Godzilla (2014) Reviews/Discussion (1 Viewer)

[Edwin-S]

Yeah, I've been thinking of that film. I think I'll finally watch my Criterion BD of it this upcoming holiday weekend.

Yep. The Criterion BD is the one I watched. I watched the Japanese version twice: with and with out the commentary. I don't listen to commentary tracks very often, but I will recommend the track on the Criterion. I was only going to sample it in order to see what it was like and ended up listening to the whole track. The Godzilla film historian doing the commentary managed to keep it pretty interesting.

 

[Tino]

So as Godzilla limps along to $200 million domestically, at this point it has grossed about 20% less than the'98 version worldwide adjusted for inflation. Was the hype for this one overblown? Bad word of mouth? Audience disinterest in Godzilla? I was hoping it would have made more even tho I thought it was just ok. It's gotta sting the fans and filmmakers to have to concede boxoffice defeat to Emmerich's infamous version. I have hope for the sequel as the groundwork has been laid for great Godzilla potential.

 

[TravisR]

Was the hype for this one overblown? Bad word of mouth? Audience disinterest in Godzilla?

I think the problem is that the game has changed. In 1998, there was still a movie that was THE movie of the summer and if memory serves, Godzilla was that movie that summer. In 2014, Godzilla is just another blockbuster of the week between all the other blockbusters of the week so it's bound to have done worse.

 

[Tino]

When Godzilla '98 opened, it was also preceded by a tremendous amount of hype and good buzz. However it was expected to open huge and it didn't and was considered a major boxoffice disappointment. I remember it was supposed to be the event of the summer. Supposed to be. This Godzilla is definitely the better film, even tho I do like the '98 version which is goofy but fun. The main thing they got right here is that Godzilla is a hero, not the villain which I thought was the fatal flaw in the '98 version. Still, this new Godzilla should have done better. Although I guess it has done just well enough.

 

[TravisR]

When Godzilla '98 opened, it was also preceded by a tremendous amount of hype and good buzz. However it was expected to open huge and it didn't and was considered a major boxoffice disappointment. I remember it was supposed to be the event of the summer. Supposed to be.

I took a look at the top grossing movies from that year and I had forgotten about other big summer action movies like Armageddon and Deep Impact (surprisingly to me, DI did a few million dollars more business than Godzilla). It was nice to see that Saving Private Ryan was the biggest grosser that year.

It's amazing to see that about 15 years ago, people still went to something other than sequels, prequels, reboots, remakes, comic book adaptations or teen book series adaptations. Not that the majority of the top 10 movies from 1998 are particularly good but at least audiences saw something other than what was familiar.

 

[DaveF]

And word of mouth quickly got out that Bryan Cranston isn't actually an important part of the movie. The majority is lead by two bland unknowns. Misleading marketing will get people in the seats to start, but I suppose it can generate offsetting Ill-will and push people away after initial reviews.

 

[Robert Crawford]

When Godzilla '98 opened, it was also preceded by a tremendous amount of hype and good buzz. However it was expected to open huge and it didn't and was considered a major boxoffice disappointment. I remember it was supposed to be the event of the summer. Supposed to be.This Godzilla is definitely the better film, even tho I do like the '98 version which is goofy but fun. The main thing they got right here is that Godzilla is a hero, not the villain which I thought was the fatal flaw in the '98 version.Still, this new Godzilla should have done better. Although I guess it has done just well enough.

Why, he was villain in the original film?

 

[Tino]

Why, he was villain in the original film?

He was treated as such. At the climax on the Brooklyn Bridge, the crowd in the film cheered when he was killed, expecting the crowd in the audience to do the same. My audience groaned since for the most part,Godzilla should be a sympathetic character. That's one of the few things the new film got right. The audience cheered for Godzilla.

 

[LouA]

I think the problem is that the game has changed. In 1998, there was still a movie that was THE movie of the summer and if memory serves, Godzilla was that movie that summer. In 2014, Godzilla is just another blockbuster of the week between all the other blockbusters of the week so it's bound to have done worse.

It's amazing that a film these days could nudge $200 million domestically, and $500 million internationally, and still be considered unsuccessful.
If a sequel is made , I doubt it would make as much money as this initial installment.

 

[Edwin-S]

700,000,000 globally and its considered disappointing. This demonstrates just how out of control Hollywood expectations and costs have become.

 

[Robert Crawford]

He was treated as such. At the climax on the Brooklyn Bridge, the crowd in the film cheered when he was killed, expecting the crowd in the audience to do the same. My audience groaned since for the most part,Godzilla should be a sympathetic character. That's one of the few things the new film got right. The audience cheered for Godzilla.

He wasn't in the original film nor was he in the Godzilla vs King Kong film. Each film is different so he can be a villain or not depending on the screen play.

 

[Tino]

He wasn't in the original film nor was he in the Godzilla vs King Kong film. Each film is different so he can be a villain or not depending on the screen play.

Right. But like I said, for the most part, he should be a sympathetic character. There have been a few Gozilla films where he was the villain, the difference being the people on screen and we the audience knew that. The '98 version, IMO, created a sympathetic Godzilla. However he was treated as a villain by most onscreen, and I felt a disconnect when he was killed and I was expected to cheer along with those in the movie. I think audiences want Godzilla to be a hero nowadays as evidenced by the new film. Still enjoyed it tho.

 

[Tino]

700,000,000 globally and its considered disappointing. This demonstrates just how out of control Hollywood expectations and costs have become.

The current total worldwide is $489 million not $700 million. But I can see how LouA's post could be misinterpreted as that. So if you go by the 3x budget rule, it has just broken even.

 

[LouA]

The current total worldwide is $489 million not $700 million. But I can see how LouA's post could be misinterpreted as that. So if you go by the 3x budget rule, it has just broken even.

Looking at my post , I can see that it was a little confusing . Still Godzilla continues to generate box office receipts both domestically and around the world , and it hasn't been released in Japan yet. So it will hit $500 million worldwide , but not $700 million !!

 

[LouA]

Update: Godzilla has passed 200 million domestically, and 300 million in the foreign market. DVD and Blu ray are scheduled for Sept 16 , with an expanded version of the film due on Blu ray in November. In an interview Gareth Edward has said he'd like to include Rodan, Mothra and Ghidrah in the sequel.

 

[Vic Pardo]

When I saw KING KONG in 1976 with a packed house of kids at the Loew's Paradise in the Bronx, and Kong finally falls to his death from the top of the WTC, one surly but aggrieved audience member shouted out, "Don't nobody clap!"

 

[Edwin-S]

When I saw KING KONG in 1976 with a packed house of kids at the Loew's Paradise in the Bronx, and Kong finally falls to his death from the top of the WTC, one surly but aggrieved audience member shouted out, "Don't nobody clap!"

Guess he didn't like watching Great-Great-Great......Great Granddad fall to his death.

 

[Radioman970]

It was mid 70s. Hummm.. clap... hum... hummm... clap?

 

[Alf S]

My 9 year old and I were browsing Netflix and he saw that they had this movie showing and he really wanted to see it. He was a bit too young to see it during it's initial run.

He ended up liking it but not really overall thrilled by it.

I thought it was HORRIBLE. From the get go the acting was horrid, I pretty much hated all the actors, even poor Bryan Cranston who is a great actor was just so horribly cheesy and over the top with his part. And what was with him not aging a bit from the early scenes to when his son was old enough to have a 5 or 6 year old?

Every single scene was cringe worthy when the characters started talking, completely laughable listening to them drone on and on.

The fight scenes we just fine for a monster flick, but that's about it. I would have much happier had Godzilla just stepped on every cardboard character in this dog.

I'd give it a D- and I'm baffled by the decent reviews it got back in the day.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I just watched this latest Godzilla a couple of days ago in 3D. It's an average monster flick but with good 3D and effects. I am a sucker for monster movies so maybe I'm a pushover, but can't agree it's as bad as you think.

Yeah, Cranston brought his star power but not his acting chops to the movie. Meh. Still liked it. I am one of the few that dislike very much the "man-in-the-suit" Godzilla movies. Super cheap looking and the acting in those are almost always one notch below zero. I even bought the Criterion Godzilla hoping that being the original as it was meant to be seen would help...and it didn't.