Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Monster
Rating: 3/5
They sort-of got the Humans right in this one
Godzilla is the first film in the so-called Monster-verse. I remember watching this movie when it came out in 2014 with my mom at the movie theater and I was…kinda blown away. The technical aspects of the film were pretty spot on, and the story was in itself believable.
One thing that most monster movies suck at, is humans. We watch these movies to see monsters fight, yet because the monsters can’t necessarily communicate directly with an audience, we need humans to understand what’s going on, in the larger scheme of things. These movies tend to make it too much about the humans though. Turns out, when watching these movies, the boring, bathroom-break scenes are whenever they cut to the human regardless of any exposition they might deliver. Godzilla doesn’t have a small human part, actually I think Godzilla is only in about 12 minutes of this 2 hour movie. So, it’s mostly a human movie. They get it right though. This guy doesn’t know anything about Godzilla or his enemy, Mothra. He’s been unfortunately dragged into this dangerous situation because of his father. His expertise, albeit convenient to the situation in the plot, is useful to the story and he’s a fairly level headed character. I don’t mind watching him discover and unravel that a monster exists, just as the world does too.
Okay, okay, I’m going to say this and you’re going to think “what?” but don’t quit on me yet. Godzilla is a period piece. “What? It came out in 2014 and takes place in 2014?” Exactly. This film is pretty spot on with its representation of technology and its limitations in 2014. Everything you see in that film, could actually be from 2014. When I watch other monster-films, or even other action films, the characters have incredibly advanced technologies that make no sense. The film takes place in the same year it is released, yet in the real world we are so far away from creating technology like that, that it draws you out of the film. I don’t want to see a 2019 action hero defeat a villain with 2045 technology, it just doesn’t make sense. It’s like watching Star Trek but they claim in takes place in 1993. So, one of the best things in this film is that it is very true to when it takes place, 2014. Period piece maybe isn’t the right word, but hopefully that made you read this far.
Overall, I actually like this film. It’s second-best to Kong: Skull Island in my opinion, in the overall monster-verse series. It’s an interesting watch, but not as entertaining as Kong. I think this film needed a little bit more comedy and it would do better. I like that it takes itself pretty seriously, but to some degree, it takes itself too seriously. Would I watch it again? Yes, I would. Should you watch it? If you’re bored and don’t want to watch something too heavy handed, go for it.
Tony King