Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) was the supervisor of the Janjira nuclear power plant in the late 1990’s. While in charge of the site tragedy struck and many people working there, including his wife were killed. Fifteen years later that horrific loss still haunts him, and he does whatever he can to find out what caused the events. When his prodding reveals a series of deadly MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), including the mighty Godzilla himself, Joe’s son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and daughter-in-law, Elle (Elizabeth Olsen), must do what they can to save the world from the terrors that have just been unearthed.
Much like Kong: Skull Island (this film’s prequel), Godzilla allows the focus of the film to veer from just Godzilla himself, and to a series of intriguing characters and secondary monsters. As a result of this, viewers never feel downtrodden by a story that might become nagging and played out, but rather they are regularly rewarded with new and exciting entities that keep Godzilla feeling fresh and original. There’s always a new character or monster to be revealed, something or someone integral to the story, and that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, anticipating what might come next.
This rendition of Godzilla feels like a combination of War of the Worlds, The Day After Tomorrow, and Cloverfield. While all three fall within the realm of sci-fi (even horror if you’d like to take it that far), they don’t necessarily feel like films that should be folded into one. Director Gareth Edwards and writers Dave Callaham and Max Borenstein, however, find a beautiful balance between each of the intertwining pieces. Viewers get point-of-view shots that mirror Cloverfield, creatures similar to those in War of the Worlds, and a series of long, moving shots that remind viewers of The Day After Tomorrow, making this film a worldly phenomenon, and one that resonates with a large number of viewers. The originality of Godzilla is what separates it from other films of the genre. The same, tiresome approach of depicting a giant monster wreaking havoc on the world has been done so many times before, and, in many ways, it has grown old. The twisting and turning throughout Godzilla presents viewers with a new way to appreciate an older story.
I believe that the acting is adequate. Cranston, Taylor-Johnson, and Olsen are talented individuals capable of driving Godzilla forward, and they do that. What is poorly done is the fact that these three individuals, who, based on their short time together on screen, have beautiful chemistry with one another, aren’t given enough time to let that shine through. They do an acceptable job on their own, but I wish that the writers had provided them with more time to develop together. While Kong: Skull Island was released after Godzilla, something like the way the ensemble worked throughout that film would have been nice to see here as well. This aspect of the film certainly doesn’t damn it, but it keeps it from being as amazing as I believe it could have been if Taylor-Johnson, Olsen, and Cranston were given more time together.
The personality of the monster is something that ends up appealing to viewers. Throughout his time on screen it appears to viewers that he possesses a sense of arrogance--not the kind that makes people think he’s an a**hole, but the kind that attracts them to him. There is a moment at the end of the film, as the action comes to a close, that viewers are provided with just a small sample of just how bada** Godzilla is. His physical strength and his emotional prowess fill the screen and converge to deliver a sequence that is one of the most aesthetically pleasing I’ve seen before. Godzilla is consistently good from beginning to end, but the final moments of the film leave things on such a high note that viewers can’t help but get excited for the next installment of the franchise.
There is an energy present throughout Godzilla that is contagious and invigorating. I am truly impressed with how everything, from the story to the depiction of Godzilla, came together to create a gratifying film.
Directed by Gareth Edwards.
Written by Dave Callaham, Max Borenstein, Frank Darabont, David S. Goyer, Ishirô Honda, Takeo Murata, & Shigeru Kayama.
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Carson Bolde, Sally Hawkins, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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