Behold the King. The King of Kings.

Rating: 8/10 (23 May 2014)

Man's relationship with nature is like poking a bear. We poke and push its being, but rather than no longer suffering our presence, it simply paws and kills us in reflex like something insignificant. We're nothing to a bear, a komodo dragon, an eagle, or even a Godzilla.
But we are something to each other, especially where family is concerned. Unfortunately for Ford Brody, tragedy and estrangement strike his family at a young age. Emotionally drained from his past and military life, glimmers of happiness and spots of denial cross his face during intimate moments with his own family. But as estrangement leaves, responsibility follows. It's the last time Ford's emotions truly take over, as he steels himself to face the monsters of his past, protecting his family and humanity alike.
His wife and son, Elle and Sam, are unfortunately blank slates. Believable in personality, acting as any family would, but frivolous beyond their roles as the people Ford MUST keep safe. Joining Ford is the level-headed Admiral Stenz, someone willing to go to any lengths to stop the monsters, but guilty enough to know what those lengths might entail. And joining Stenz is Serizawa, a half scientist, half cultist, and all enigmatic person studying the monsters on the loose.
The film is shy about letting any of its characters express their inner psyche, but this isn't about who they are on the inside. It's about who they are on the outside, on their actions, realistic responses to the monsters running amok from Japan to America. There's little in the way of jokes from them, being black humor at most, before the faces of Ford and his men tremble in disciplined fear as they're often too close for comfort with the monsters.
And even when anyone is far away from the monsters, the effects of their presence still shows. Sometimes the ocean sweeps in their wake, other times it's like a solar flare or earthquake invaded whatever city they strolled through. They don't have it out for humanity; they are simply animals awoken, doing their own thing, but with a nuclear-age sentience that makes them as identifiable as any of the people in this film.
Oops, I went from a casual look at the monsters but it magnified into a metaphor for nature's wrath. To the say the film represents nature getting back at us for not fixing climate change would be an exaggeration though. SomeTIMEs there's deeper meaning, but it's otherwise simply a story of how people would react to giant monsters mucking about. And unlike the deeper aspects of its human cast, the film isn't shy about showing the beautifully crafted destruction that increases in scale and frequency as the story goes on.
Nor is it shy with its soundtrack. The opening sequence is a throwback to monster films of old, but composed with enough care to make this noticeable as a modern piece. This, and the rest of the music, is fully realized orchestra that creates a memorable soundtrack and unforgettable tone for the film. And of course, the blood-curdling roar from Godzilla is never short on its unnerving dissonance, while the other monsters cries are understated but demand all the more attention for it.
But since I mentioned 'attention,' that brings me to something crucial I need to mention.
Godzilla isn't fast-food entertainment. It takes the time to realize its human characters, but they're far from being the most complex around. The story is rich on how they deal with the monsters' presence, but poor on keeping an impatient viewer hooked because of its punishingly slow pace. There's action, but people deceived into believing this is just an action film can be disappointed.
Enjoying Godzilla requires an ability to ignore smaller aspects individually, as the film is more than the sum of its parts. More than the human drama anchoring it. More than the monsters running amok. More than 100 meters tall, rising from the depths, is a monstrous star ready to show the world he's still got it. He shows his Hollywood age at 60 years, but Godzilla still proves to be King of the Monsters.