Gorgeous and Just Plain Cool

Rating: 8/10 (24 May 2014)

Remember Pompeii from earlier this year? No one does: Most people didn't see it, and those that did left sorely disappointed. All we wanted was big disaster actionÂ…is that so much to ask?! Fret no longer, Godzilla is here to fill that monster-sized hole at the theatre, roaring past expectations. Possessing impressive and unique action scenes, gorgeous visuals and compelling humanity, it's a conspiracy theory drama that pumps adrenaline, reminding why Godzilla is such a revered creation. The story is nothing new: humans wake up monster(s), monsters destroy civilization, humans must deal with consequences on macro and micro levels. There are the ubiquitous exposition scenes, a handful of one-dimensional characters, some corny dialogue, and a few too many coincidences. Mostly though, there is an enormous amount of care and skill in every shot. The cinematography is the best of the year so far; beautifully dark and meticulously framed. Moreover, I can't remember the last time a movie was so flourishingly consistent in showing its gigantic scope, never leaving the audience behind, and always placing us smack in the middle of the terror. Nonetheless, within the huge scale, the personal stakes of the characters is present and successful Edwards clearly studied the best of Spielberg in his handling of the monsters and their human counterparts, all the while presenting a truly singular auteur vision. The pacing is patient but not boring, the story is familiar but not ordinary, and Godzilla himself is just plain cool. This is creature-feature movie making at its finest, and will wipe away the tainted memory of the 90's Matthew Broderick GodzillaÂ…yikes.