Massive terrestrials battle big across the world

Rating: 6/10 (20 August 2014)

Going into Godzilla the expectation level is "I hope it doesn't suck." Because, statistically speaking, it has a high probability for suck-age:
A universe where a monstrous prehistoric reptile destroys a city is pretty far-fetched. Coupled with creating believable circumstances for its existence and a fairly realistic looking but conceptually modern monster is a challenge.
In the 2014 version of Godzilla, Godzilla is a monster well known and researched by the government but kept secret from mankind. It exists cloaked in the water, dormant from destruction. That is, until other massive unidentified terrestrial organisms (MUTO) threaten civilization and the only way to save the world is pitting MUTO against Godzilla.
Scientist Joe Brody, played by Bryan Cranston, and his son Ford Brody, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson are caught in the middle of the combat in Japan while Ford's wife Elle, Elizabeth Olsen, and their son try to survive the devastation created by the MUTO in San Francisco.
Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche are not nearly as prevalent in the film as the trailer allows you to believe. The trailer is an old bait and switch, which at some level acknowledges and admits that the movie can not hold its own and needs to capitalize on some star-power. Olsen and Johnson do their job but aren't compelling enough to keep you engaged.
All in all, the premise is a little thin and you don't really care about the characters. Godzilla wants to feel like a monster match-up to rival all other adversary crossover battles. The problem? The MUTO is new and you don't really get why Godzilla is the only one who can take them down. Ken Watanabe says it has something to do with the light and the dark, the balance, or some kind of dubious explanation.
As a movie it isn't great and there are better summer blockbusters to keep you entertained. As a Godzilla film it is a lot of fun. Watanabe says "Got-zirra" a few times; there are a lot of action scenes with military battle scenes at several iconic locations and the Godzilla monster looks super cool. And the final battle scene is legit!
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