Godzilla 2014: The Film Review

Godzilla 2014 Film Review

Director:  Gareth Edwards

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Wantanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, Bryan Cranston, Richard T. Jones, CJ Adams, Victor Rasuk

Running Time: 123 Minutes.

Certificate: 12A.

What is the plot?  

The world’s most revered monster is reborn as Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures unleash the epic action adventure “Godzilla,” giving it a modern makeover.  It’s a powerful story of human courage and strength which is under threat in the face of titanic forces of nature – in the form of some deadly creatures.  The awe-inspiring, mighty Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenceless and their only hope to save the world from the stone age comes in the form of an unlikely, giant monster.

Review

Visionary new British director Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”) has come up trumps in the remake of the 1954 classic, GODZILLA.  This modern take has a bigger monster, a bigger budget and an even bigger monster fan base to please.  The audience has been spoilt with excellent visionary detail of the iconic creature and despite not getting to see the monster in its full glory until the latter part of the film, it is truly worth the wait.  Story writer David Callaham and screenwriter Max Borenstein have created a captivating outlook on the monster and alongside Edwards, they have worked painstakingly hard to remind the world that Godzilla is a deadly monster battling against other creatures and new products of the current nuclear enforced world.   

The story begins in coastal Janjira, Japan, where American couple Joe (Bryan Cranston) and Sandra Brody (Juliette Binoche) are scientists working at the local nuclear power plant, where some increasingly strong tremors cause havoc with devastating consequences, resulting in the total demise of the facility – all of which is officially blamed on an earthquake.  

Fifteen years later, Joe and Sandra’s only child, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who has survived the blast and devastation, has grown up resenting the place, his father and very handily, a bomb disarmament expert for the U.S. Navy. Despite his father’s loss,  Joe remained in Japan all these years and int he eyes of many, he has lost the plot and has gone crazy with all of his lose theories about a Government cover-up of what really happened at Janjira. After getting arrested for trespassing in the ‘quarantined area,’ Ford arrives to bring him back home, but insists he is not crazy and something is “going to send us back to the stone age.”

As it turns out, his loose theories were spot on and he has not lost the plot.  The government cover up is in the form of a M.U.T.O (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), a giant, long-legged, black-and-red creature who survives and cause chaos, despite an attempt to kill it.  Cue, some very big action scenes ahead.  

After causing some destruction and deaths in Japan, the M.U.T.O heads straight for Hawaii, which happens to be the place where Ford is waiting for his flight back to San Francisco, but delaying that travel plan are the monsters hitting Waikiki Beach. Along the way, we discover that the M.U.T.O feeds off nuclear devices and that it is on the hunt for as much of it as possible.  

With Godzilla on this trail, its next stop is Las Vegas where it is ready to raid more nuclear sources, but the plan of action is halted when Godzilla comes in hot pursuit to stop the M.U.T.O and its mate from creating even more monsters.  As he swims alongside the U.S. Navy ships, it is clear to see that it looks like it will be Godzilla who is there to save the day.  A mega showdown ensues in San Francisco between Godzilla and the two other monsters, offering visually stunning graphics that provide such a high sense of realism for the audience.  

What’s great about the film?

Everything! The visual effects and detail of Godzilla are second to none, the plot line is exciting (although slightly predictable) and the images of Godzilla will keep you captivated whilst you cheer him on in his battle against the two M.U.T.Os.  

What’s wrong with it?

As much as I like suspense in a film, Godzilla doesn’t really appear until the second half of the film and I was bursting to see more of him.  The plot was occasionally convenient and predictable, but not so much that it would not be worth watching.  

Verdict

★★★★

It looks set to be a summer smash and is a blockbuster that should definitely not be missed.  It is definitely a silver screen movie, do not wait until it’s out on DVD to watch it!

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