Best Godzilla movie I've seen, so-so movie

Rating: 6/10 (1 June 2014)

SPOILERY Review ahead: As a child in the 60's, I watched my share of Japanese monster movies, including the Americanized version of "Godzilla" with Raymond Burr, and sequels pitting "Godzilla" or his ilk (remember "Gammera" the flying, spinning, jet-propelled tortoise?) against other monsters. I must admit, I am not a fan of the genre except as mild amusement, as most "Godzilla" movies I've seen are in the "so bad they are funny" category.
Gareth Edwards' summer blockbuster shows his fondness for the "Godzilla" genre, and it also shows that he has learned a great deal from watching Spielberg films.
While not quite as entertaining as "Jurassic Park," or "Close Encounters," "Godzilla," is still a good deal less dumb than most Japanese monster movies I've seen, and the pacing is good.
But, the movie contains huge improbabilities, especially the fortuitous way that the hero, Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor Johnson) manages to be everywhere that the monsters are throughout the movie, from Japan, to Hawaii, to somewhere in the American West between Las Vegas and San Francisco, to San Francisco itself.
And, because I belong to that demographic of middle-aged women who think Bryan Cranston is one of the best American actors working today, I was disappointed that he is only in the movie's first act, and then only for about 10 minutes, in spite of previews that make his role seem much larger.
Aaron Taylor Johnson, who plays Cranston's son, is the movie's hero, and he's a likable but bland presence. The monster showdown isn't bad, and it's much better that Godzilla is fighting other monsters instead of just stomping on buildings, cars, and people. But, I felt the filmmakers didn't get the correct mix between the human story and the blockbuster elements. The human story felt like it was about 10% of the movie when it should have been 25 or 30%. Godzilla is no monster movie classic, it's no "King Kong" or "Jurassic Park." But, for a "Godzilla" movie, you could do a lot worse.