New Godzilla Movie Is Some Serious Dynamite
I'm not a Godzilla fan-boy. I saw the original on VHS with my parents and don't remember much besides that fact that I was scared of the nuclear bomb at the end which in hindsight doesn't make any sense (why not the monster, was I pacifist toddler?) As for the 1998 version, I remember the hype leading up to it more than the actual movie, although I do recall the mini-Godzillas at the end were exactly like velociraptors and I was confused why I was seeing them and not the big dog. Although the soundtrack to that movie featuring Puff Daddy & Jimmy Page amongst others is fierce. But enough talk about the past, let's talk about the present, specifically the wicked badass Godzilla movie that is now in theaters. Holy dynamite is this movie off the chain.
If you know me then you are aware that I love blockbusters and raw spectacle entertainment. I have "Transformers" on my calendar and I'm salivating over it. But the strength of "Godzilla" is that it is shot like like a tight lil indie drama and not like some massive CG spectacle (even though it is that). The director Gareth Edwards shoots the film in a way that feels natural, there are no JJ Abrams lensflares, there are no swooping Michael Bay military fetish nonsense, and no trippy slowdown Zach Synder insanity. It just comes across as real, which is nuts because this is a movie about the end of the world and the monsters that ravage the planet, but the whole thing feels as realistic as it can get. It also is packed with more Oh Shit Moments that left my mouth agape in terror/awe/wonder. Of course I then filled my open mouth with buttered popcorn, butterfingers bites (a new frontier), and peach sprite. Yes it was a good night at the tha pictures!
Let's talk about those monsters though. I don't think I'm spoiling anything here by saying that Godzilla is a good guy in the story who basically wakes up from chilling in the pacific (not a bad place to kick back) and then wakes up because an evil beast has awakened and is destroying everything in it's past/path. It's never really addressed why Godzilla wants to help the humans and I kind of wish that one of the multitude of scientists would just say something along the lines of "this huge bausss creature just likes wrecking sucka MCs who come at him" or "there can only be one" or "who cares let's just let these beasts thrown down." And thrown down they do.
The monster on monster action in this movie is light years ahead of last years limp "Pacific Rim" with the film wisely waiting until the very last couple of minutes for Godzilla to go fully bananas and just start ripping off Mortal Kombat Fatality kills. There is so much anticipation and while some may call it teasing, I love a little build up if the payoff is worth it and damn, it is worth it! Otherwise the filmmakers wisely wrap up the relatively simple plot in layers of Jurassic Park homages, conspiracy theories, coverups, and some half-baked family drama - but it doesn't really matter, if you're seeing Godzilla you're hoping for some wild shit, and on that level it certainly delivers.