Good attempt but tries too hard

Rating: 7/10 (18 May 2014)

This is a valiant attempt by Gareth Edwards to make a significant westernised 'Godzilla' movie. Much of it is good, but it is let down by trying too hard to be significant (too much of American humans saving the world as usual) and lets itself down badly by delaying the entry in full scope of the King of the Monsters himself. The bad guys - Mutos - are too derivative, less interesting to look at and wonder about, and never given a proper description of their destructive powers, and given too much screen time compared to Godzilla. The story takes a long time to wind up - the much underused Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins just have to look frighteningly surprised as creatures begin to emerge into reality. Trashing Las Vegas comes not a moment too soon, and the sub plots with the young soldier and his father play out in far too familiar ways. There are tropes from too many other movies, including US army platoons fighting aliens/monsters almost alone. Worst move of the film, Gareth, almost as bad as the Halo jump copied from 'Starship Troopers 3!' But let's get onto the good. Spectacle, some excellent CGI (especially the wreck of Janjiro power station), a very good Godzilla who moves properly, a great deal of tension and build up, and a grandstand finish (perhaps too much destruction - also a fault of 'Man of Steel'). You get swept up in it, but the faults start as soon as you start thinking about it afterwards. But it does deliver a lot of the time.