So very rarely am I one of those people who run right out to catch a film on the weekend it is released to the public. But call me reminiscent of the days of my youth of watching those cheesy monster movies from the past; but I could not help but go see Godzilla this weekend. No more man in a rubber suit squashing miniature studio sets of Japanese cities, Godzilla is all grown up and a special effects wonder. And after the 1998 Roland Emmerich debacle, the public (myself included) were ready to see the big guy again.
Yes, the giant lizard creature is back again to terrorize Tokyo (and it seems Hawaii, San Francisco and Las Vegas also). The newest reincarnation of Godzilla is directed by British Director Gareth Edwards whose past credits include the widely praised independent film Monsters in 2010.
So is this movie as good as all the hype, well first and foremost, you have to suspend all belief and just enjoy the thrill ride. The premise of this film is a complete set-up for the future sequels. It seems like these creatures called MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) have decided to make an appearance with catastrophic results on mankind. Enter Godzilla to save the day and restore balance to the planet. Simple, we have a good monster and bad ones. If the movie was just left to the creatures, then the flick may have succeeded on all fronts, but alas, those pesky actors keep getting in the way.
On their behalf, the actors were obviously not given much to work with for a script, except for running, screaming and giving great facial expressions of fear and awe. Unfortunately since most of the characters are pretty one dimensional, you truly do not care if they live or die (and I include the kid in this too). Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche are so underutilized, as is Ken Watanabe. The lead actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is pretty wooden even in the action scenes, and the lovely Elizabeth Olsen is completely wasted.
The special effects are what drives the movie and it is spectacular. The tsunami scene caused by the monster is breathtaking as is the destruction of the numerous cities. The fight sequences were meticulously staged as the creatures square off in San Francisco for their final battle. The MUTOs are these monsters that are a cross between a cricket and a spider, with a little Rodan thrown in for good measure. The sequences where the monsters face each other are the movie’s strongest parts. The battles are stunningly done down to the smallest details. Godzilla actually has a screen presence; and in many cases better than some of the actors. .
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If you are a Godzilla fan (or any monster fan for that matter) you will love this movie. If not, I still fully recommend seeing this movie in 3D anyway to get the full experience, and it also helps distract you from the film’s flaws. If you are looking for an escapist picture, Godzilla delivers wholeheartedly. Now let’s see what other monsters are brought back for the sequels. I am hoping for Gamara.