Regardless of the flaws, Godzilla serves as a colossus carnage leaving destruction on its wake but not on the original material.

Rating: 6/10 (15 May 2014)

Returning to his original fire hazard gigantic form, Godzilla delivers roaring monster mayhem despite some uneven pace and thin script. In a polar opposite of the lighthearted rendition 16 years ago, Godzilla is now radioactively gloomy, bringing a more nuclear oriented plot. It opens well with good human interaction for first half, but sadly the momentum dies down in lieu of gargantuan fight, which is somewhat acceptable and expected just by looking at the title.
The cast looks a bit stumbled with the sparse dialogue and repetitive scenes. Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Ford Brody does look the part of a marine with ancient history with unnatural disaster. He carries himself decently until the last act where he stares into the ruins or eyes of behemoth far too often. Ken Watanabe is utterly underutilized, channeling Mark Wahlberg from The Happening. He seems so confused the entire time, even at ordinary moments, and at rare scenes where he's given script, his role is reduced to giving catchphrases.
Bryan Cranston as Ford's father does a fine performance setting the somber tone at first half. His part is by far the most emotional one; it's a good set-up for the reveal and sells the menace of the creature. The movie works by building the anticipation and not prematurely showcasing the giant, although in some scenes the story progress is told by exposition, either by news or reports. It makes the encounters feel rather cut short, it could've used more visual delight before switching gear to next sequence.
Graphic has more somber atmosphere, at later parts the movie even embraces horror vibe, completely with eerie humming. The drab color palette adds more terror, there's little quizzical tone to be had here. While it's not as colorful as the recent monster movie Pacific Rim, the theme holds consistently. Effects are put to good use; unworldly battles are done with powerful impact. Camera angles often tease the massive beast, occasionally focusing on its scale or eye to enhance the size. Contrasting color, with each passing setting, delivers the solemn ambiance.
There is discrepancy while the story moves forward, human interaction is increasingly reduced towards the end. The movie could've maintained the relationship, but it is certainly lacking at last act. No amount of child actors put in dire situations, and one dog, can bait more sympathy from audience. Script itself is lacking, often leaving the characters glaring emotionless to the screen. A bit coincidence or plot luck is also at played to fit Ford Brody to the scenes, which understandable in disaster movie. Regardless of the flaws, Godzilla serves as a colossus carnage leaving destruction on its wake but not on the original material.