Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my movie review.
Let me start off by saying that, i love Godzilla. He's easily considered the "King of Kaiju", or better known as "King of giant monsters". Godzilla was like a grandfather of giant monster from the decade ago, though the first one was King Kong. He was introduced in 1954, which is less than a decade after the atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War 2 and was born from nuclear radiation, appearing a dinosaur like T-Rex, a crocodile for the skin (kinda) and Stegosaurus for the spiky spine. And of course, in Japan, it was known as "Gojira", while in western, we like to translating him as "Godzilla". From many years, Godzilla was appeared either a bad guy of destruction, or a good guy for saving out world from evil Kaijus. Though some films are great, but others are flat out embarrassment... *cough "Godzilla's Revenge" cough*
Since Godzilla was popular, in western like US, they wanted to cashing in with Godzilla like comic, video games and even a cartoon, most of then are either good or other times, desperate for the fans of King of Kaiju. Especially with the 1998 one by the same director of "Independence Day", which is the worst adaptation i've ever watched, but im not gonna talk about it in the future. Im talking about one that its actually a good one from four years ago.
"Godzilla 2014" is... Well, a 2014 Kaiju film directed by Gareth Edwards (Who later directing Star Wars Rogue One), produced by Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent and Brian Rogers, and written by Max Borenstein (for screenplay) and David Callaham (for story).
When i first heard that they made a second remake of our beloved giant monster from Japan, i was anticipating to see it, since they made it look much better than the 1998 version, although with some different than before, is having their own original enemy monster not made by Toho and it was the first installment of "MonsterVerse", which is the franchise of Kaiju content, which i be curious what they're going to making. However, i wanted to see it in 2014, but i haven't seeing it, until 4 years later that i managed to watching this movie with my DVD.
So, with all that said, will this movie will be a better reboot, or is this movie makes the 1998 version watchable?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
Im sure if you're probably familiar about Godzilla's birth, right? Well, not only that, but they also want to include their own enemy monsters rather than focusing only Godzilla like the original.
It started in 1954, where after WWII, there has been a witness report about an ancient predator Godzilla was lurking in the ocean they the military was attempting to throw their nuke to kill big G. Then at 1999, a Monarch scientists Ishiro Serizawa and Vivienne Graham went to the mining station about a giant skeleton on underground, but noticed a hole, which some say there's another giant monster. Meanwhile in Nuclear Power Plant, lead engineer Joe Brody brought his wife Sandra for checking the reactor, but little that they unnoticed, there's a massive earthquake that Joe wanted to save his wife, but the damage was sadly already done that his wife is gonna die from the plant collapsing. Then fast forward to modern time (2014), we introduced our main hero and the son of Joe, named Ford Brody, who works as an officer of U.S. Navy. But he was asked by his father to looking for his father's lost discs from the past about the earthquake. But once they founded, they got arrested for trespassing quarantine zone of Janjira. Once our heroes was taken to interrogation (well, only Joe for interrogation), it goes to an earthquake from nuclear-life egg goes hatching to a radioactive monster that it causes to breaking out (and one part where Joe was killed off), but then witness report from the military that there's a similar one look from the one got hatched, they named them as "MUTOs" (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), they goal is to capturing the radioactive stuff to get more energy to the female MUTO. But then, the Navy and the Japanese scientists witnessed that Godzilla is returned from decade that he's confronting against MUTOs, its up the military and our hero Ford to stop MUTOs once and for all, even though that Godzilla is more of a anti-hero for rampaging a bit.
The story is actually interesting to say, like i said, instead of just Godzilla going rampage, it goes to a typical Kaiju fight, but having a nuclear monster vs nuclear devouring monsters. But the downside is that they focused a bit too much of humans than giant monsters, but its more likely a plot convenient to explain about these giant monsters, which it make sense, but the execution could be above average. Another one that i have a problem is having a father and son relation from the first act, i know its because Joe need a help with his son Ford for the truth, but ended up into a cliche subplot that Joe is a typical father who's killed off shortly after, like did we heard it before? Another subplot is the military, which they thought it will be a good idea by bringing a nuclear warheads, which it sounds good on paper, but it is said that it might wiping out in half of the lands since WWII, however, it probably ended up unnecessary that it nearly failed, due to the female MUTO is devouring the warheads in half. I mean, it would've been better if the Navy using a warheads as a bait at the female one to going somewhere until Godzilla is gonna beat the S*** out of her.
Though the story is just a typical Kaiju throw down, but the execution is pretty good for a plot development, but other times, it was suffered with unnecessary subplot or even cliche.
The Production
From before, when i heard they're doing a production to be based on the Real Godzilla rather than different, i was hoping for a good presentation, but it actually done pretty good, most of it.
First up, the locations looks pretty cool, since it was obviously takes place from Japan, Hawaii then USA. It may have a good look that it takes place, but its pretty obvious that since this is a Kaiju film, it has to be a typical rampaged city. But some places that we've seen on the trailer are unfortunately cut, like the statue of Liberty, which i guess its because they don't want to disgrace the American's favorite statue, which sometimes she was already being abused before. *hint hint*
Aside that, but one that i think its the best part with humans, is the scene of "HALO jump", when we see our main hero and soldiers jumps down, we feel like a rollercoaster, but more like skydiving. But the downside is that it was used for the third act, but at least the trailer didn't spoiled the movie, i guess they just like to show off the jump scene.
What about the Kaijus?
Well, about Godzilla himself, he looks much accurate as the original than the 1998 version it looks bad fictional dinosaur. But this one is pretty good looking, even though his body seems to be large, but again, its not the worst looking Godzilla i've ever seen. Plus, seeing him using his signature atomic breath is well deserve of surprise, i mean im pretty the people in the theater are cheering when he does his fire breath scene, but of course, he does it two times. However, his famous roar didn't borrowed from Toho that we all know, instead it was revamped with musical key and the cadence of roar, not bad i might say.
As for our main villain MUTOs?
They looks pretty cool, even it was confusing at first when we first see these two similar design villains, but different. The female one should be the main focus, but she looks like what if Gigan and Cloverfield, but with extra legs and nuclear for devouring. As for the male one, aside of same design, but he's less bigger than the female one and he has wings. Even though they don't have any threatening powers, their main power is EMP, not bad, but would've better for extra more powers.
But the productions has some problems.
First, we expected that we like to see a Godzilla and MUTOs fight together. Well, the first one happens on Hawaii where Godzilla fighting against the female one, but it was cut that we can briefly see on the TV news, which is flat out unfair for Kaiju fans like myself included. Though the real fight scene didn't happen until the third act, which is pretty cool, even though its kinda shame that its a one vs two, but hey, at least Godzilla might be stronger for his power.
And lastly, the cinematography is although it looks pretty cool, but it got worse that it went dark, like train scene in the night and Kaiju fight is too dark of blackness, like we can't see what's going on. It makes the cinematography so bad that its nearly nothing but black, it would've been they could finalizing to adjust the lighting, but they just keeping to darker that we have no idea what's going on.
The presentation of this film is pretty good for the actions and the monsters, but most of monster fight takes a while that we like to see until the third act and the cinematography is just disappointed that they tone down the lighting we can barely see the action a bit.
The Characters
So what about the humans that the Kaiju fans didn't care? Well, its more like a double edge sword.
First up is our main hero Ford Brody (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, aka KickAss and Quicksilver from Avengers: Age of Ultron), he's rather the most forgettable hero. He's just typical hero of US Navy for the goal. He doesn't have any special personality that we can barely root for him. Don't give me wrong, Aaron had been some good films he's done that i mentioned before, but its just that his role is dull and boring.
As for Ford's father, Joe (played by Bryan Cranston, aka Walter White/Heisenberg from Breaking Bad), in my opinion, he's rather a likable father he would've been give more chance to shine in the movie, but sadly, like i mentioned before, he was short-lived. He's basically a typical father who died early with our main hero (who's a son) lost it, i mean have we heard it before? But like stated of Aaron, i have nothing against Bryan Cranston, he's a great actor since he's been on Breaking Bad, but it could've been worse.
Then we have Ishiro Serizawa (played by Ken Watanabe), he's a scientist that i think he's also likable, but he's also more believable about the history of Godzilla since the bomb blast in WWII, despite kept in secret until in modern time. Even though he got some half appearances in the movie, but like i said, he's more believable about the Kaiju since decade ago before the birth of MUTO. Though i never heard of Ken, but he's rather a descent Japanese English spoken actor.
While the rest aren't as anything special, like Elle Brody (played by Elizabeth Olsen) is a typical wife who aren't give any special and Rear Admiral William Stenz (played by David Strathairn) is an admiral who didn't care about the truth but to destroy MUTO or something.
The characters in ths movie aren't as any special that we expected for, even though the casts is not bad that i might say.
Spoiler Alert if you haven't seen the movie or if you don't care.
The final act goes where the US NAVY go to the nest to destroying it before the nest will cause to spread more MUTOs, which they did. And we see a final battle between Godzilla and MUTOs which it was easily the best part in the movie, even though its hard to figure out, because it was too dark. As Ford was on last remain, despite the succeed, we see Ford looks at Godzilla that he loses it and probably get killed by the female MUTO after the male one got killed. But then Godzilla came back and finish her off with his Atomic breath shoving down her throat like Mortal Kombat Fatality, thats a one violent head torn off then where Godzilla beat the first MechaGodzilla. As for the ending, there's not much else to say, family reunion after the disaster, Godzilla wakes up that he's still alive, going back to the water then roll the credits It was kinda quick to finish the movie, eh?
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, Godzilla 2014 is easily the better reboot than before, the story is pretty good, the presentation is nice, the casts are not bad. Although that some of the characters are pretty much forgettable due to their lack of development or even execution of personalities, with the exception of Ishiro Serizawa, cause i find him more interesting. The monsters themselves are pretty cool looking along with the fight scenes, but the cinematography is my main criticism that it was too dark that i can barely see anything with the soldiers scene or even the Kaiju fight scene.
If you're a fan of Kaiju films, i recommend this one for you, it may not be the best remake ever, but i considering watchable if you love Godzilla.
Il give this rating a 7/10. Its more considered to be above average, but still, its a good remake that i watched.
So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading and im Anthony sign--
*ding dong*
Anthony (me): Ok...? I wonder who rang my door bell. *get up to the entrance door, open it up, but it was nothing* Hm, it was nothing for-- *looks down that there's a DVD of Godzilla 1998, causing him in panic* Oh no... Oh god no... Not... Not this!!!
To be continued...
Let me start off by saying that, i love Godzilla. He's easily considered the "King of Kaiju", or better known as "King of giant monsters". Godzilla was like a grandfather of giant monster from the decade ago, though the first one was King Kong. He was introduced in 1954, which is less than a decade after the atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War 2 and was born from nuclear radiation, appearing a dinosaur like T-Rex, a crocodile for the skin (kinda) and Stegosaurus for the spiky spine. And of course, in Japan, it was known as "Gojira", while in western, we like to translating him as "Godzilla". From many years, Godzilla was appeared either a bad guy of destruction, or a good guy for saving out world from evil Kaijus. Though some films are great, but others are flat out embarrassment... *cough "Godzilla's Revenge" cough*
Since Godzilla was popular, in western like US, they wanted to cashing in with Godzilla like comic, video games and even a cartoon, most of then are either good or other times, desperate for the fans of King of Kaiju. Especially with the 1998 one by the same director of "Independence Day", which is the worst adaptation i've ever watched, but im not gonna talk about it in the future. Im talking about one that its actually a good one from four years ago.
"Godzilla 2014" is... Well, a 2014 Kaiju film directed by Gareth Edwards (Who later directing Star Wars Rogue One), produced by Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent and Brian Rogers, and written by Max Borenstein (for screenplay) and David Callaham (for story).
When i first heard that they made a second remake of our beloved giant monster from Japan, i was anticipating to see it, since they made it look much better than the 1998 version, although with some different than before, is having their own original enemy monster not made by Toho and it was the first installment of "MonsterVerse", which is the franchise of Kaiju content, which i be curious what they're going to making. However, i wanted to see it in 2014, but i haven't seeing it, until 4 years later that i managed to watching this movie with my DVD.
So, with all that said, will this movie will be a better reboot, or is this movie makes the 1998 version watchable?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
Im sure if you're probably familiar about Godzilla's birth, right? Well, not only that, but they also want to include their own enemy monsters rather than focusing only Godzilla like the original.
It started in 1954, where after WWII, there has been a witness report about an ancient predator Godzilla was lurking in the ocean they the military was attempting to throw their nuke to kill big G. Then at 1999, a Monarch scientists Ishiro Serizawa and Vivienne Graham went to the mining station about a giant skeleton on underground, but noticed a hole, which some say there's another giant monster. Meanwhile in Nuclear Power Plant, lead engineer Joe Brody brought his wife Sandra for checking the reactor, but little that they unnoticed, there's a massive earthquake that Joe wanted to save his wife, but the damage was sadly already done that his wife is gonna die from the plant collapsing. Then fast forward to modern time (2014), we introduced our main hero and the son of Joe, named Ford Brody, who works as an officer of U.S. Navy. But he was asked by his father to looking for his father's lost discs from the past about the earthquake. But once they founded, they got arrested for trespassing quarantine zone of Janjira. Once our heroes was taken to interrogation (well, only Joe for interrogation), it goes to an earthquake from nuclear-life egg goes hatching to a radioactive monster that it causes to breaking out (and one part where Joe was killed off), but then witness report from the military that there's a similar one look from the one got hatched, they named them as "MUTOs" (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), they goal is to capturing the radioactive stuff to get more energy to the female MUTO. But then, the Navy and the Japanese scientists witnessed that Godzilla is returned from decade that he's confronting against MUTOs, its up the military and our hero Ford to stop MUTOs once and for all, even though that Godzilla is more of a anti-hero for rampaging a bit.
The story is actually interesting to say, like i said, instead of just Godzilla going rampage, it goes to a typical Kaiju fight, but having a nuclear monster vs nuclear devouring monsters. But the downside is that they focused a bit too much of humans than giant monsters, but its more likely a plot convenient to explain about these giant monsters, which it make sense, but the execution could be above average. Another one that i have a problem is having a father and son relation from the first act, i know its because Joe need a help with his son Ford for the truth, but ended up into a cliche subplot that Joe is a typical father who's killed off shortly after, like did we heard it before? Another subplot is the military, which they thought it will be a good idea by bringing a nuclear warheads, which it sounds good on paper, but it is said that it might wiping out in half of the lands since WWII, however, it probably ended up unnecessary that it nearly failed, due to the female MUTO is devouring the warheads in half. I mean, it would've been better if the Navy using a warheads as a bait at the female one to going somewhere until Godzilla is gonna beat the S*** out of her.
Though the story is just a typical Kaiju throw down, but the execution is pretty good for a plot development, but other times, it was suffered with unnecessary subplot or even cliche.
The Production
From before, when i heard they're doing a production to be based on the Real Godzilla rather than different, i was hoping for a good presentation, but it actually done pretty good, most of it.
First up, the locations looks pretty cool, since it was obviously takes place from Japan, Hawaii then USA. It may have a good look that it takes place, but its pretty obvious that since this is a Kaiju film, it has to be a typical rampaged city. But some places that we've seen on the trailer are unfortunately cut, like the statue of Liberty, which i guess its because they don't want to disgrace the American's favorite statue, which sometimes she was already being abused before. *hint hint*
Aside that, but one that i think its the best part with humans, is the scene of "HALO jump", when we see our main hero and soldiers jumps down, we feel like a rollercoaster, but more like skydiving. But the downside is that it was used for the third act, but at least the trailer didn't spoiled the movie, i guess they just like to show off the jump scene.
What about the Kaijus?
Well, about Godzilla himself, he looks much accurate as the original than the 1998 version it looks bad fictional dinosaur. But this one is pretty good looking, even though his body seems to be large, but again, its not the worst looking Godzilla i've ever seen. Plus, seeing him using his signature atomic breath is well deserve of surprise, i mean im pretty the people in the theater are cheering when he does his fire breath scene, but of course, he does it two times. However, his famous roar didn't borrowed from Toho that we all know, instead it was revamped with musical key and the cadence of roar, not bad i might say.
As for our main villain MUTOs?
They looks pretty cool, even it was confusing at first when we first see these two similar design villains, but different. The female one should be the main focus, but she looks like what if Gigan and Cloverfield, but with extra legs and nuclear for devouring. As for the male one, aside of same design, but he's less bigger than the female one and he has wings. Even though they don't have any threatening powers, their main power is EMP, not bad, but would've better for extra more powers.
But the productions has some problems.
First, we expected that we like to see a Godzilla and MUTOs fight together. Well, the first one happens on Hawaii where Godzilla fighting against the female one, but it was cut that we can briefly see on the TV news, which is flat out unfair for Kaiju fans like myself included. Though the real fight scene didn't happen until the third act, which is pretty cool, even though its kinda shame that its a one vs two, but hey, at least Godzilla might be stronger for his power.
And lastly, the cinematography is although it looks pretty cool, but it got worse that it went dark, like train scene in the night and Kaiju fight is too dark of blackness, like we can't see what's going on. It makes the cinematography so bad that its nearly nothing but black, it would've been they could finalizing to adjust the lighting, but they just keeping to darker that we have no idea what's going on.
The presentation of this film is pretty good for the actions and the monsters, but most of monster fight takes a while that we like to see until the third act and the cinematography is just disappointed that they tone down the lighting we can barely see the action a bit.
The Characters
So what about the humans that the Kaiju fans didn't care? Well, its more like a double edge sword.
First up is our main hero Ford Brody (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, aka KickAss and Quicksilver from Avengers: Age of Ultron), he's rather the most forgettable hero. He's just typical hero of US Navy for the goal. He doesn't have any special personality that we can barely root for him. Don't give me wrong, Aaron had been some good films he's done that i mentioned before, but its just that his role is dull and boring.
As for Ford's father, Joe (played by Bryan Cranston, aka Walter White/Heisenberg from Breaking Bad), in my opinion, he's rather a likable father he would've been give more chance to shine in the movie, but sadly, like i mentioned before, he was short-lived. He's basically a typical father who died early with our main hero (who's a son) lost it, i mean have we heard it before? But like stated of Aaron, i have nothing against Bryan Cranston, he's a great actor since he's been on Breaking Bad, but it could've been worse.
Then we have Ishiro Serizawa (played by Ken Watanabe), he's a scientist that i think he's also likable, but he's also more believable about the history of Godzilla since the bomb blast in WWII, despite kept in secret until in modern time. Even though he got some half appearances in the movie, but like i said, he's more believable about the Kaiju since decade ago before the birth of MUTO. Though i never heard of Ken, but he's rather a descent Japanese English spoken actor.
While the rest aren't as anything special, like Elle Brody (played by Elizabeth Olsen) is a typical wife who aren't give any special and Rear Admiral William Stenz (played by David Strathairn) is an admiral who didn't care about the truth but to destroy MUTO or something.
The characters in ths movie aren't as any special that we expected for, even though the casts is not bad that i might say.
Spoiler Alert if you haven't seen the movie or if you don't care.
The final act goes where the US NAVY go to the nest to destroying it before the nest will cause to spread more MUTOs, which they did. And we see a final battle between Godzilla and MUTOs which it was easily the best part in the movie, even though its hard to figure out, because it was too dark. As Ford was on last remain, despite the succeed, we see Ford looks at Godzilla that he loses it and probably get killed by the female MUTO after the male one got killed. But then Godzilla came back and finish her off with his Atomic breath shoving down her throat like Mortal Kombat Fatality, thats a one violent head torn off then where Godzilla beat the first MechaGodzilla. As for the ending, there's not much else to say, family reunion after the disaster, Godzilla wakes up that he's still alive, going back to the water then roll the credits It was kinda quick to finish the movie, eh?
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, Godzilla 2014 is easily the better reboot than before, the story is pretty good, the presentation is nice, the casts are not bad. Although that some of the characters are pretty much forgettable due to their lack of development or even execution of personalities, with the exception of Ishiro Serizawa, cause i find him more interesting. The monsters themselves are pretty cool looking along with the fight scenes, but the cinematography is my main criticism that it was too dark that i can barely see anything with the soldiers scene or even the Kaiju fight scene.
If you're a fan of Kaiju films, i recommend this one for you, it may not be the best remake ever, but i considering watchable if you love Godzilla.
Il give this rating a 7/10. Its more considered to be above average, but still, its a good remake that i watched.
So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading and im Anthony sign--
*ding dong*
Anthony (me): Ok...? I wonder who rang my door bell. *get up to the entrance door, open it up, but it was nothing* Hm, it was nothing for-- *looks down that there's a DVD of Godzilla 1998, causing him in panic* Oh no... Oh god no... Not... Not this!!!
To be continued...
