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Thursday, May 15, 2014

MOVIE REVIEW: GODZILLA






The king of all monsters gets a reboot with this Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures production helmed by Gareth Edwards, who gained critical attention with his intimate twist on the giant-creature genre with his feature-film debut, Monsters. Frank Darabont (The Mist) and Max Borenstein provide the script. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi 

Director: Gareth Edwards 

Cast: Aaron Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of destruction, mayhem and creature violence

Genres: Creature Film, Sci-Fi Action, Science Fiction 

Review:

Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla is filled with top level acting talent.  So much so that Juliette Binoche stops by for a cup of coffee and is gone before you notice it.  Bryan Cranston is there, makes an impression, and is gone.  Then there’s Ken Watannabe and David Strathairn looking stern and concerned for the majority of their screen time.  Throw in Aaron, is his voice really still cracking, Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen for good measure and you have a lot of recognizable faces who really don’t matter in the grand scheme of this film.  This film is name Godzilla for a reason after all.  Edwards, shooting a visually beautiful film, shows a level of restraint that’s rare for big budget blockbuster.  His slow reveal of the titular monster is like watching a monster mash version of a burlesque show, lots of tease before the payoff.  The human stories are clichéd but interesting enough to keep you entertained in between some massive set pieces that feel fresh but familiar.  The monster on monster action, which includes destroying some fun vacation spots, is top notch with excellent CGI throughout especially Godzilla himself.  Some of the battles do lose a tad bit of their luster since Pacific Rim ran through some similar sequences but there are plenty of moments which are filled singular Godzilla greatness that’ll bring a gleeful smile to anyone raised on the original films.  Be sure to watch it on a massive theater screen.

B+

19 comments:

  1. Has Bryan Cranston got just a cameo?! Yay!

    I thought we got this last week but we didn't. We are putting Frank above this so we will probably catch it next week

    Sounds solid enough!

    K :-)

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    1. His part is very limited, a lot less than the previews lead you to believe. It's an enjoyable film just don't expect much from the human side.

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    2. I can't say I am unhappy that Bryan Cranston has a small role. There is something about him I just can't warm too. I think he is very overexposed!

      Don't mind good, old fashioned, carnage so I am not overly worried about poor characters etc.

      Next weekend is all about X-Men though so if it doesn't fall in with the listings I will miss it

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    3. Cranston is definitely having his moment, probably why he's all over the advertising on this film even though he's not in it very much.

      It's a lot of fun and if you can, catch it on the big screen. X-men though rules all and I can't believe it's finally about to come out!

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    4. I had to come back just to acknowledge that we are at completely opposite ends of the scale for this one! It's not too often that happens, especially over the summer!
      K :-)

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    5. It happens from time to time!

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  2. Good review Dan. The movie as a whole. The characters may not be all that great, but whenever Godzilla shows up, or any monster for that fact does, the movie gets so much tense and epic that I couldn't help but enjoy what it was that I was seeing.

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    1. Totally agree, the actual monster portion of it is fantastic.

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  3. guess i gotta get to the big screen!

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    Replies
    1. It one of those films that really benefits from the big screen!

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  4. If i have to break the movie into 2 halves ill give it entirely different ratings - The first half being cheesy with lame dialogue and a waste of acting talent - namely Binoche and Cranston. The ation really picks up in the second act with the true star of the show "Gojira" who rises to "restore balance" not only to nature but the film too - Mixed bag for me - 6.5/10**

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    1. I can't disagree with you Andre, the film is far from perfect since the human side is so under written and talent wasted so blatantly.

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  5. Since I found the original Gojira decent enough, and that this Godzilla movie seems to be entertaining, I will most definitely watch the movie at some point. However, with Days of Future Past's great early reviews, I will be saving my money to watch it instead next weekend.

    -James

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    Replies
    1. Don't blame you James, X-men is the movie I've been looking forward to all year!

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  6. Thank you! Appreciate you reading!!

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  7. Glad that you had a good time with it. I wasn't able to enjoy it at all.

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    1. Yeah I read your review, just sounds like it missed the mark for you man.

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  8. Considering the acting talent involved, I actually expected stronger performances. They were all good, but I expected something more. Other than that, I found it to be a fun monster flick with a straight forward plot. Whenever the sequel rolls around, I will watch it. Great review Daniel!

    -James

    -James

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    Replies
    1. After watching it a 2nd time I have to agree, it's very straight forward but do wish the human characters had some more depth.

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