Read Mixed User Reviews for Godzilla (2014)

4

foxgroveMay 16, 2014

When remaking a film who's main character is so iconic the driving ambition has got to be at least to improve on previous incarnations. Unfortunately, that is only partially the case here. This version suffers from a storyline that is prosaicWhen remaking a film who's main character is so iconic the driving ambition has got to be at least to improve on previous incarnations. Unfortunately, that is only partially the case here. This version suffers from a storyline that is prosaic to the point of boredom and it takes nearly an hour of dull exposition before the main event even appears. However, when he does things liven up no end. For all its other inadequacies, visually this is a stunning achievement. When the titular character and special effects take centre stage there is just no faulting the film as the craft on display is just amazing. Images like a crashed plane; Godzilla in the sea flanked by ships, A Tsunami, A burning train, shadows of the monsters aginst the city's crumbling buildings and Godzilla's face disappearing in to a pall of smoke are just a few of the breath taking compositions to behold. There are countless more, all exquisitely photographed.

All this good work is somewhat predictably confounded by the dull human angle and perfunctory screenplay. Also, although acting is secondary in a film like this, it has to be said that the performances
(besides a good turn from Bryan Cranston) range from the indifferent (Aaron Taylor Johnson) to the outright bad (Elizabeth Olsen). Sally Hawkins looks constantly downcast and on the verge of tears, in all probability wondering how she arrived here after bagging an Oscar nomination for ' Blue Jasmine', and Juliette Binoche appears pointlessly. Anyone could have done what she contributes here. Finally, we are left with a film that never orally matches its stunning visuals.… Expand

18 of 35 users found this helpful1817

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5

Trev29Nov 15, 2014

This movie should be renamed anything else beside Godzilla. Where was it? Bland story with no real excitement. The visuals were good, but I just wish the movie focused on the big lizard instead of those other things.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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6

sanyrubJan 25, 2015

Great version. It gives everything this type of film can give. The special effects are pretty moving and the first couple of times Godzilla appears on screen are hair raising. The complaints about not having enough Godzilla are not valid,Great version. It gives everything this type of film can give. The special effects are pretty moving and the first couple of times Godzilla appears on screen are hair raising. The complaints about not having enough Godzilla are not valid, usually the less you see the monster the more intrigued and kind of scared you are. Not only that but the whole final act shows a lot of Godzilla (in fact, the less interesting part to me). However, a movie like this can not offer character development or a great plot, it´s not its nature, so I cannot give it more than a 6 out of 100. Still, the performances are ok for this type of blockbuster. See it!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

HotelCentralJan 22, 2020

As the first thirty or forty minutes of Godzilla (2014) played out, I thought this was going to be a pretty good film, maybe even a really good film. Cranston is intense and the story moves right along. I was very engaged. Only then,As the first thirty or forty minutes of Godzilla (2014) played out, I thought this was going to be a pretty good film, maybe even a really good film. Cranston is intense and the story moves right along. I was very engaged. Only then, things happen. Basically, the military takes over the film and from then on it's boom bang bam. And I am left with certain complaints:

1) Let's put the SWAT team on the roof of a hotel so they have a clear line of fire because bullets out of assault rifles are really going to have an big impact on a monster the size of a small skyscraper.

2) So, we've got these helicopters, and they're packed with machine-guns, but let's fly in real real close so the even the monster with no wings has an even chance of reaching out and knocking the helicopters out of the sky.

3) We need to keep a close eye on Godzilla as he swims across the sea, because who knows if he's a good monster or a bad monster. So let's sail our aircraft carrier like 200 yards away from Godzilla's tail, even though Godzilla might sink the carrier just by brushing against it accidentally.

4) So we've got all these giant monsters popping up and threatening to destroy civilization but for some reason one of our main characters never catches an announcement via TV, radio or cell phone, like, hey y'all, if you're in the military report to your command immediately because it's a code red ultra emergency.

5) OK, like, we tried nuking Godzilla, or something, way back when, and that didn't work, and apparently we still haven't asked the question: "How could that not work?" And despite not asking that question we're still pretty darn sure that another nuke, just bigger and badder, is almost certainly going to work. Because, I guess, just the fact that you survived a nuclear blast doesn't mean you can do it again.

6) An Abrams tank can sit on the San Francisco shoreline and shoot targets at the far end of the Golden Gate Bridge but let's run those tanks out onto the bridge so they'll get a better view of monsters standing in the water beside the bridge. Sure, the tanks might go for a swim but what are you gonna do?

7) To judge by the closing credits it appears like the entire US Department of Defense provided technical advice on the making of the film so you'd probably be justified in assuming that everything in the film concerning the military is absolutely 100% accurate and correct. Well, maybe not.

On the whole this is not a bad entry into the giant monsters attacking civilization film genre, but it could've been a lot better. I mean it's almost like they had one set of writers and directors for the Bryan Cranston part of the film, and the B Team handled the rest of the film. Or maybe the C Team. You decide.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

EpicLadySpongeJan 13, 2016

It needs more Godzilla and less human talky, not less Godzilla and more human talky. Godzilla is the main star in his own movie and he only appears for like 20 minutes of movie time? You know, that's quite disappointing.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

ComandanteCobraMar 11, 2016

English and Italian review.
Remember when as children you watched on TV movies like " Mazinger Z tai Devilman " with disappointment? Because the clash between the two protagonists was really just a tiny part of the cartoon? This GodzillaEnglish and Italian review.
Remember when as children you watched on TV movies like " Mazinger Z tai Devilman " with disappointment? Because the clash between the two protagonists was really just a tiny part of the cartoon? This Godzilla offer the same feeling . You hope for a movie of a certain type and instead you find a trivial story of a Marine who faces a disaster in a city !! During this disaster Godzilla appears, but it is just a cameo in the background.
The action is uninspired, dull dialogue , no suspense , banal nuclear pollution rhetoric, mediocre special effects . Toho films with actors who wear rubber suits to represent the monsters are much more fun!

Vi ricordate quando da bambini guardavate in tv film come "Mazinga Z con Devilman" per poi accorgervi con delusione che la pellicola trattava di tutt'altro?...che lo scontro tra i due protagonisti che aspettavate con ingenua ansia era in realtà solo una minuscola parte del film? E rimanevate ovviamente delusi?
Ecco questo Godzilla da la stessa sensazione...vi illude di essere un film di un certo tipo ed invece è una banalissima storia di un Marine che affronta un disastro in una città!! Durante questo disastro appare Godzilla ...ma è sullo sfondo della pellicola al buio ed in mezzo alla nebbia. L'azione è purtroppo poco ispirata, i dialoghi del film lenti, nessuna suspense, la retorica sul nucleare e sull'inquinamento banale, effetti speciali mediocri....non ci siamo purtroppo.
i vecchi film originali dell Toho con gli attori che indossano tute di gomma per rappresentare i mostri sono molto più divertenti.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

gameguardian21Mar 24, 2016

This movie doesn't really feel like Godzilla, it feels like more human story, and a fight that happens in between and in the background of the entire film.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

ManToastMay 21, 2014

As someone who's first Godzilla film was this one, I was severely disappointed.
Fresh out of Pacific Rim, where the battles were intense and the chaos was satisfying, this one seemed lacking and confused in aim. The film suffers immediatelyAs someone who's first Godzilla film was this one, I was severely disappointed.
Fresh out of Pacific Rim, where the battles were intense and the chaos was satisfying, this one seemed lacking and confused in aim. The film suffers immediately with the cliched military man and his 'save my family' story we've seen a million times. The only good acting was from Bryan Cranston, but he's not even in the movie for long. Oddly enough, the movie seems devout on maintaining focus on Aaron Taylor-Johnson and not, well you know, Godzilla!? Every bit of tension in the film is either without a satisfying payoff, or is cut short with a transition to Mr and Mrs. Cliche. Three times too many you expect Godzilla to do his thing, but nope, just a tease. It's frustrating to endure as you are expected to just shrug off potential epic monster battles.

Many are comparing this film to Pacific Rim, saying the action there was frequent but the story was lacking and Godzilla is the opposite. I agree with this, but even in this regard I prefer Pacific Rim far more. It's a monster film, so it's fair to expect it to be about monsters wrecking cities and not whether one guy saves his family. The film plays with your expectations like crazy, ultimately driving you crazy.

To its credit, the visuals are amazing and the cinematics spectacular. Godzilla himself looks and moves exactly as you would expect. The new kaiju are sinister looking and cool as hell, but it feels as though they steal the show from The King of Monsters, especially when Godzilla is way too late to the party. In the couple of fight scenes that he's in you barely feel the need to root for him because the film's excuse for him being there is simply ridiculous. I feel the story is the worst part about the film despite it being the main focus, and the action alone fails to carry the entire movie.

Great visuals with a brilliant Godzilla rendition, but the story is cliched and a chore to watch, while the action struggles to generate any tension and even when it does it always falls flat. Usually I wouldn't recommend a film I dislike, but audiences seem to be completely split down the middle (even some extreme Godzilla fans dislike it) so I would say watch it as a gamble just to see whether or not you like it. If you expect action and epic destruction though, go see Pacific Rim instead.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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4

psycrosMay 22, 2014

Not a complete letdown, but not far from it, either. To sum it up as succinctly as possible: the director wanted to do a modern remake of a classic Godzilla movie. Unfortunately he chose to remake a really *bad* one. The trailers useNot a complete letdown, but not far from it, either. To sum it up as succinctly as possible: the director wanted to do a modern remake of a classic Godzilla movie. Unfortunately he chose to remake a really *bad* one. The trailers use Cranston to sell the pic and the movie isn't really even about him, and he's in less than half of it. The monsters seem to be able to become silent and invisible at will, Godzilla's place in the film is barely explained (and poorly at that), the Japanese scientist pulls theories from thin air based on NO data whatsoever but which somehow turn out to be correct. Its a painful watch, and just seeing the Big G stomping around for a little while in classic form isn't nearly enough to save this clunker. A rental at best, but honestly you'd be better off re-watching a GOOD giant monster film like Pacific Rim.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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4

hemmo1986Jun 2, 2014

While Godzilla starts off strong, with its attempt to build up tension. Ultimately it ends up lacking any real character development; thanks mainly to the average script and predictable story outcome.

Let's face it before the movie startsWhile Godzilla starts off strong, with its attempt to build up tension. Ultimately it ends up lacking any real character development; thanks mainly to the average script and predictable story outcome.

Let's face it before the movie starts we basically know how this movie is going to end. Massive monster battles, complete destruction and chaos, all done with amazing high budget special effects.

Sadly its just another movie for the audience to switch their brains off and enjoy the ride, with no real cerebral requirements.

If that's your kind of movie than you will enjoy the ride. If you want to know what to expect, just watch any transformers movie or marvel movie. and that's what you have. Accept of course with Godzilla.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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5

RamyoMay 26, 2014

I had such high hopes for this movie but found that it was a disappointing rendition of Godzilla's return to the big screen. The movie is called Godzilla but its really the story of Aaron Taylor Johnson. He has 4x more screen time than theI had such high hopes for this movie but found that it was a disappointing rendition of Godzilla's return to the big screen. The movie is called Godzilla but its really the story of Aaron Taylor Johnson. He has 4x more screen time than the titular character and despite being a good actor, I think most of his scenes did nothing to advance the plot. When you have a larger than life character like Godzilla, you focus on him because that is whom your audiences came to see. The Godzilla reveal took far to long to happen, and by the time it did, he only gets a few seconds of screen time before the camera pans to a long scene with the human actors.

There is a line from Ken Wanatabe in the movie that perfectly sums up what the audience was denied: "Let them fight". It was that simple. While hoping for a slugfest between kaiju where Godzilla shows why he is the King of the Monsters, we were instead given a frustrating tease of a movie that could have been something truly epic. If the makers of Godzilla want to know how to do a Kaiju movie right, they should go watch Pacific Rim.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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5

DCEdmondsNov 13, 2014

"Godzilla" 10 Scale Rating: 5.0 (Mediocre) ...

The Good: Godzilla himself was absolutely fantastic. When he is finally shown in all his glory, he is a sight to behold. Probably the best representation of the famous monster that I have ever"Godzilla" 10 Scale Rating: 5.0 (Mediocre) ...

The Good: Godzilla himself was absolutely fantastic. When he is finally shown in all his glory, he is a sight to behold. Probably the best representation of the famous monster that I have ever seen. The effects were top notch and Godzilla (as well as his adversaries) looked quite real. The story is initially a good one with a setup that grabs your attention. Cranston is great in a supporting role and Taylor-Johnson is adequate, despite playing a very generic character. The final 20 minutes or so of the film were outstanding.

The Bad: If you are hoping to see Godzilla duke it out with monsters for the better part of two hours, you'll walk away disappointed. At the 1:40 mark of a 2:00 film, Godzilla had appeared twice ... briefly. On two occasions, right when Godzilla is about to finally throw down, the scene shifts elsewhere and when it returns, the battle is over and we are instead shown the aftermath. Not until the film's final moments, do we get to see any full on Godzilla action. Godzilla's enemies honestly weren't very spectacular either and looked like rejected designs from "Cloverfield". With a long list of cool and interesting monsters that Godzilla is known for fighting, it is baffling to me why they went this route. Also, the military in this film were shockingly stupid, making poor decisions left and right. The dramatic elements of the film also start to fall apart halfway through as some characters are no longer around. Elizabeth Olsen was a poorly used plot device and brought nothing to the film. Ultimately, the film is a disappointing effort that had vast potential.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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5

SothMay 16, 2014

This movie felt like going to wrestle mania and watching a member of the audience travel from the ticket counter to his seat with a few events along the way and finally make it to his seat to catch the last match and then its over toThis movie felt like going to wrestle mania and watching a member of the audience travel from the ticket counter to his seat with a few events along the way and finally make it to his seat to catch the last match and then its over to quickly. Godzilla wasn't the main character in my opinion, nether were the other monsters. They said that when they did the fight scene they look at bears fighting. Really!!! If you look at other Godzilla movies it was more closer related to wrestling, dramatic over the top fights. Very disappointed.… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

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4

bleh910May 19, 2014

Barely a godzilla movie. He is rarely shown or talked about until the end. To much focus on annoying people and one dumb couple. Like entire cities are flattened. I don't care about this guys wife while thousands of others die.
Also theBarely a godzilla movie. He is rarely shown or talked about until the end. To much focus on annoying people and one dumb couple. Like entire cities are flattened. I don't care about this guys wife while thousands of others die.
Also the actor from kickass is the lead and he sucks!! The preview makes it seem like cranston is lead but nope. rip off misleading ads!!!… Expand

7 of 10 users found this helpful73

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4

AaronActionMay 18, 2014

Imagine Pacific Rim, but MUCH crappier and 1/10 of the fighting.
This is the first negative review I've forced myself to write because of how false leading the movie and adds are.
You wont' see Byran Cranston more than 25 minutes afterImagine Pacific Rim, but MUCH crappier and 1/10 of the fighting.
This is the first negative review I've forced myself to write because of how false leading the movie and adds are.

You wont' see Byran Cranston more than 25 minutes after the movie starts cause he dies, and not only has one of the worst deaths ever, but his son completely ignores his fathers death without a single word bout it the entire movie, but instead continue on with the crappy story.

They also spend 7/10 of the movie talking about and locating these Creatures taht feed off nuclear waste.

I didn't expect this movie to be realistic, but it's so unrealisatic and there'es so many crappy plot holes I was surprised they released it, espeically ecause 99% of the scenes seem drawn out and add absolutley nothing to the story.
Atleast great, and I do mean great action tries to help save this film, but it only comes in the lsat 15-20 minutes and by then it's way too late.

Also why the hell does Godzilla create a Tsanmi when hes coming (durriing Hawaia), but the next 5 times doesnt cause any
I could desect this video into a millin pieces.
his is the biggest disappointment I've ever all year. Perhps worst movie of the year.
Not only is Godzilla a cameo in his own film, they show his villian (not oe of his recognizable villians) atleast 5 times more then they do him.

If you wanna see 10 minutes of fighting watch the final 20 minutes, that's the only part of the film worth watching. Watch it and you'll see what I mean. I wanna justify spending money on seeing it the day it released ,bu It really can't. This film was **** terrible.r
BTW I love Byran Cranston, he dies within 25 minutes of the film.… Expand

8 of 12 users found this helpful84

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5

Billyliar87May 18, 2014

I was hoping for a better film, but was unfortunately left underwhelmed. The effects were beautiful, as well as cinematography. The idea of a modern take on Godzilla was also fleshed out (albeit to the extreme of over-exposition). Lastly,I was hoping for a better film, but was unfortunately left underwhelmed. The effects were beautiful, as well as cinematography. The idea of a modern take on Godzilla was also fleshed out (albeit to the extreme of over-exposition). Lastly, the fight scenes between the monsters were brief moments of splendor.
Alas, the lack of an inspired screenplay wiped all of these pros clean off the table and left this as a mediocre monster flick with severely underdeveloped characters. The talent was there! Yet, the main character (Johnson) had "motivation" that felt forced and his character's arc was practically non-existent! Bryan Cranston was sadly underused and could have been more interesting given more screen time. Ken Watanabe and his team served absolutely no purpose to the plot, as he just follows the monster around with his mouth open in awe of the creature the whole time. The more I think about what the characters were "doing" the more angry I get and the less I like the movie because I feel like every human character wasted my time. The film also took itself way too seriously, and lacked any sense of humor or fun. (see Pacific Rim) The intention was well put in this reboot... but in the end, the script was not there. I really really wanted to like this movie, but was left sadly disappointed. Sad times.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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5

HomeCriticMay 18, 2014

I'm somewhat mixed about this film. It's a film that likes teasing main event, building expectations. But the problem is, that almost everything else feels like a filler because of it. Besides Godzilla and other creatures and theirI'm somewhat mixed about this film. It's a film that likes teasing main event, building expectations. But the problem is, that almost everything else feels like a filler because of it. Besides Godzilla and other creatures and their spectacular confrontation, this film has little to offer:
Characters are bland and uninspired, except Bryan Cranston, whose character had at least some emotion behind him. The son (played by Aaron Johnson) who is the main protagonist in the second act of the movie has none of that.. Mind as well be a faceless brick...
The film can be just split into three parts: first, containing Cranston is actually an engaging character study and mystery plot. After Cranston leaves the movie, interest starts to fall apart, mainly because of dull characters and the anticipation of Godzilla. Human drama wasn't important to me, because these people had no emotional weight to it (except the first act).
The third act is actually hurt after all that tedious teasing in the second act, but it is still enjoyable and is the highlight of the movie. This part saves the film from being a complete disaster.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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4

siasMay 23, 2014

A rather disappointing return of the Kaiju franchise. What should have been a fun monster mashing spectacle ended up being a strange disjointed character drama with absolutely no character. The film was awfully paced, almost absolutely devoidA rather disappointing return of the Kaiju franchise. What should have been a fun monster mashing spectacle ended up being a strange disjointed character drama with absolutely no character. The film was awfully paced, almost absolutely devoid of tension and undermined by a horrible script and ham fisted references to Hiroshima. Also, the removal of the only strong lead in the film so early on, left the last two thirds of the film with a cast that had no emotional push or screen presence whatsoever (Aaron Taylor Johnson doesn't exactly demand one's attention). Luckily, Godzilla and the other kaiju looked tremendously good and what little of them we actually see was fun. It's just a shame that everything else in the film is just so thoroughly boring and lacking in emotion and heart. A true B movie in that respect then I guess.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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5

EludiumQ36Oct 5, 2014

Great story but executed poorly as a movie. The screenwriting is paced as a tv mini-series, which means the payoff is delayed till Act III. And why are there still plausibility problems in 2014?! Take Honolulu being over-run by the MUTO, andGreat story but executed poorly as a movie. The screenwriting is paced as a tv mini-series, which means the payoff is delayed till Act III. And why are there still plausibility problems in 2014?! Take Honolulu being over-run by the MUTO, and the lieutenant's wife is oblivious until her child clues her in, really?! These and other dumb scenes should've be cut to trim this down from 2hrs to a faster-paced 90-mins.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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5

BasiltheBatLordMay 18, 2014

Despite it's title, this film is not about Godzilla. The focus of the film highly lies with the other two antagonist monsters and with the awfully cliched military-man protagonist. Godzilla has absolutely no depth whatsoever to hisDespite it's title, this film is not about Godzilla. The focus of the film highly lies with the other two antagonist monsters and with the awfully cliched military-man protagonist. Godzilla has absolutely no depth whatsoever to his character and exists purely to serve the role of absolute and total savior. He submerges for the first time in 60 years just to kick the bad guys butts and then immediately leaves as soon as the job was over as if he was just waiting to be a good guy. Some criticize this film for lacking action but I actually found that to be a great relief in the days where every blockbuster movie must spend 45 minutes of the film blowing things up for no reason. To discuss the positive aspects of the film, the CGI monsters really do look fantastic and some scenes of the fight sequences were genuinely very cool but what drags this movie down is how Godzilla is almost a supporting character whose only role is to save the day when needed. This film should have just concentrated on one kaiju, that being Godzilla. Other monsters should have waited for inevitable cash-in sequels.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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4

LBCMay 31, 2014

Forget what a Godzilla movie "should" be. The fact is, Godzilla 2014 is just a mediocre movie any way you slice it. It was a boring night at the movies. The main character, Ford, is wooden and almost puppet-like in his performance. The plotForget what a Godzilla movie "should" be. The fact is, Godzilla 2014 is just a mediocre movie any way you slice it. It was a boring night at the movies. The main character, Ford, is wooden and almost puppet-like in his performance. The plot is weak and laden with pro-military propaganda, not to mention long, boring lectures from the scientists. Go watch something else.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

Ansatsu83Jul 27, 2014

Not enough monster stomping fun. Only about 30 to 40 minutes of the movie involves Godzilla on a rampage!!! The rest is a story about a character I could personally care less about. Insert John Doe, with a crazy conspiracy (yet accurate)Not enough monster stomping fun. Only about 30 to 40 minutes of the movie involves Godzilla on a rampage!!! The rest is a story about a character I could personally care less about. Insert John Doe, with a crazy conspiracy (yet accurate) father, and thats your main character. More monsters, more radiation breath, less story, please...… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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4

kamgeforceAug 23, 2014

That was just baaaad. 2 hours long US military promo video, with few minutes of Godzilla which can be seen well only in final scene. Full of clichés typical for american production... The only thing that saves this at least a little bit isThat was just baaaad. 2 hours long US military promo video, with few minutes of Godzilla which can be seen well only in final scene. Full of clichés typical for american production... The only thing that saves this at least a little bit is Bryan Cranston and final fight. Over all boring as ****… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

Bruce722Nov 28, 2014

Godzilla was a fairly decent film but it had so much unfulfilled potential. The first flaw in the film is that the protagonist of the film was a miserable fail because Aaron Taylor-Johnson simply cannot act. Sure, he did great in Kick-Ass butGodzilla was a fairly decent film but it had so much unfulfilled potential. The first flaw in the film is that the protagonist of the film was a miserable fail because Aaron Taylor-Johnson simply cannot act. Sure, he did great in Kick-Ass but the reality is that those films are more silly in nature. Godzilla required him to deliver a few scenes that were more serious and emotional and he simply couldn't do it. Making his lack of acting chops even more apparent was the incredible acting of Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Olsen. The other fail in the film was that they tried to artificially manufacture drama in order to add intrigue. All those things did was take away from the film. Honestly, I feel that this movie would've been so much better if it was about 30 minutes shorter. Johnson's lack of acting ability wouldn't have been so pronounced and the ridiculousness of the unrealistic drama wouldn't have existed. Those two adjustments and now we have a legitimately awesome Godzilla film.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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5

TroaJun 9, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Godzilla sold itself on Godzilla, not the slim Americanized version from the last US Godzilla movie, but a much closer to true version, roaming. All in all, there was an okay amount of action involving Godzilla. There was a lot more action not involving him, however. While the focus could have been Godzilla, it felt much more to be on a single soldier who happened to find himself in bad situations over and over, and still somehow live. Simply put, there was not enough lizard, and too much talking.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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5

MagicManRAWJun 30, 2014

Classic monster movie in a modern age. It is ok. Just ok. Way, way better than the last Godzilla, but still was very weak. The story put up is ok. The concept that is. I really hate it when the main character just happens to always beClassic monster movie in a modern age. It is ok. Just ok. Way, way better than the last Godzilla, but still was very weak. The story put up is ok. The concept that is. I really hate it when the main character just happens to always be in the right or wrong place at the right or wrong moment. It is forced. In a big wide world, it just happens that this one guy is always near where the monsters are and he come sup with answers. Boring. I am talking about Aaron Johnson. Very boring and bland character. The story should have been better. I just did not buy the whole "world order" thing. The real 'bad guy" should have been the backstory. I would have lived with it if they spent 10 mins to touch upon the next movie and this was just a set up for the next film. Sadly, they did not and I doubt they will come up with a new one or if they do it will be any good… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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5

MinosOfCreteJun 2, 2014

Awesome trailer, lacklustre film. This is a film which is supposed to be about monsters fighting monsters, but seems intent on focusing as little attention as possible on the incredible struggle between two monoliths, to concentrate on aAwesome trailer, lacklustre film. This is a film which is supposed to be about monsters fighting monsters, but seems intent on focusing as little attention as possible on the incredible struggle between two monoliths, to concentrate on a decent, but far from original story of a 'man torn away from family, and suffering to fight for his family' tale. The craziest part of this whole film isn't what's in it, but rather, what ISN'T in it, primarily Godzilla himself. Like seriously, they mention godzilla a few times at the start of the film, but the next 40 mins isn't even about Godzilla, it's about some other plot instead. Godzilla then briefly appears, and boy when he appears for his 4 minutes, he sure is an awesome sight to behold...until we switch back to some annoying plot about how the military keep on angsting like a teenage girl before prom about how they can't kill the beast, and how ineffective they are, and so on and so forth. For me personally, this feels like a few parts of an A+ film sprinkled over what is essentially a B movie. Bryan Cranston is awesome(as always), making his personal tragedy felt even across the screen, and portraying his role as haunted paranoid in a brilliant fashion...which makes everything else look ridiculous when you see how unenthused the other actors seem to be in their roles. Even the Godzilla special effects are amazing, when they actually show them...but that makes the 90% of the film where Godzilla is absent(and he is absent, not like a 'i'm doing something awesome' absent, but more like a 'I show up, wreck **** for 5 mins, then return back to the sea for some relaxing swimming for the next 50 mins' absent) feel so incredibly dry and sterile. For the action sequences, I hope you enjoy watching 100 foot lizards wrestling with 80 foot monsters...ON A CRAPPY TV FOR 30 SECONDS(seriously, look at the movie where Godzilla first appears and the kid is watching TV, and that is how long it's shown for).

Don't be enticed by the A+ special effects or 20 mins of Bryan Cranston into looking at 60 minutes of essentially nothing of note. This is not worth your time, and should be renamed from 'Godzilla' to 'Walking with MUTOs', because the only thing this documentary(not action film) is lacking is a David Attenborough voiceover.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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4

raj_ebertMay 22, 2014

The problem with Godzilla is it tries to attract the adult audience while remaining a silly fun flick meant for pre-teen viewers. And Godzilla totally fails in this attempt. The visuals are stunning. The monsters in the movie look overThe problem with Godzilla is it tries to attract the adult audience while remaining a silly fun flick meant for pre-teen viewers. And Godzilla totally fails in this attempt. The visuals are stunning. The monsters in the movie look over engineered and the audience are unable to comprehend what they are looking at. This is neither a monster movie, nor a disaster flick but tries to achieve both and fails in both aspects. The human characters are underdeveloped and the monsters are overdeveloped to an extent that if you are not a pre-teen audience or a die hard Godzilla fan, this movie would be an ordeal to sit through. The plot is silly and incomplete with most of the times some unknown character look at the sky with awe. The flying monsters are so synthetic looking, you get tired of looking at them for the second time. Godzilla is an evidence that both Hollywood and the American audience are losing their taste in movies with substance, and are leaning towards eye candy, synthetic extravaganza with no life in the content.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

All this user's reviews

5

Mazmorrero47May 16, 2014

I appreciate the filmmakers' effort to create a more dramatic take on Godzilla. However, they forgot that in order to achieve that, they needed to make the characters interesting and develop them. Giving the lead role to Aaron Taylor-JohnsonI appreciate the filmmakers' effort to create a more dramatic take on Godzilla. However, they forgot that in order to achieve that, they needed to make the characters interesting and develop them. Giving the lead role to Aaron Taylor-Johnson was a huge mistake, because the guy can't act to save his life. He plays just another stereotypical soldier with a nurse as a romantic interest. And if you watch the film because of Bryan Cranston, you're going to be sorely disappointed, because he doesn't have much screen-time; same thing for Juliette Binoche. Talk about wasting talent.

Technically speaking, the film is stunning. It should get Oscar nominations for visual effects, sound (seriously, Godzilla's scream is one of the best sound effects ever) and cinematography. Unfortunately, when a cool action sequence is about to happen, the story immediately moves away to throw boring exposition and cliches.

Sure, it's better than the Roland Emmerich train wreck, but that doesn't make it a great movie either.… Expand

13 of 20 users found this helpful137

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5

EdorkMay 17, 2014

The last 30 minutes are what I payed for, NOT the first 90 minutes of boring characters, frustrating teasing, (Gozilla only has like 12 minutes of screen time in his own movie!), and overall lack of fun! There's absolutely no reason to viewThe last 30 minutes are what I payed for, NOT the first 90 minutes of boring characters, frustrating teasing, (Gozilla only has like 12 minutes of screen time in his own movie!), and overall lack of fun! There's absolutely no reason to view this in 3D or IMAX given that there is so little action. Wait for the DVD.
Better yet, just watch Cloverfield or Pacific Rim again. They're essentially the same movie, only less dull.… Expand

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

All this user's reviews

5

FlyToRainbowRayMay 19, 2014

I just didn't care at all by the end. The first half or so was pretty good but It wasn't great. The plot started out somewhat interesting, but then it lost everything it had going for it. The characters were mostly boring and one dimensionalI just didn't care at all by the end. The first half or so was pretty good but It wasn't great. The plot started out somewhat interesting, but then it lost everything it had going for it. The characters were mostly boring and one dimensional and I had no emotional attachment to them at all.

I appreciated the fact that Godzilla wasn't shown for quite awhile into the movie and that the movie did have a bit of a slower pace compared to most blockbusters. But whenever they had Godzilla on screen, the movie felt so silly and absurd and not in a good way. This is Godzilla! He's suppose to be epic and cool. And when he bashing the other monsters I should be cheering him on in awe. But instead I get some very hokey moments between the monsters. The whole battle at the end had no weight to it and bored the hell out of me.

What this movie needed were some more human elements, more story, and maybe not to take itself quite so serious because doing so made certain parts just silly instead of fun.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

All this user's reviews

4

gzilla666May 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me start with I was so geek-ed when i heard they were going to make this movie.Went first show available was excited first 20 minutes .Then depression set in when i saw where it was going .Muto's were retreads from pitch black ,Godzilla was just as ugly as the toys were .The beam didn't do any collateral damage the 2 times he used it .Could have been a great movie except for not enough Godzilla ,to many plot holes terrible character development .They made every mistake I hoped they wouldn't . I hope Toho pulls the licensing for any sequels .I could go on and on but the more I think about it the madder i get so you have been warned… Expand

8 of 14 users found this helpful86

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6

DPadsMay 19, 2014

Dear Godzilla,

I really wanted to like you, like, like you like you, but I'm not so sure anymore. We had a good time though! I might have almost fallen asleep in the middle, but I was pretty tired from studying for finals. Still, theDear Godzilla,

I really wanted to like you, like, like you like you, but I'm not so sure anymore. We had a good time though! I might have almost fallen asleep in the middle, but I was pretty tired from studying for finals. Still, the last third of was SO awesome and fun that it almost made up for it. Almost. See, the problem is, I can't shake the feeling that you weren't... yourself the whole time. You were pleasant, and enthusiastic, and easy to follow, but the whole time I thought you were just hiding the whole story. You made sure to tell me you were sensitive, and caring, and had your heart in the right place, and that you have some of these crazy experiences in your life! But they're not that crazy so you might not want to hear about all of them but to trust you, because they're crazy. I don't care about how crazy these stories are, I care about the stories themselves, and how they affected you. But you insisted on moving on, and that was ok, and it was just ok. But when the whole thing was over, I felt like I'd seen all there was to see, but clearly that's not the case. Is it? If we ever do this again, which we should, I know you really want to, just be yourself. Don't hide what you think I might think is weird, stop telling me about things to impress me and just tell me things, and stop pretending to know what I care about so I can get a chance to know and care about you. Again, I did have fun, and I like you, but I don't see this really working out right away. Take a little while, figure out what you want, and maybe we can give this another chance.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

All this user's reviews

4

funkymooseMay 18, 2014

This movie was honestly terrible. I went in not expecting much and even then I was disappointed.

The character development is light. Despite all the emotion they attempt to vest in the main character he feels completely unsubstantiated.This movie was honestly terrible. I went in not expecting much and even then I was disappointed.

The character development is light. Despite all the emotion they attempt to vest in the main character he feels completely unsubstantiated. The dialogue is poorly written, not a word feels authentic.

There are some visually stunning special effects. Some of the action is pretty cool. But other than that, I wasn't pleased.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

All this user's reviews

5

UrillusionMay 16, 2014

As a lifelong, 30+ year fan of everything Godzilla, I can not help but feel disappointed in what we have been presented after 5 years of anticipation and Hype.

First of all, Godzilla himself is glorious! The MUTOs look great, but I amAs a lifelong, 30+ year fan of everything Godzilla, I can not help but feel disappointed in what we have been presented after 5 years of anticipation and Hype.

First of all, Godzilla himself is glorious! The MUTOs look great, but I am still unsure of exactly they are supposed to be. They are imaginative yes, but I am unsure how such an alien creature can be a product of prehistoric radiation. They could have used some color or markings as well to make them look more natural.

The battle scene (notice no plural, because there is only one battle that you see more than a glimpse of) is fantastic, and is the only part worthy of the Godzilla name. His breath weapon was a bit underwhelming, but solid for an attempt at a realistic version.

The introduction of Godzilla is very lackluster. He just sort of shows up, and we track him moving along for almost an hour in the water. He finally makes his big entrance in Hawaii, only to disappear within seconds of exposure, literally. They should have really gave the audience more at the airport battle.

There is no terror in the eyes of the people witnessing this. The few shots that they attempted this, the extras looked like they were running for the catering truck for lunch. No horror, no urgency, no giant foot coming down within inches of a terrified populace. Godzilla did not spank us for our arrogance, not once; the MUTOs tried, but they were more concerned for with one another. When it comes to the Monsters' interactions with humanity, they were just doing their own thing that happened to be in the middle of a city.

Notice how first and foremost, this review has contained the monsters. Not so with this movie. They build up this story with the help of Brian Cranston for almost an hour until the writers decide "Okay... his job is done" and the rest of the movie just continues as if he never existed. His son Ford certainly doesn't care. Note to the writers: If you want the audience to invest in a character, don't make them almost pointless. It seems that this movie just tried to force character driven drama so bad, that they just shoved it in where ever they could, and forgot to include GODZILLA! If you think the big man had enough screen time, I have no idea why you watch Godzilla movies in the first place. I can understand a dramatic build to the reveal, but that was not a dramatic reveal. That was 60 minutes of build - to 30 seconds of Godzilla - to another 40 minute build to the actual part of the movie worth watching. One can argue that "it worked in cloverfield", but cloverfield was much more suspense driven from a POV that was built for the long reveal. This is the best 20 minute Godzilla movie ever hidden deep within 100 minutes of something else.

This movie could of, and SHOULD of been leaps and bounds better. So much potential wasted on trying to force drama. The awesomeness that was the creature Godzilla should have been more than a cameo in his own movie. I don't need tons more... Just a secondary battle in the second act, and a bit more instrument of destruction as his motivation. I can't help but feel like this lack of substance stems from the novice writer and director.… Expand

10 of 19 users found this helpful109

All this user's reviews

5

heegsMay 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. To go in with tempered expectations is wise here. This is by no means a bad movie, but for how long the movie was compared to how little we saw Godzilla, I was left wanting more and feeling somewhat robbed. That being said, the scenes Godzilla WAS in (chiefly those near the end) were some of the best I've seen on the big screen in quite some time. The reason my score is a 5, however, has more to do with the awful cliched bits forced in throughout the movie. I realize this movie was a big nod to the Godzilla movies of old (which was, admittedly, well done) but that doesn't mean we can't have character development and deeper plots than: hero soldier torn from wife and child and does heroic deeds only to be reunited with them against all odds. Sadly are left with 10 minutes of awesome Godzilla footage and an hour and 50 minutes of shallow, plotless nonsense. To cap it all off, the money maker, Brian Cranston, is on screen for about the same amount of time as Godzilla... why even cast him at all if not to lure Breaking Bad fans into theaters if you're not even going to give him ample time to help drive the plot?… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

All this user's reviews

4

surfnow3May 25, 2014

I went and saw this movie yesterday in an IMAX theater, 3D. I have to say the 3D was horrendous. Regarding the movie, the idea behind the plot was great, however the story jumped around alot and the EOD specialist (son of the father) had noI went and saw this movie yesterday in an IMAX theater, 3D. I have to say the 3D was horrendous. Regarding the movie, the idea behind the plot was great, however the story jumped around alot and the EOD specialist (son of the father) had no real purpose in the movie whatsoever. All he did was set the boat out into the ocean away from land. He would have died had he not passed out. I have to disagree with some posters regarding Godzillas onscreen time. It wasn't enough. I am not concerned with previous movies, as this is not a previous movie. With CGI this movie was done way to much in the dark with Godzilla fighting, with very little seen from him. They kept cutting away which was really annoying. I have to say at times I was fairly bored. There are elements I enjoyed however the movie as a whole was mediocre at best.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

All this user's reviews

4

TVJerryMay 20, 2014

Something that's not mentioned in the promotion: there are actually 3 prehistoric, radiation-driven monsters in this bomb. They're all headed for San Francisco, where they cause collateral damage as they take on each other. How could anyoneSomething that's not mentioned in the promotion: there are actually 3 prehistoric, radiation-driven monsters in this bomb. They're all headed for San Francisco, where they cause collateral damage as they take on each other. How could anyone in Hollywood think that this story would work? Granted, it's supposed to be all about the creatures, but the situations are simply preposterous and the plotting is shockingly insipid. The effects are adequate and the action is average, but nothing about it is special. Aaron Johnson, who's haplessly thrust into the hero role, continues to impress with his chameleon-like ability. There's no humor, no logic, no suspense. It makes me long for the campy fun of the originals.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

6

TokyochuchuJul 27, 2014

Godzilla is really good fun whenever Godzilla is on screen. When he's not, however, and Aaron Taylor Johnson is taking the lead, the film becomes significantly more boring. But at least they knocked the CGI monsters out of the park. ThoseGodzilla is really good fun whenever Godzilla is on screen. When he's not, however, and Aaron Taylor Johnson is taking the lead, the film becomes significantly more boring. But at least they knocked the CGI monsters out of the park. Those things rock!… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

5

AaronTuckMay 17, 2014

Hollywood has once again taken a classic story and made it all about America. The trailers looked amazing but the reality of the film is a Greys Anatomy type want to be tear jerker about a family who is torn apart.

It was like someone saidHollywood has once again taken a classic story and made it all about America. The trailers looked amazing but the reality of the film is a Greys Anatomy type want to be tear jerker about a family who is torn apart.

It was like someone said "hey, lets make an awesome Godzilla trailer,with all the best parts of the movie and then pad the movie out with lots of daytime tv quality acting and script writing to save money. Also, lets put heaps of Bryan Cranston in the clip but only get him on set for 6 weeks to get enough shots for a trailer because that will sell tickets. People love Bryan Cranston. He's so hot right now."

The problem is that the set up of the characters relationships isn't substantial enough, and you just don't care. I wasn't worried for the well being of the characters, and didn't really care what was happening to anyone in the cities. There were no moments when my heart was beating faster or where I gripped by bag of popcorn even slightly.

As others have said, watch Cloverfield again. That was a real monster movie.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

6

jlplattenMay 19, 2014

The trailer for this film is very deceiving. I was expecting a serious reboot of the Godzilla films, however this film kept the same hokey tone of the originals. The over-the-top soundtrack while people were simply walking around took meThe trailer for this film is very deceiving. I was expecting a serious reboot of the Godzilla films, however this film kept the same hokey tone of the originals. The over-the-top soundtrack while people were simply walking around took me right out of the film. It's alright... I can see why fans of the original Godzilla would love this movie. I'm just not a Godzilla fan to begin with. I just wish humans had a bigger role in this film to save themselves. At least it wasn't terrible... also, I didn't realize that Godzilla likes to constantly take naps. He wakes up from the sea, fights, sleeps, fights some more, takes another nap, wins the last battle, and then goes back into the ocean to sleep until another giant monster appears.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

5

JamesCannonMay 22, 2014

Spoiler Alert at the end. The Monster Movie is still a genre that has yet to be mastered. For me we've seen this before and what I thought was more entertaining sci fi in Pacific Rim. Though that movie was from perfect as well. It seemsSpoiler Alert at the end. The Monster Movie is still a genre that has yet to be mastered. For me we've seen this before and what I thought was more entertaining sci fi in Pacific Rim. Though that movie was from perfect as well. It seems that directors cannot quiet please everyone on these monster movies or strike a balance with how much a monster should be shown. I like how Pacific Rim came right out the gate and got into the monsters. Then you have Peter Jackson King Kong..which practically ran an hour and half until you saw the Monster. True character development is important but uninteresting character development can a weigh a movie down. I thought this was the case with Godzilla, it seemed that there were much more interesting things going on than what Aaron Taylor was talking about. He seemed like a very straight forward lead, where as Byron Cranston was much more colorful but was killed in the first 1/4 of the movie.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

6

googolendtimesMay 18, 2014

The story may be a bit thin, but "Godzilla" is living, radioactive fire breathing proof that a wrestling match between gargantuan reptilian beasts destroying multiple buildings in the process can be an extremely entertaining cinemaThe story may be a bit thin, but "Godzilla" is living, radioactive fire breathing proof that a wrestling match between gargantuan reptilian beasts destroying multiple buildings in the process can be an extremely entertaining cinema experience. The acting is generally solid, the special effects are extraordinary and the film itself is an entertaining thrill-ride. A summer blockbuster done right.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

4

masterjohnson1May 25, 2014

What a load of rubbish, haven't seen anything this bad in a long time, and this should not be called godzilla because he was only in at the end I don't know what people are thinking giving this a high score, stay away from this film and spendWhat a load of rubbish, haven't seen anything this bad in a long time, and this should not be called godzilla because he was only in at the end I don't know what people are thinking giving this a high score, stay away from this film and spend you money on something else… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

5

TheCritic23Jun 28, 2014

I've waited a long time to give my first ever metacritic review, so it's only fitting it be served up to an institution in film making which has been entertaining me since I was first born. Godzilla has been burnt into my subconscious for asI've waited a long time to give my first ever metacritic review, so it's only fitting it be served up to an institution in film making which has been entertaining me since I was first born. Godzilla has been burnt into my subconscious for as long as I can remember. Jung would probably call her (yes Godzilla is female) my inner Goddess, but enough about my personal relationship with a giant anthropomorphic lizard . If you are a Godzilla fan, you will move through several stages in the viewing of this movie.

First you will experience hope. The opening credits are creative and original and immediately open into Bryan Cranston and Juliet Binoche acting superbly. Characters are being developed, plot points are being leveraged, foreshadowing is in abundance. Then, it changes, (no spoilers here).

Second you will experience fear. The realization that all your previous hopes have been abandoned and you are actually, yes, stuck inside an American military propaganda film. I can't think of a more heinous skin within which a Godzilla film might be wrapped. At it's core Godzilla is a modern archetype representing a reaction to the military industrial complex and radioactive pollution. Remember all the model tanks being smashed in the original Godzilla movies? Remember how Godzilla was reawakened by nuclear tests in the pacific? Not anymore. Now it's all, "Yay Marines! How can I be of service to the United States Army!"

Third you will experience disappointment. Regardless of the political sandbagging, you will still want to see a big monster fight. You will, and it will not be very good. It will also take a long, long, long, time to get there, with 2 or 3 fake-outs. Also, if you enjoyed Godzilla having a personality, you can forget it. Personally I feel as though the "evil" monsters (MUTO's as dubbed by the military in one of the most painful pieces of exposition ever to grace a film since "unobtainium" in Avatar) had the most personality in the entire film, yes even compared to Cranston and Binoche.

On a positive note, the FX are absolutely amazing. The physics of the giant creatures are perfect and the movie never shies away from a long shot which is a real breath of fresh air in the current climate of cinematic, close-up, shaky camera antics. It really has amazing production values and the team behind the visuals/editing/cinematography should be very proud.

Some might say I'm taking this film to seriously, but considering the dark tone set by the film, I think I'm on point with it's shortcomings. And honestly, Compared to most of the sci-fi / adventure films on the landscape (Transformers), this movie is practically "City of Lost Children".

So take your 10-12 year old children to see it, the enjoyment they will have will more than make up for all the films flaws, maybe. Just make sure you wake them up when the exciting stuff is happening.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

6

grim977Jul 13, 2014

not as much action as you would expect, this movie is more of Godzilla screaming and buildings being destroyed. this movie wasn't bad it just wasn't really good. thank goodness for the special effects. theres not mush to say because not muchnot as much action as you would expect, this movie is more of Godzilla screaming and buildings being destroyed. this movie wasn't bad it just wasn't really good. thank goodness for the special effects. theres not mush to say because not much happened. really you only saw Godzilla 4 times.

on a scale on 1-10 id have to say i rather watch honey boo boo complain about how she didn't get that pink bike she wanted. if you really want to see it do it but it's nothing special.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

6

grandpajoe6191Aug 27, 2015

"Godzilla", a reboot of the legendary 1957 film and the god awful 1998 film, is a great summer disaster film to forget its flaws and enjoy the extraordinary visuals the movie has to boast.