Japan has Godzilla, now New York has its own monster!

Rating: Null/10 (25 September 2015)

I had heard about this movie but had failed to see it until now, on DVD from my public library. For anyone who likes this movie the extras are interesting from the design of the monster to JJ Abrams talking about how Japan has Godzilla and it seems to be in their popular culture, so maybe the USA needs its monster. It seems Abrams was hoping that this one would become that. Pretty lofty expectations, eh?
In a nutshell, the story focuses on a small group of shallow 20- somethings in Manhattan. They are throwing a goodbye party for one of the gang, Rob, who is going to Japan as a V.P. with some company. The party is in progress, petty gossip fills the air, when about 11PM and exactly 18:18 into the DVD we hear and feel (for those of us with a powered subwoofer) something that might be an earthquake. But we soon find out it is a 300-foot-tall monster that is as menacing as Godzilla (but looks more the MUTOs of the most recent Godzilla movie).
So all the characters switch from party mode to survival mode, trying to escape from Manhattan to Brooklyn via the bridge. The effects are very authentic, borrowing a lot from actual footage of the 9/11 attack with buildings imploding and dust clouds being pushed down the streets.
The storytelling mode is shaky camera and found footage. For those who like this sort of move it is very well made. I am not a big fan, the footage shown contains a lot of them walking, running, climbing, fighting off smaller monsters released by the large one. There is no real resolution, footage cannot be "found" unless the filmer perished. Maybe the monster is still out there?