Legendary Pictures' Godzilla

[Carlie]

So I just got home from seeing it and while it had a few things I didn't like, overall I absolutely loved it.

Spoiler: What I didn't like

Dear lord did they fucking waste Bryan Cranston, not even a single scene with Serizawa that could've been so good. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character was so bland, I really didn't care what was going on with him. Btw who the hell names their child Ford Brody?

The other thing is that they overdid it a bit teasing the fight between Godzilla and the MUTOs but the finals fight made up for it for the most part.

I still have goosebumps from when they fully showed the big guy for the first time, I was all giddy in my seat.

 

[Pixel]

I hate the way they name characters in American movies and TV. Worst I've heard is Temperance Brennan in Bones.

 

[Ghost X]

Spoiler

Cranston dying early in the film practically makes the film's trailers a bait n' switch. I should sue for millions ... or for the price of my movie ticket... but since I got in for free... Hmmm.

 

[Super Mario]

This be a good blend lads and lasses.

 

[Pixel]

Should have used the Puff Daddy version, it has more punch to it

 

[Telcontar]

NO SPOILERS IN THIS POST.







Surprisingly good film! Really well done Kaiju film.

Bryan Cranston's acting in this was just effin amazing.

 

[Super Mario]

Should have used the Puff Daddy version, it has more punch to it

We have that too.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

The more I see other movie trailers, the more I appreciate Godzilla for being what it was.

Spoiler

The fact that it's a really slow-burn style film with the action being something that you're constantly aching for, rather than being continually overwhelmed by I think will help it to stand out from the other movies this summer.

Just seeing the new trailer for Transformers and knowing that - despite how entertaining it'll be to see them running around and blowing shit up - the immediate reaction I had was that it's just disaster porn. I literally did not think about what all the collateral damage meant, despite it being about, "human extinction." It doesn't feel like a real threat. It feels like a "let's save the world with flashy explosions" film, whereas Godzilla CONSTANTLY gives you the sense of, "if this happens, everyone is going to die a real and terrifyingly unpreventable death - and even if we survive it, not everything goes back to normal, and the aftermath is still haunting."

I think that a lot of that was that the MUTOs weren't there to kill us intentionally. They're just trying to live and survive, but their survival is LITERALLY our demise. Godzilla killing them is our only hope to not just be overwhelmed by essentially a force of nature. It's that sense to me that makes the threat feel real, and its presentation makes the fantastic elements of that threat sell.

I'm gonna see it again in a few hours with my friend for her birthday, so I'm looking forward to seeing it again to see how it feels knowing more going into everything.



X

 

[Unlucky]

Spoiler

Yeah, this slow-burn style is what sets it apart. There's a lot of heart and quality poured into the storytelling, you can tell that it's made to reach out to the audience by giving that sense of realism.

They could definitely improve on a lot of points in the sequel but I really hope they wouldn't turn it into something too indulgent.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Spoiler: Sooooooo… Easter Eggs

When the reactor is collapsing, and it cuts into little Ford's classroom, there's a model of the life cycle of a butterfly, and the mature form has Mother's wing pattern.

When they go back into the Q-Zone, Ford's room has a little terrarium labeled, "Ford's Mothra" and the top is bent open.

X

 

[Tetsujin]

Looks like there won't be an undubbed screening of this. =(

 

[X-SOLDIER]

D: I'm sorry, Tets.



X

 

[Shademp]

Spoiler: Angry Joe is DISAPPOINT

 

[Lord Noctis]

AngryJoe's review was disappointing overall. I guess he must never have seen the original "Gojira" from 1954. If he did, he would know that this movie is actually much closer to that film in terms of style and tone, only without the allegory for nuclear bombs.

I am quite disheartened by the number of people who think Godzilla is just supposed to be about big monster fights, when the original was actually a much more dramatic and serious movie that focused less on Godzilla himself, and more on how the people of Japan perceived and reacted to Godzilla.

I will be satisfied if future sequels stick to the style of this movie. All the build up and waiting really does make the movies finale about ten times more intense than it would have been if we saw Godzilla constantly fighting shit.

Its the difference between seeing more of what you've been seeing for the last hour and a half, and seeing what you've been eagerly anticipating for an hour and a half.

 

[Mantichorus]

Spoiler: Just about everything I thought about the film's been said

I have to admit, despite enjoying it overall, I was disappointed after the trailers that Godzilla himself wasn't the main threat. When I realised as the MUTO awoke that I'd seen all of Cranston's trailer scenes, and it was obvious someone was going to die... I gave up on him at that point. Heartless, I know.

I'd heard rumours/reports before going in that the glow was not going to happen. So, when it started... goosebumps. Even more than the roar. I also have to admit, despite my habitual quietness, I felt the urge to yell "FATALITY!" at the execution at the end.

One thing no-one's mentioned... the MUTOs were met with screams. Godzilla was met with sheer mute awe in 'verse. Not sure if it was terror or disbelief... probably some sort of primal terror.

 

[Carlie]

I think someone liked the film a bit too much:

 

[X-SOLDIER]

So, this review is probably my favorite thing that I've read about the film, because it manages to tackle a lot of the metaphor in the film and addresses the human characters in a different way than any of the other reviews I can think of has, and it focuses on all the good aspects of the film that aren't at all a part of the VFX or nostalgia for previous Godzilla films. I'm curious what the rest of you think about it.



X

 

[Interslicery]

I wasn't a fan.

Spoiler

I'm ok with teasing the action and cutting away to the human story. ...If the human story was interesting in any way.
The first "fight" in Hawaii had like 5 min of setup, and then naw, we arn't gonna show you it. Then why bother building it up?
Same with the final battle, they keep cutting away to this group of soldiers whose job it is to deactivate the nuke because it will kill hundreds of thousands. You deemed these creatures to be so much of a threat that you ordered a nuclear strike on US soil. No matter where that goes off it's going to kill hundreds of thousands of people. Yet you try to stop it and put all your faith in one scientists hunch that Godzilla is an "equalizer". What is that based on tho? They treat everything else realistically except for Godzilla who is some sort of planetary creation to balance the world. Which I might add, the military attacks him anyway. If Godzilla was a new character, this would be considered shitty writing.
I'd say they put in the whole deactivate the nuke storyline to give the humans something to do except that the human story is the main story. The scenes with the creatures act like they're world enders but the movie as a whole seems wrapped up in disabling this bomb to save a few hundred thousand. And kick-ass' family, who is extremely bland and one note the entire movie.
There's no reason to care about him or his family because all they do is reaction shots. Wife is supportive army wife who's also a nurse so we should care about her cause she's a good person. Son is a kid so we should care about him. We should care about Kick-ass because he helps people. Aside from him caring about his family/people or worrying about Cranston being nuts, name one thing about his character. He's good at his job and helps people. You need more than that for your MAIN CHARACTER.

I don't get it.

 

[Gym Leader Devil]

Spoiler

They didn't order a nuclear strike on american soil, they ordered it 20 miles off the coast in american waters Still a moronic plan an' shit, but that's why deactivating the nuke is suddenly so important, its not supposed to be in the middle of the city. Aside from that... eh, your opinion is valid. I too admit to being a bit disgruntled that the only view we got of G's fight with the male Muto in Hawaii was what little we could see while the kid watched the news.

 

[Interslicery]

Spoiler

They didn't order a nuclear strike on american soil, they ordered it 20 miles off the coast in american waters Still a moronic plan an' shit, but that's why deactivating the nuke is suddenly so important, its not supposed to be in the middle of the city. Aside from that... eh, your opinion is valid. I too admit to being a bit disgruntled that the only view we got of G's fight with the male Muto in Hawaii was what little we could see while the kid watched the news.

Spoiler

Touche. I honestly don't remember that much about the plan to make a full counter point to that.
Didn't they set the nuke to go off while it was still en-route tho? How would they get the nuke out that far if the emp would shut down the boat? (I'm assuming they wouldnt just put it on a gas powered boat and let it free) Was their whole plan then that they'd be able to put the nuke there and get out before they showed up? They didn't even know where the things were I think, I dont remember when the plan was created based on when vegas was attacked. If they did tho, then why the hell were they caught off guard?

I'm gonna stop now, cause I'm honestly going off the feelings I got while watching it without remembering the specifics which caused it.

 

[Gym Leader Devil]

Spoiler

Touche. I honestly don't remember that much about the plan to make a full counter point to that.
Didn't they set the nuke to go off while it was still en-route tho? How would they get the nuke out that far if the emp would shut down the boat? (I'm assuming they wouldnt just put it on a gas powered boat and let it free) Was their whole plan then that they'd be able to put the nuke there and get out before they showed up? They didn't even know where the things were I think, I dont remember when the plan was created based on when vegas was attacked. If they did tho, then why the hell were they caught off guard?

I'm gonna stop now, cause I'm honestly going off the feelings I got while watching it without remembering the specifics which caused it.

Spoiler

They did indeed already have the new analog countdown running before setting off. According to their planning, the EMP shouldn't have been an issue, but both Godzilla and the male Muto arrived significantly earlier than expected (with said Muto stealing the nuke). The thing ended up right in the heart of downtown when they dug out their nest and laid eggs on it As for how they were so surprised, they had been keeping a pretty decent eye on their locations and thus their ETA until Godzilla simultaneously dove too deep to monitor and accelerated too much to keep up with, probably in response to the Muto increasing ITS speed to go after the nuke. No one realized just how much he'd sped up until he showed up at the Golden Gate Bridge

 

[Mantichorus]

I forgot to mention this before, but part of the ending reminded me of an entry from a Warhammer Fantasy Warriors of Chaos army book:

Spoiler

Gharad the Ox duels the hated Elector Count Wulfgang von Greidhart at Maulwurfbad and takes his victim's skull as a drinking vessel. During the duel, Gharad is astounded to be cheered on by the women of the township. Obscurely pleased, he leaves the town intact.

The mammals cheer and fight alongside me! You shall live this day, funny little things.

 

[Gym Leader Devil]

Spoiler: Godzilla says...

Hey, what's your name? Ford? Hey, good job burning up those eggs kid. I mean, I was gonna smash and burn 'em up myself later, but you saved me the trouble I guess. And hey, distracted mommy too. I totally could have taken 'em both at once, but this way was easier. Not bad for a tiny lil' guy.

 

[Lord Noctis]

Spoiler

You know, the more I think about it the more I really like the scene at the Golden Gate bridge. In most monster movies you would expect that the monster would promptly begin wrecking the navy's shit upon being fired at.

But Godzilla reacts much more naturally. He freaks the fuck out, letting out loud sounds of protest, and smashing through the bridge in an effort to get away. Sure, we as the audience know that he is in precisely no danger, but he doesn't know that.

This is most likely the first time Godzilla has had missiles and tank shells fired at him, and he probably has no freaking clue whats actually happening. He doesn't know what a missile is, or how it works. Most likely he has no frame of reference for this situation. All he knows is things are exploding, and he wants nothing to do with it.

Scenes like that really do help show Godzilla as being a living creature in the movie, making him just a bit more believable.

 

[Tetsujin]

Just saw it. Good shit.

A little heavy on the teasing.

Spoiler

I was wondering if he will have his atomic breath...they way it was introduced, with the blue glow slowly crawling up his spine...ahhh, the excitement. Also, breathing his fire right the fuck into the MUTO's throat. FUCK YEAH

Godzilla is adorable. I wanna grow 100m so I can give him a hug. <3

The scene on the rail bridge with the MUTO was excellent imo.