Perfect for the Godzilla fan, not so much for anyone else

Rating: 8/10 (21 May 2014)

This isn't your Daddy's Godzilla flick. It's much more serious.
The main plot focuses on how the US Military (Navy mostly), and a bomb technician, whose mother was killed by a monster, and later his father too (there goes Bryan Cranston's screen time). Ford Brody is a decent main character, whose reaction to everything seems to be helping with the Navy to keep his mind active and to hide his emotion. Just about every other character are one-dimensional, and that's acceptable because the movie is much more about Ford Brody and the monsters than anyone else. The movie also takes a more serious look at the damage by constantly putting children in the way of danger.
Now onto the monsters. Most of the action is very human related, but delivers intensity and kept me on the edge of my seat. The monster fights are not the usual clumsy battles due to CGI, which is also done well. Hype is everything in this movie. The monster fights are teased several times, and almost every Godzilla appearance comes with some cool intro for him.
In summary, normal movie fans will probably get caught up in mediocre to poor acting/dialogue, a relatively simple plot, and the lack of Bryan Cranston. But a Godzilla fan will probably come away refreshed with a much more serious take on their often too-corny-for-his-own-good favorite monster. I can already tell though, this is a movie that would only be good for a couple of views, and any sequel has no chance whatsoever.