Director: Gareth Edwards
MPAA Rating: PG-13
If you crave an above-average monster movie, then Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla is just the ticket for you. It combines a few memorable characters with a mega-monster that – like any previous Godzilla movie – wreaks havoc on a major city. The 2014 version tells a story different from previous Godzilla outings and its originality is one of its greatest assets. This is a film that could have been clichéd and mediocre at best, but it manages to rise above with pulse-pounding special effects and true-to-life human drama.
The cast of characters includes Joe and Sandra Brody (Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche), nuclear experts who find themselves at the center of a nuclear disaster in Japan in 1999. At the same time, two other scientists – Dr. Serizawa and Vivenne Graham (Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins) – are in the Philippines unearthing a giant Godzilla skeleton. The opening sequences following these four individuals nicely set up the mindless destruction that is to comprise most of the film’s running time. More about them I cannot say without skimming awfully close to spoiler territory. But through Joe Brody, we are introduced to the movie’s human star – Aaron Taylor-Johnson – who plays Joe’s son, Ford, and Ford’s wife, Elle, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen. Taylor-Johnson is the film’s “human hook” and his role as a military man is an effective one, fitting nicely into the overall story that could have been overshadowed by computer-generated destruction.
There is some debate among reviewers as to whether or not a spoiler alert is needed before addressing the actions taken by Godzilla in this movie. Some contend that at least one trailer significantly hints at what I am about to say, while others such as myself think not. So, for the first time since I have been reviewing films, I will issue a spoiler alert and advise you to skip the rest of this paragraph if you are unsure of Godzilla’s “mission.” The movie’s main trailer has Bryan Cranston railing about what caused the nuclear disaster in Japan and we all think he is talking about Godzilla. However, it turns out that another creature caused the accident – a parasitic monster originally part of the Godzilla skeleton found in the Philippines. That monster’s mate is awakened years later and the two radioactivity-seeking creatures – one female and one male – begin to ravage the Pacific, making their way to Hawaii and finally to San Francisco. Serizawa is convinced that Godzilla – a hunter of these creatures, he the predator and they his prey – will ultimately save the day by defeating the crazed duo and indeed the giant lizard succeeds. The fight sequences between Godzilla and the two creatures are often incredible to watch and the audience sometimes sees the action up-close, sometimes from afar, and at numerous angles that easily keep one’s attention throughout the long battles.
The action sequences are well choreographed and photographed. San Francisco takes one hell of a beating, and there is considerable loss of human life for a PG-13 movie (though we do not see anyone graphically killed). The special effects are above-par and certain elements look great, particularly when Godzilla unleashes blue molten flame out of his gullet. The use of a relatively small military contingent to counter the situation is an interesting plot device as it shows (a) how insignificant little humans are against prehistoric behemoths and yet (b) how effective a team of soldiers – and indeed even a single man – might be when working to protect the lives of their fellow Americans. This is not a genre of film that terribly interests me, but I am glad I saw it and would recommend it to anyone wishing to enjoy an old-fashioned action-adventure movie told in a modern style with an updated twist.
I should add that this is not a great film, but it’s perfectly fine for what it is — a Godzilla movie. After all, it’s not Bergman. But it works for its sub-genre and its specific subject matter and that’s why it’s a 7/10.
I definitely agree with you, Todd. I thought it definitely had some issues, but another thing every seems to be debating is the fact that Godzilla himself gets very little screen time. I didn’t think that was an issue at all, but I was wondering if that was something that bothered you?
I assume Godzilla’s limited screen time was a deliberate “less is more” strategy on Edwards’ part, but I cannot say it served the film particularly well. Still, there’s only so much a giant lizard could do unlike, say, the creatures in del Toro’s PACIFIC RIM whose attributes lent themselves to greater movement and fighting prowess. I know I’ll end up repeating myself but “for a Godzilla movie,” it was not a bad film; there’s only so much a filmmaker can do with this creature after all. I just hope after the 1954 and 1998 versions, 2014 will mark the last of the Godzilla movies. I think we’ve seen enough now.
After how much it pulled in at the box office this weekend? There’s no way Godzilla will be going away anytime soon.
Well, it was a “hope” and we have “seen enough” despite what Hollywood thinks.