TALKBACK: Godzilla (2014) - (OBVIOUS SPOILER DISCUSSION)

[jellydonut25]

ok. let's just throw this out there:
we have NO IDEA how the MUTOs reproduce, so who cares?


if that doesn't work for you, the male ejaculates all over the missile and then the female rams it up her cooter all over the eggs.

but really: who cares?

[Gojira-2000]

Can you imagine what it must have been like, back in the day, when there were loads of Godzillas and MUTOs.

[Dr Kain]

You know, thinking about that, it makes me think of Gamera and the Gyaos from the Kaneko trilogy.

[tbeasley]

I have to agree with it being good, but not great. I really liked it though, a very satisfying experience (especially the ending). It certainly is the movie we all wanted to see in 1998. It has a very timeless, old school (well, to me the 90s are old school) feel to it I very much appreciated.

The only real issue is it feels much more like a MUTO movie than a Godzilla reboot. It's not much of an origin story, Godzilla's history is told through the opening credits like in 98 and that's it. Godzilla is just sort of... there. They don't even explain how he got his original name or how it became "Godzilla." I don't know if I heard incorrectly but Dr. Serizawa even goes back and forth between Gojira and Godzilla.

Speaking of Serizawa, I feel he, Dr. Graham and Admiral Stenz were probably the more interesting characters in the movie, even if they were a little exposition-y. The Ford family lent a nice, emotional grounding (Cranston gives a very vulnerable and emotional performance - for the time he's on screen) but Ford is just another soldier and Elle spends most of time being worried. I just saw Olsen in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) and she's a very good actress and should have been given more to do.

That said, it's a fine movie, and I eagerly await a sequel. I just hope it feels more like Godzilla's movie - he's the real star!

[Jorzilla]

The movie improved with the second viewing since I knew what the narrative structure was going to be like. I wasn't nearly as disappointed by the disjointed final act. I was also in an audience with other people who paid good money to see the FIRST screening. They brought a lot more energy to the viewing than Tuesdays since it was full of all these assholes whose social life revolves around seeing advanced movie screenings.

I don't know why people say the 2nd act is weak...I actually like the build up to it quite a bit. It's where we have the debrief on Monarch's involvement with Godzilla.

In my initial reaction I said this was 4/5. I purposefully did that because my gut was to say that it was more of a low 8/10, almost 7/10. That didn't feel fair to the movie after a first viewing. This second viewing solidifies the movie as 8/10 for me (on the 'high' end, but I don't think it deserves a 9).

[Enjoying An Egg]

Just came back from seeing it, and I'm grinning like an idiot. I'll post some more coherent thoughts tomorrow, but for now I just wanted to ask if anyone else saw the Mothra easter egg? Or did I totally imagine it?

[O.Supreme]

433 pages, and not one single view or post by me. Yay I made it . Thats not to say I didn't passively keep tabs on the development of the film all the way through, its just that I really didn't think i had anything to contribute. Well Tomorrow I am all set to see it with a friend after work. Heading to a nice remote, plush, theater in El Dorado Hills. It's hard to believe its been 16 years since that other film came out, but all signs point to this one as being something I will enjoy. Whats even more trippy is that the time thats passed since Godzilla 1985 and this new film (30 years if you consider that RoG was truly made in 1984) is roughly the same since the original and Godzilla 1985.

After this initial viewing I have at least 2 more groups of friends and family that want to see it with me because I am their "Godzilla" friend heh.... My son is 8. I would love to take him, but I think some scenes of drama might be too intense, and may be best to wait until it comes out on DVD. But one way or another I'll know for sure tomorrow night.

[jellydonut25]

[Gorjira54]

just saw the movie. 9.5/10

[jrichreturns]

Maybe the MUTOs reproduce like frogs. But anyways 8.5/10

[Hybrid Gojira]

[Stargodzilla]

Now that was a proper "American" Godzilla movie.... But I wish it felt more like other Godzilla movies I don't know what it was Awesome movie!

[Hybrid Gojira]

Hey guys!!!

You know what never crossed my mind during the entire movie?!?!

How much I cared about that cameo.

Because I didn't.

And I fail to see how that would have improved the film in any capacity.

[CWSmith]

Just got back from the screening and I swear I haven't stopped smiling since the very beginning of the movie. I don't even know where to begin. I absolutely LOVED this movie. It truly felt like a Toho kaiju flick with ultra ramped up effects. I may post more tomorrow when I gather my thoughts more. As of now, I have it definitely top 5 all time. Like jelly said, I don't think it approaches G54 or Mothra vs Godzilla territory, but I'll be damned if it isn't close. 9/10 for me.

[metal_bryan]

More from me tomorrow as well. I loved this movie, but also agree with many common gripes from others in this thread. I eagerly await a second viewing to see if those gripes hold up.

[Hybrid Gojira]

[Dr Kain]

So I forgot to mention that getting to see it at the Alamo Drafthouse was pretty awesome because of their preshow. They showed the Godzilla Snickers commercial, the Godzilla vs Charles Barkley commercial, an episode from the old Hanna Barbera cartoon along with a rock music video with scenes from the show, Bambi Meets Godzilla, scenes from Pinky and the Brain and Simpsons that featured Godzilla, a scene from a movie called "One Cray SUmmer" and a scene from "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," among some jokes about Hedorah, Gigan, and Megalon.

[Psycho Soldier]

[dangerdiabolik]

Agreed. I'm overwhelmed.

I don't think I was prepared for it to be like a classic Showa flick. They totally sold is as if it was going to be dour like 54. I get why they said that...but the movie it really is a super up man in suit movie with Godzilla as hero.

I understand the criticism of not enough Godzilla, but I personally loved the slow burn. I was ready to pop wanting to see the final fight, so when it comes it's just that much better.

Entire audience tonight seemed to love it. Lots of cheering during the fight and people went nuts for the atomic breath. Especially that first time....I couldn't tell what was happening at first when there was a faint blue light, then it went up his back and then BOOM! Just unreal awesome.

Same with the tail slam, audience went crazy...I think we were all ready for it by that point.

So happy.

[Dorkzilla]

This is going to be a bit ballsy for me, but as of now, in my opinion, it's a modern classic.

[kiryugoji04]

Godzilla? More like GOD DAMN.

Hands down the best Godzilla movie since 1972.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

Funny you mention that, since the way Godzilla is treated at the end is a lot like Godzilla vs Gigan or Terror of Mechagodzilla.

[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, In think the heroic Godzilla thing is a bit overblown. Sure he wasn't as destructive and antagonistic as thebMutos, 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.

[KingKaiju]

OH MY GOD(zilla)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST got back from watching this, and it was AWESOME!!!!!!! I loved loved loved this movie!!! The tone, the monsters, the pace, the action I thought it was AWESOME!!!! I walked in pretty excited, but calm, sat down, and as soon as the opening credits rolled I lost it! The music + all the older looking footage + and the site of his spines, sent me going 3 year old mode!!!! I loved how he and the Mutos were present throughout most of the film. While they weren't exactly fighting the whole time, I liked that they were there, and that their presence was known. Once things started rolling, I reeeeeaaally got hooked up. My only real gripe with this film was that I wanted more Brian Cranston and I HATED some of the teases we got during the fight scenes. I thought it was cool to see the angles that we got to see Godzilla and the Mutos fight from, it was from a person's point of view, and I thought that was very cool. The awesome thing about a film like this, is that although we know how big Godzilla is, and how powerful he can be, we REALLY REALLY get to see it the way it was shot for the first time. Rarely in the Japanese films do we get the kind of angles that we could get with the CGI and special effects that this movie provided. This movie gave me a very Mothra vs. Godzilla feel, knowing that Godzilla was present, and that while there were many things going on on the human side, he and the Mutos were going at it. I thought this was a very very very well made film, and it exceeded my expectation. I personally didm't find Aaron Taylor-Johnson too bad, but I think following up Brian Cranston is a tough act to follow. That's another thing that kind of bothered me, I really liked Brian Cranston's character(and Brian Cranston in general), I would've liked to see more of him, and I hated all the little cut away scenes between Godzilla and the Mutos. I felt that that would've been a perfect time to give us more Kaiju action, but it was chopped down a little more than I'd like. Regardless, I really really enjoyed this film. My jaw dropped the moment it started, and I couldn't close my mouth until the end credits rolled. I was kind of hoping that we'd hear his original theme at some point, and almost thought that they were going to go with it when he finally killed the female Muto, but that didn't happen. Plus, Akira Takarada's scene would've been cool to see. But ultimately, those aren't all that important, so it's okay. Speaking of the music though, did anyone else feel like there was kind of a Millennium Godzilla theme sound to it? You know the theme from GxM, GxMG, and GMMG???


I have also come to the conclusion that Godzilla would absolutely DESTROY anything and everything from Pacific Rim.

[Destroysall]

Whew, today just got immensely better for me as the night went on. It all started with Godzilla.

I have to say first and foremost, I must say I loved the character development for this movie. Every character had a development, including the MUTO and Godzilla. Godzilla was just so filled with life that I loved every minute he showed up on screen. My favorite sequences with him were obviously when he killed both the MUTO, he just screamed with personality that it made me giggle, cheer, and clap like an idiot in the audience (ha)! I loved the work they had put into him. The struggling of his weight (as seen when he walks), his presence, everything! He legitimately felt like the most "human" or "realistic" Godzilla ever. I recall reading here that someone thought he grew weak from using his atomic breath (and supported this hypothesis with a quite interesting theory), but I felt it wasn't his atomic breath, just him growing weak from the consistent fighting. Him growing weak was perfect because the fight between the two MUTO did a number on him. I felt they did quite a number on him. Plus to have a building twice his size fall on him would sure in hell hurt, I imagine. I found that aspect to be such a nice quality and compliment to his character.

The MUTO were great monsters, their sheer power sure felt like a threat in my opinion. The female herself had a lot development as well. You could feel her distraught when she lost her young. The male had the least development, but he wasn't entirely lifeless. I think having these two be the main antagonist of the film and steal Godzilla's spotlight was perfect. Godzilla remained a mystery in the film, like everyone else here can perhaps concur. No one really understands him in the film. Him just being "there" leaves so much to be told in future sequels, which I find great.

The easter eggs.. so many easter eggs.. Oh Gareth, can I express my love for you? I really giggled at every thing thrown at us. "GO WHALES CO." if I recall correctly made me chuckle the most. Ha. A lot of Mothra references, which I feel would be perfect for her to be in the next film. I'll state more in a bit as to why.

The humans were great, Cranston stole the show I felt. I literally was in tears a bit when he was crying about his wife and how he deserved answers. You really felt the most empathy for him. I do wish he were the main character, but I am not upset that he wasn't. Dr. Serizawa was another character that I thought and still think that has so much potential. He seems to be a really dark character. He had so few lines in the film, but his face read so much that words were perhaps useless for him. Definitely hope he is in the sequel.

Overall, I have to rate this film a 4/5 and maybe after a few more times seeing it, it may be in my top 5 favorite Godzilla films.