Well made and shows great promise for the future, but suffers from curious defects

Rating: 7/10 (28 August 2015)

Watching Godzilla (2014) for the fifth time, I was surprised by how consistent the trend of new observations has been with each repeat viewing. I don't say this to uphold the movie as a particularly deep piece of work; even I wouldn't go that far. It's simply to observe that, for a summer blockbuster, the nuclear menace's modern update boasts a surprising amount of re-watch value.
If there's anything I've had to ask myself for the last year, it's WHY did it have to be THIS film that suffered from universally recognized missteps? I was never too driven to discuss them at length because many, MANY others had already done that dirty work. The lamentation from this latest viewing has changed that, the operative word being "lamentation", not frustration. Much of the basis for this resides in the first half-hour, before the uncalled for death of the most interesting character. Yes, killing off Bryan Cranston's character was a mistake, because not only did he churn out the best performance; he was also personally affected by the existence of these giant monsters, a trait that bolsters many of the better entries in this genre. Yet, lost opportunities within this first segment of the movie extend beyond that, such that I would argue that the movie wasn't necessarily lost without him.
Consider the scenes with Ford and Elle Brody. They're certainly conventional as far as portraying the affection within a marriage, but it works, and it's the kind of stuff that the Godzilla series has been devoid of from the start. Had these two been allowed to interact more, this could have been an interesting illustration of spouses strengthening each other during a time of crisis. In fact, other notable relationships are established in the first half-hour. The scenes with Joe and Ford demonstrate a convincing father/son dynamic, within the context of great personal loss. Heck, with that loss we already have a motivation for Ford, who was effectively robbed of BOTH parents by these creatures. There's so much to be admired in this part of the movie, and so much to lament because so little of it carried over to the rest. That first half-hour is such a good basis for a monster movie that, even without Cranston's character, had there been follow-through "Godzilla (2014)" would have approached the upper echelons of the genre.
The middle act is choppy in comparison. It doesn't concern itself with any central character and often scrambles about trying to explain everything. That being said, the exposition is interesting, especially since the monster threat is constant. More concern is evident for simply making these people vanilla flavored good guys, which teeters between uninteresting and annoying. The military is particularly groan-inducing; I guess it's an unspoken rule in these movies that members of the military are incompetent or pompous. Admiral Stenz has presence, though, and Serizawa seems genuinely fascinated by the situation. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing them in the sequels.
All that aside, the ultimate triumph of the movie are the monsters themselves. From a technical standpoint, these are perhaps the best portrayals of giant monsters to date, and the one thing that carries over from the first act. The sense of scale is undeniable. Even the male MUTO, a shrimp by giant monster standards, feels bigger than most of the kaiju from "Pacific Rim". On top of that, just about every scene that these things appear in is atmospheric and tense. Consider the scene on the railroad bridge, where the female MUTO easily towers over the man made structure. Say what you will about Gareth Edwards' slow burn approach, but the guy knows how to give the impression of actually encountering one of these things.
As for the main attraction himself, it would feel redundant to affirm the sheer magnificence Godzilla is infused with. His presence is lacking for the first 40 minutes or so, but it does steadily increase. We first glimpse him in the (very good) opening credits, later learn more about him from the researchers, see his first full-fledged appearance that is excellently built up to, and finally he shows up for the climax. Echoing practically the rest of the world, I would have preferred for the movie to focus more on him, but every second he is on screen is nothing short of astounding. The increased bulk and longer tail complement each other well, while the mouth grants a more reptilian, almost snake-like appearance. Other welcome tweaks include the spines glowing in segments, which is a marvelous sight, and hints of intelligence, evident from his avoidance of the aircraft carriers and the innovative finishing strike. Perhaps most notable is the reinvention of Godzilla's image as the force of nature that maintains balance. It has a relative reverence that allows him to be a hero without becoming cheesy, and may prove fruitful for later exploration regarding humanity's opinions of him.
Allow me a second to comment on one of the more understated technical aspects: the sound design. As all six of the Star Wars films have demonstrated, visuals are at their best when complemented by the right sound, and that is consistently done here. Godzilla's classic roar has received a fittingly teeth-shaking update, while the MUTO are both given a unique and versatile roar that is their best feature. One might say that these help give the monsters distinct "personalities". Other sounds, such as the EMP attack and the whirring that accompanies the glowing spines, are also effective.
This is a good new start for the King of the Monsters, and one of the better blockbusters of the previous summer (second to "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"). The doors are open for such developments as a more complex relationship between monster and human or the capacity that crisis has to divide individuals or unite them. That is what I hope the next film will be about.