is more" to the point where less just became less. It's like the shark in Jaws, once you see it, the surprise and anticipation is over and you can show it freely. I guess I think a little (not a lot) more of the title character would have been nice.

 

[Patrick Sun]

My friends and I did have a laugh at the "teasing" of Godzilla in the early parts of the movie. And then the MST3K effect in some scenes in the last act, where you see action, but a moving body in the foreground would also be in the way obscuring some of your view of the action. It was comical to a point.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Anyone else's audience cheered at the "money shot" scenes?

 

[Yavin]

Anyone else's audience cheered at the "money shot" scenes?

At the screening I attended they clapped only when

Spoiler

Godzilla pried open the final M.U.T.O.'s jaws, spewed his atomic breath straight down its throat and then stood there roaring in victory as he held its disembodied head in his hands.

It was a well-deserved round of applause -- that was hands down the most awesome scene in the entire movie!

 

[alvbrown]

This film was directed by Gareth Edwards, but in a very "Spielbergian" way, I thought. There's no denying that Edwards structured this film in a WWSD kind of way. There are many reaction shots of the cast (from inside vehicles, from on a railroad bridge, from inside a subway train, etc...) of the majesty/terror that is right in front of them not unlike scenes from "Jurassic Park". There are scenes from animal and child perspectives that callback to many scenes in Spielberg's films. Even one of the first scenes of Godzilla emerging from the ocean is hinted with a "Jaws"-inspired score cue by Alexandre Desplat. There are complete rounds of fighting and bashing, specifically of a popular U.S. city, that is only briefly shown on a newscast. A decision like that in a Summer blockbuster in 2014 takes guts, but I believe Edwards was deliberately saving the goods for the third act, which is another of Spielberg's techniques. I was gloriously surprised by how much I enjoyed myself. A solid 8 out of 10.