Godzilla (2014) - - Part 11

[TheVileOne]

Jeremy Smith at AICN (aka Mr. Beaks) said something I feel perfectly sums up why people would feel their wasn't enough Godzilla.

This, unfortunately, is very true.

It's a very good point I also made in my review. We all thought Cranston was going to have a big important role here...and well...we got what we got.

I think Olsen is a good actress too, but she had literally nothing to do here except look scared for a couple scenes.

 

[craigdbfan]

Spoiler

Because the three monster's didn't destroy most of San Francisco...nor was the city mostly evacuated.

I liked the film. It's a lot like Ang Lee's Hulk film. A good outing in film-making. A terrible film for it's titular character.

Then I'm probably going to love it seeing as Hulk is one of my favorite films, not just superhero films either.

 

[SpideyZERO]

as a film goer I was entertained by the movie.
as a screenwriter I had a few issues...most have already been mentioned. The big thing that stood out to me was

Spoiler

it seemed like the government took sides way to quickly. The MUTOS get out and the government sides with Godzilla very quickly.

Spoiler

Godzilla took sides too. There were lot of times showing that it has been very careful not to hurt anyone (on screen). It didn't smash through the ships that the characters were on but carefully dived under it. It actually tried to cross the bridge carefully, and waited until the bus full of children moved to safety before broke the bridge to walk through. Oh, and it accidentally protect the bus from friendly fire too.

It sorta bugged me

 

[redfirebird2008]

Then I'm probably going to love it seeing as Hulk is one of my favorite films, not just superhero films either.

Hulk was focused on the title character, Godzilla 2014 was not. Probably not the best comparison to make. You know all those complaints people have about the various Batman movies where the villains take over? Same deal here, except the villains aren't very interesting.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Then I'm probably going to love it seeing as Hulk is one of my favorite films, not just superhero films either.

Another Ang Lee's Hulk fan?

 

[Flint Marko]

I disagree with all the complaints that

Spoiler

Godzilla wasn't used enough. In all honesty we got a lot of great shots and some thrilling sequences with him in it, and the slow build to the final battle makes the whole thing that much more spectacular. I greatly enjoyed the human element as well, so I was never bored by the stuff in between.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

How much Godzilla is there? The film is two hours long after all. Tell me it isn't like King Kong. Because I am getting a King Kong vibe here from a lot of post.

 

[Liam_H]

I'm not sure if there is anyone here that actually timed it, he's mostly in the last act...so 20-25 mins?

 

[SpideyZERO]

How much Godzilla is there? The film is two hours long after all. Tell me it isn't like King Kong. Because I am getting a King Kong vibe here from a lot of post.

I would say about 25 minutes of Godzilla screentime, most of them in the final battle. The issue is that Godzilla is not the focus, but MUTO is, Godzilla is just...there

 

[Drz]

Godzilla is in 1 fight scene, one "make a stance shot" and he walks thru a bridge.

You see his spine more tho.

 

[redfirebird2008]

How much Godzilla is there? The film is two hours long after all. Tell me it isn't like King Kong. Because I am getting a King Kong vibe here from a lot of post.

[BLACKOUT]First appearance is at exactly the one hour mark. This appearance lasts 30 seconds.

Goes away for the next 30 minutes and then is heavily featured in a 20 minute battle sequence in the climax of the film.

So all in all around 20 minutes of screen time, almost all of it towards the end of the film. [/BLACKOUT]

 

[Flint Marko]

How much Godzilla is there? The film is two hours long after all. Tell me it isn't like King Kong. Because I am getting a King Kong vibe here from a lot of post.

I mean it'd be tough to guestimate exactly how much screen time he has down to the minute. I'll just say that, for me, he had a perfectly fine amount and even if it was less time than what some had hoped for, what he does with what time he has is pretty extraordinary.
Also, and this is something I meant to add before, this just might be the best special effects I've ever seen in any movie.
Oh and the SCORE! Oh man was the music on point, loved it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I'm not sure if there is anyone here that actually timed it, he's mostly in the last act...so 20-25 mins?

So all those shots from the trailer are from the last act? Really? Jesus.

 

[TheVileOne]

Seems to be more MUTO than Godzilla.

 

[LostSon88]

So all those shots from the trailer are from the last act? Really? Jesus.

Not really. I don't recall them using too many shots from the last act in the trailers...

 

[LostSon88]

I have a question:

I'm not too familiar with Godzilla lore but in the movie when the military described the creatures as an anagram for MUTO, some people in my crowd laughed.

Did I miss something?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I would say about 25 minutes of Godzilla screentime, most of them in the final battle. The issue is that Godzilla is not the focus, but MUTO is, Godzilla is just...there

So the great vision of Godzilla the director has been hyping up is him being a guest character in this film?

I am still going tomorrow morning, but if this was all hype, crap. My brother is really excited too.

Not really. I don't recall them using too many shots from the last act in the trailers...

If he is only in the last act, where did all the shots of him hidden by smoke, yelling and crashing into stuff come from?

 

[redfirebird2008]

So all those shots from the trailer are from the last act? Really? Jesus.

The marketing is misleading.

Spoiler

A lot of the destruction you see in the trailers is not from Godzilla, it's from the other two monsters. The marketing mixes quick shots of Godzilla with destruction caused by the other characters and makes it look like Godzilla is responsible for all of it. The film portrays him as a hero, even has a cheesy billboard that says "Is the King of the Monsters the hero of our city?" at the end.

 

[Flint Marko]

So the great vision of Godzilla the director has been hyping up is him being a guest character in this film?

I am still going tomorrow morning, but if this was all hype, crap. My brother is really excited too.


If he is only in the last act, where did all the shots of him hidden by smoke, yelling and crashing into stuff come from?

I'd say this: don't focus on how much time he is or is not in the film, focus on everything else the movie presents and all the other characters and conflicts, and enjoy the build to the last battle. I'd say it's more than worth the wait.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

[BLACKOUT]First appearance is at exactly the one hour mark. This appearance lasts 30 seconds.

Goes away for the next 30 minutes and then is heavily featured in a 20 minute battle sequence in the climax of the film.

So all in all around 20 minutes of screen time, almost all of it towards the end of the film. [/BLACKOUT]

The marketing is misleading.

Spoiler

A lot of the destruction you see in the trailers is not from Godzilla, it's from the other two monsters. The marketing mixes quick shots of Godzilla with destruction caused by the other characters and makes it look like Godzilla is responsible for all of it. The film portrays him as a hero, even has a cheesy billboard that says "Is the King of the Monsters the hero of our city?" at the end.

How misleading can it be? Where are the shots of Godzilla in the smoke from?

Also there was a lot of talk about Godzilla being mother nature's revenge or punishment. If he is the all out hero, how is that possible?

 

[gap5ewl]

Just saw it, and was COMPLETELY blown away. My god, what a mesmerizing film that exceeded all my expectations! What I absolutely loved about it was how it relied more on the "less is more" approach that old movies in the genre used. Such a refreshment to see a film without so much sfx/battle overkill evert few minutes. The cgi during the last half of the film were some of the best I have seen in a lonnng time. I also loved how the fights were shown more through the eyes of the citizens in a way.

Spoiler

Atomic breath. The entire audience applauded to that. I felt like a kid again when that happened.

9/10 CANNOT wait to see this one again!! Godzilla has returned!

 

[Hunter Rider]

I'm not bothered about the lack of screen time but I hate the [BLACKOUT]hero[/BLACKOUT] part.

 

[BrollySupersj]

Even with those pesky cutaways where things are getting juicy, this movie still delivered.

The bottom line is that it was a great Godzilla movie, it was good, real good. And ya know, I think the heroic Godzilla thing is a bit overblown. Sure he wasn't as destructive and antagonistic as the Mutos, but I still think this Godzilla don't give a crap.

8/10.

Decent story, fine acting, nice tense moments, FANTASIC monster battles. This movie was worth the wait.

 

[redfirebird2008]

There was a lot of talk about Godzilla being mother nature's revenge or punishment. If he is the all out hero, how is that possible?

Spoiler

Watanabe's character says some mumbo jumbo about how nature balances itself out and he believes Godzilla is there to balance out the other monsters. The military of course wants to nuke all three of them.

Godzilla is portrayed more as a friend than foe to the humans. After he kills the other monsters, he leaves the city peacefully and that's when they flash the cheesy sign about him being the hero of the city. This is not 1954 Godzilla trashing the place just for the hell of it. 2014 Godzilla seems to go out of his way NOT to do that.

 

[Liam_H]

I'd say this: don't focus on how much time he is or is not in the film, focus on everything else the movie presents and all the other characters and conflicts, and enjoy the build to the last battle. I'd say it's more than worth the wait.

Sorry to hijack this post but to respond to Darth, I agree about going in not expecting how much he is in the film. But for me all of the above was not worth it or hardly worth it.