Breathtaking Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (6 August 2014)

'Godzilla' starts out in the year 1999. After a mysterious unfortunate accident, a nuclear power plant gets destroyed with hundreds of lives being lost. One being from scientist Joe Brody's (Bryan Cranston) wife. Fifteen years later, fresh off serving in the U.S. Navy, Joe's son, Ford Brody (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) must head to Japan to help his father, who is obsessed with unlocking the truth to the power plant disaster. With Joe and Ford being witnesses, the Monarch Research facility unknowingly awakens a threat to all humanity that only one force of nature can stop... GODZILLA
It has been a long, grueling ten years without Godzilla. After seeing this 2014 film directed by Gareth Edwards, I can say the wait was worth it. Edwards only directoral job came from the B-Movie 'Monsters' so you could say this is Edwards directoral debut. I must say, for his first 'real' film, Gareth Edwards did a fantastic job. Every aspect of this film was perfect and I would not want anyone else directing this film after seeing the way Edwards did.
The acting in this movie is great. Fresh off his role as Walter White in 'Breaking Bad', Bryan Cranston delivers an amazingly powerful performance. His on-screen presence is so mesmerizing and you want more each time. This is definitely Cranston's best movie performance. Aaron Taylor-Johnson did a great job as well, you could hardly even tell this is the same actor from the Kick-Ass' series. Ken Watanabe does an incredible job in this film. Each and every line he speaks is so powerful and delivered with such knowledge, yet fear. I believe this is Watanabe's best performance to date and I believe that most his lines in this film will grow to be classic quotes. Edwards and writer, Max Borenstein did such an amazing job with creating these characters because you really feel for each and every one of them and when they speak you could really feel the terror, or the sorrow or whatever was being delivered from them.
This film is absolutely beautiful and so pleasing to the eye. This aspect of the film surprised me so much. The cinematography in this film is perfect. One thing Edwards made clear when directing this film was he wanted to make sure that this was a reality. He wanted to make audiences feel as if this was actually happening and was being documented. I think this was perfect and really brought a sense of terror and dread to the film, making for some really spectacular and memorable moments. For instance, when you get that first look at Godzilla; as the camera pans from grounds level of his massive feet, up to his head is so chilling and iconic. The visual effects in this movie were absolutely breathtaking.
That sense of wonder and amazement you got when seeing the dinosaurs in 'Jurassic Park' for the first time is the same way you will feel when getting that first glimpse of Godzilla. These visual effects are so incredibly realistic, you feel as if you are pitted in the same environment with these beasts. Honestly, this was the best aspect of this film and if you have ever seen 'Godzilla' films as a kid it will make you feel like a child again. I know that is how it made me feel. I would be very surprised and disappointed if this film does not get an Oscar nomination for visual effects. I can say with 100% honesty they are the best effects I have ever seen in a film.
The score in this film is great. The costume design is good, it serves its purpose. Makeup effects are pretty good. The editing is done great. The sound effects in this film are so strong and it is so well done. The screenplay is perfect. Writer Max Borenstein does a fantastic job and I would really hope he is coming back for the sequels. Every line in this film is perfect and I truly believe there are some classic quotes in this film.
Some people complained that Godzilla got too little screen time in this movie. But you have to think back to 'Jurassic Park'. A two hour film, and only a total of twenty minutes of dinosaurs were shown, why? To preserve the wonder and reality. If you were to just have a movie filled with dinosaurs, or Godzilla fighting there would be no amazement. Edwards did a perfect job with the screen time of Godzilla. Every time you see him he is a forced to be reckon with and there is nothing but awe when you see him.
I have seen this film a total of three times in theaters and the 'wow factor' never seems to go away. Every time you first get that glimpse of Godzilla you get chills. The iconic roar, the visual effects, the fight sequences it is all just so mind-blowing. I have so much faith in this franchise and I feel it has so much potential to be a huge success like the 'Jurassic Park', 'Star Wars' and 'Dark Knight' franchises. Just thinking of all the success and possibilities makes me so happy to know that kids of this generation and everyone can experience what I did growing up watching all the 'Godzilla films.
If you are a huge Godzilla fan you will be overjoyed by this film. Even if you are not a huge Godzilla fan, I think it will be pretty hard not to love this film. Every aspect of this film is perfect, but the cinematography and visual effects will take your breathe away. This is leagues above the 1998 American 'Godzilla' film and Gareth Edwards really did fantastic. This movie offers a lot of thrills, terror, triumph, as well as heart. 'Godzilla' receives a perfect 10/10 from me.