A 29-film series that will not stop now! I think I got that number right. After all, I have seen them all countless times so that does make it easier to keep count. Oh no… wait a second, I only saw Godzilla (1998) one time and told myself I could never sit through it again. Not even the magnificent Jean Reno could save that movie for me. Oh well, let’s get back to what everyone wants to talk about… Godzilla (2014).
As a child whose Christmas List every year contained the entirety of the Godzilla franchise on VHS (I taped them off the television from a very young age), I was extremely cautious about this reboot. The initial trailer was not appealing… at all! There were no signs of other monsters and it seemed that Godzilla would again be a villain to America. My expectations were low and luckily I was wrong. I really enjoyed the movie and sharing the experience with Fit, who very kindly let me talk about the 1954 version and many of the sequels in detail for hours and hours.
The acting was average to above average. Bryan Cranston has been on fire since Malcolm in the Middle (a little humor), Ken Watanabe is a legend in my books, and both Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen weren’t… awful. Part of me wanted Sam Worthington to play the lead but I really do enjoy the casting of “no-name actors.” It allows them to be the main character of that one movie and not Jake Sully/Perseus/that guy from the Terminator I never saw. On top of that, the star of the movie… Godzilla, was depicted SO WELL! I was extremely relieved to see this after that AWFUL creature stepped on-screen in 1998.
Now I did read a list that you can check out here and while I agree with almost everything mentioned, the first four are all aspects I really don’t care about since the star is… Godzilla! I came to watch him wreck other monsters and pile up some collateral damage and I got exactly that. If we get lucky, a crossover with Pacific Rim might happen in the near future. (Slattern was estimated to be 182 meters, compared to Godzilla’s 108 in his largest form, but don’t worry, the King of All Monsters wouldn’t lose.) SPOILER: He even used his ATOMIC BREATH. (Fit was like what the … at this point. Then I told her he can “fly.”)
The soundtrack was fitting, the scenes were diverse enough, the editing was clean, and the plot was exactly what it needed to be. It showcased the importance of Godzilla as a symbol for the abuse of nuclear technology (we will leave it at that) and his role on Earth. He has no interest in the affairs of humans; his goal is to assert himself as the King of All Monsters and humans are often caught in the colossal wrestling matches that his reign ensues. It might seem as if he is our savior, but that’s not really the case because we aren’t worth his time. King Kong, MechaGodzilla, Mothra, Gigan, Biollante, King Ghidorah, etc. are all worth his time. We can even throw Ebirah in the mix, the list never ends anyway. That point was made, along with the point that we need to “control” our use of nuclear energy, and the point that Godzilla owns this planet.
I am looking forward to a sequel that continues to pay homage to Toho’s earlier work while wisely using our modern-day technology to make Godzilla look like he doesn’t have neck issues. Hopefully, the lead male and female can develop some more personality but it’s no necessary for me to enjoy something so close to my childhood heart.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Whether a fan of the series or not, just go see it! These colossal monsters done right will keep most audiences entertained and are worth a $6 first show of the day ticket.
As always…stay hungry and fit!
BONUS PUPPY PIC
Hi I’m cute
