Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Movie Talk
Reload this Page >

Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Movie Talk A Discussion area for everything movie related including films In The Theaters
View Poll Results: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread
6.20%
15.50%
32.56%
20.16%
10.85%
6.20%
3.10%
0
0%
2.33%
0.78%
1.55%
Go home Gojira!
0.78%
Voters: 129. You may not vote on this poll

Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Old 05-16-14, 10:30 AM
  #76  
DVD Talk Hero
 
TomOpus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 40,112
Received 1,286 Likes on 935 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Why So Blu?
Also, maybe someone who saw the film can shed some light on the end -


Spoiler:
when the nuke went off - how are there people, godzilla, and building remnants still in the are of the blast? Where exactly did the bomb go off? The scene after that through me for a loop, because there's no way people would still be there after the bomb went off.
Spoiler:
I'm seeing it again today but I didn't think it would have been far enough out to keep from a lot of damage and death. Not that the monsters didn't already cause enough death.
Old 05-16-14, 10:33 AM
  #77  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,601
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema
Boxoffice.com is predicting a $76 million opening weekend. Box Office Mojo is guessing $73 mil.
With all the IMAX shows (group of 11 of my friends and myself are going to see it in IMAX tonight) I am guessing it will do above the $76 million mark this weekend.
Old 05-16-14, 10:37 AM
  #78  
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Posts: 39,239
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Seeing this at 11am today. I'm excited. I've never seen a proper G film in theaters aside from the GINO film.
Old 05-16-14, 11:46 AM
  #79  
Member
 
paaron46's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Supermallet
The only real complaint I have is...
Spoiler:
that I wish they had shown Godzilla eating the MUTOs after killing them, since he's repeatedly referred to as an alpha predator, because it currently looks like he's hunting them for absolutely no reason, or perhaps specifically to save humanity, and while Godzilla has frequently been an outright protagonist in the Toho series, it felt out of place here.
My answer for that is...
Spoiler:
he's the Alpha predator, in the same way as Predator is. Or the same way as an alpha bear rules over all the other bears and challenges anyone who gets in his way. It's made quite clear, during the movie, that Godzilla is more human than monster, in the fact that he has emotions. He isn't beating on the MUTOs to feed. He's doing it to remind everyone he's in charge. Which adds a wonderful wrinkle into the whole movie. This movie is about putting Godzilla into a hero role, rather than a city-crushing monster-consuming predator.
Old 05-16-14, 11:52 AM
  #80  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Somewhere between Heaven and Hell
Posts: 34,033
Received 709 Likes on 517 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

I kept wondering about the long skeletal remains found in the Philippines and if it was supposed to be Manda.
Old 05-16-14, 12:06 PM
  #81  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 716
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

How is the 3d effect for this?
Old 05-16-14, 12:31 PM
  #82  
RIP
 
EddieMoney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Paradise, USA
Posts: 9,904
Received 54 Likes on 41 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

It's pretty three dimensional.
Old 05-16-14, 12:38 PM
  #83  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,512
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't do much for me. Both Cranston and Godzilla were barely in the film. Also wasn't very fun or exciting to me. Guess I'm more of a Pacific Rim kinda guy, friggin' LOVED that giant monster flick...
Old 05-16-14, 12:40 PM
  #84  
Banned by request
 
Supermallet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Termite Terrace
Posts: 54,150
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by paaron46
My answer for that is...
Spoiler:
he's the Alpha predator, in the same way as Predator is. Or the same way as an alpha bear rules over all the other bears and challenges anyone who gets in his way. It's made quite clear, during the movie, that Godzilla is more human than monster, in the fact that he has emotions. He isn't beating on the MUTOs to feed. He's doing it to remind everyone he's in charge. Which adds a wonderful wrinkle into the whole movie. This movie is about putting Godzilla into a hero role, rather than a city-crushing monster-consuming predator.
I guess? Seems kind of flimsy to me. Or, if that's the route they were going, they should have made that clear. There's too much of Ken Watanabe saying that he's there to "restore balance". It's vague. Again, it's a nitpick, but I think it would have made the movie stronger if they have chosen a specific motivation and stuck with it.
Old 05-16-14, 12:58 PM
  #85  
DVD Talk Legend
 
islandclaws's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain
Posts: 20,085
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Why So Blu?
Also, maybe someone who saw the film can shed some light on the end -


Spoiler:
when the nuke went off - how are there people, godzilla, and building remnants still in the area of the blast? Where exactly did the bomb go off? The scene after that threw me for a loop, because there's no way people would still be there after the bomb went off. There's radioactive fallout everywhere.
I read a theory that G absorbed much of the fallout after he was gassed out from putting a beat down on the MUTOs. Does it make sense? No, but I'll allow it.

Originally Posted by devilshalo
I kept wondering about the long skeletal remains found in the Philippines and if it was supposed to be Manda.
It was another member of G's species. The film really should've taken more time to explain G's origins because a lot of reviews I've been reading have made the same comment.
Old 05-16-14, 01:04 PM
  #86  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: State of Confusion
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by islandclaws
It was another member of G's species. The film really should've taken more time to explain G's origins because a lot of reviews I've been reading have made the same comment.
I actually thought it was
Spoiler:
the original remains from the Godzilla in the 1954 Gojira film
Old 05-16-14, 01:14 PM
  #87  
DVD Talk Hero
 
TomOpus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 40,112
Received 1,286 Likes on 935 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Anubis2005X
I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't do much for me. Both Cranston and Godzilla were barely in the film. Also wasn't very fun or exciting to me. Guess I'm more of a Pacific Rim kinda guy, friggin' LOVED that giant monster flick...
I really like PR and I really liked Godzilla. So there's that.
Old 05-16-14, 01:14 PM
  #88  
Banned by request
 
Supermallet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Termite Terrace
Posts: 54,150
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

I thought it was clear that this IS the 1954 Godzilla.
Old 05-16-14, 01:40 PM
  #89  
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Posts: 39,239
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Supermallet
I thought it was clear that this IS the 1954 Godzilla.
Yeah. This was the same G.

Also to wtf happened to the big boom at the end? It was far away it just didn't do a good job of showing us that. SF was fine... Well, fine in terms of fallout... Not so much with Kaiju.

I liked it a good chunk. Could've used more G and some other characters. The first fight is a tease mostly. And it was going to get good but then... Bam. We're away.

The human plot could have been better but did it well. The cast is a great listing but we needed more them. Binoche was way underutilized. The whole cast is aside from Johnson and Strathain. The latte I think the right amount of screen time.

The thing this film REALLY did well in showing is that we are ants to G. Barely worth acknowledging. It really really reminded me of of how some animal deities are in legend. This thing was a god.

I await the BD.

Which was the better movie, Godzilla or Pacific Rim? PR.

I was thinking of this as I saw the fights in here. I think Gypsy Danger could take G down. G's breath may be an issue but I think Gypsy could take him down.

Last edited by Solid Snake; 05-16-14 at 01:57 PM.
Old 05-16-14, 01:44 PM
  #90  
Member
 
paaron46's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Supermallet
I guess? Seems kind of flimsy to me. Or, if that's the route they were going, they should have made that clear. There's too much of Ken Watanabe saying that he's there to "restore balance". It's vague. Again, it's a nitpick, but I think it would have made the movie stronger if they have chosen a specific motivation and stuck with it.
There's also a running theme that humans are pretty much bystanders in this. Their lack of knowledge is one of the more compelling aspects of the movie. Sure we don't get a lot of exposition, but I'd say that's a strength. It's fun being just as confused as the people on screen. Endless voice overs setting the scene or characters explaining at length exactly what is happening and why, gets tiresome. Watanabe's character simply had a hypothesis of why Godzilla was there doing what he was doing. He wasn't sure. Just an educated guess.
Old 05-16-14, 02:09 PM
  #91  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Posts: 23,487
Received 195 Likes on 151 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Going this afternoon. Seems like the metacritic and rottentomatoes are at odds. A lot of 2 1/2 star reviews where the reviewer just decided they liked it overall for the fun they had.
Old 05-16-14, 02:19 PM
  #92  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Somewhere between Heaven and Hell
Posts: 34,033
Received 709 Likes on 517 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

I know they have him mention his father, but is there a tie in other than name from Watanabe's Serizawa to the original? The original didn't have any siblings, did he? I can't remember.
Old 05-16-14, 02:46 PM
  #93  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 2,656
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Long story short, the human element of the film was alright, but the excellent cast was extremely underused. I also echo the sentiment that the film could've used more hot monster-on-monster action. On the plus side ...

But when the film finally gets to the good stuff — those prolonged sequences of monster-on-monster action — it pays off in a big way. Unlike Roland Emmerich's 1998 version, this 2014 iteration of the iconic character strikes the perfect balance between CG creation and the classic man-in-a-rubber-suit look, and it's made even more perfect by the inclusion of that unmistakable roar. Watching the Big G — in all his building-stomping glory — lay the smack down on his monstrous opponents makes it worth sitting through two acts of build-up, as Edwards' orchestration of the climactic battle is nothing less than operatic. The film's visual effects magnificently convey the scope and magnitude of the destruction, occasionally evoking the passé disaster epics of the late 90's. But Edwards never forgets that it ultimately boils down to the audience rooting for Godzilla to emerge as the champion. That serves as the key differentiator between this new Godzilla film and its previous American incarnation, and it makes all the difference in the world.
3.5 out of 5.

Here's my full review.
Old 05-16-14, 02:55 PM
  #94  
RIP
 
EddieMoney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Paradise, USA
Posts: 9,904
Received 54 Likes on 41 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

This scene seemed out of context for me:

Spoiler:
Old 05-16-14, 03:05 PM
  #95  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Farmington Hills, MI
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 0
Received 71 Likes on 51 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by islandclaws
I read a theory that G absorbed much of the fallout after he was gassed out from putting a beat down on the MUTOs. Does it make sense? No, but I'll allow it.
.

Godzilla Awakenings seems to indicate that this would be the case. Godzilla and the MUTO's feed off of radiation.
Old 05-16-14, 03:14 PM
  #96  
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Posts: 39,239
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

The film doesn't do that though.
Old 05-16-14, 04:09 PM
  #97  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,731
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

I thought the movie was ok. Godzilla looked AMAZING, so that is worth the price of admission alone, but there wasn't enough of him for my liking. Also, I wish the main character that the movie follows was a little more charismatic. Also, while the movie doesn't drag terribly bad, I think the movie could have easily been shorter.
Old 05-16-14, 04:30 PM
  #98  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: San Leandro/San Francisco
Posts: 7,422
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by boredsilly
I thought the movie was ok. Godzilla looked AMAZING, so that is worth the price of admission alone, but there wasn't enough of him for my liking. Also, I wish the main character that the movie follows was a little more charismatic. Also, while the movie doesn't drag terribly bad, I think the movie could have easily been shorter.
I've heard this movie compared to Jaws and Alien in that they use the Monster sparingly. We don't need to see endless shots of him for him to be effective.
Old 05-16-14, 04:34 PM
  #99  
Banned by request
 
Supermallet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Termite Terrace
Posts: 54,150
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Thinking about it more, these are my main issues:

1. The wife and kid did nothing. Instead of the setup they gave us, keep Cranston alive and have ATJ be single but in the military. He's given temporary leave to go get Cranston when he's arrested. Then keep Cranston alive past the first MUTO scene and have it be a father/son thing. ATJ is reassigned to the task force involved with Godzilla, so now he has a reason to be in all those places instead of just happening to be in the right place at the right time for every scene. Cranston stays with Watanabe and wants to kill Godzilla for revenge, while Watanabe wants him alive so he can stop the MUTOs.

2. The cutaway in Honolulu was a bad idea. You just revealed Godzilla. This is the moment everyone is waiting for...and then you cut away? No. Give us two or three minutes of crazy monster fights, then cut away to people watching it on the news. The lack of monster fights throughout made the end fight feel anemic. If we had gotten even a little close quarters fighting in the middle, the ending would work much better.

And that's really it. Two simple changes that could have made this film significantly better. Not that it's bad now, but the flaws become more apparent the more I think about it.

If the BD offered 10 minutes of just pure monster action, I'd get it.
Old 05-16-14, 04:40 PM
  #100  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Mr. Cinema's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 18,044
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Godzilla (Edwards, 2014) — The Reviews Thread

Sources tell BoxOffice that Godzilla is headed for a debut between $80 million-$85 million based on early data. That's a very healthy start for the monster flick.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.