A Great Godzilla movie, although not the best

Rating: 6/10 (28 December 2019)

If there is one thing Godzilla 2014 excels at it is modernising the monster for mainstream audiences. However this movie does cause a divide, I feel between long time G-fans and new-comers to rhe franchise. The movie received harsh critisism upon release, all of which is simultaneously legitimate and not at the same time.
This is because by the standards of summer blockbusters there is a lack of monster action, the characters are quite bland and the plot is somewhat flimsy at best. However, by the standards of Godzilla movies, the monster action is well built up to, the characters are a lot better than most previous entries, and the plot is a refreshingly more realistic take on the monster that doesn't resort to alien invasions.
As a result there can be a lot of conflict between people unfamiliar with Godzilla movies, who may be rightfully disapointed with the lack of action and plot, and old school Godzilla fans, who might appreciate this plot for at least being a step up from some of the lesser enteries in the franchise.
As an old school Godzilla fan, I find this movie very entertaining and while acknowledging the flaws of this movie are real, can still enjoy it. The early death of Brian Cranston, the emotional heart of the first act of the movie, is the one thing that I cannot over look, however, because his character was the only one that wasn't an arcetype and was the best acted performance.
Other flaws such as the plot and drawn-out build up to the action I can be pursuaded to overlook because this is not the worst offender in the Godzilla franchise for using those flaws. Additionally, I found the slow pace of the film and teasing of the monsters added to the tension, and made the all-out finale to be all the more satisfying.
I have loved and enjoyed Godzilla films that could easily be described as worse than this one, and posted positive reviews to this site; So it seems unfair for me to gang up on this movie that I also enjoyed, even if it was lesser than the classics.
A faithful and respectful US adaptation of the monster that has the ability to entertain.