Godzilla

I love the opening of this movie—the death of the doctor's wife, the breach of the plant, the fifteen-year time jump. Grown-up Ford Brody's son makes him a sign on his last day, just like Ford made for his dad just before catastrophe hit. Sure, it's an unlikely coincidence, but the bookended father and son give the film a structured, grounded feel. Later, when Ford meets up with his dad in Japan, dad has a one-room apartment full of newspaper articles connected with thread. I have to say that I'm sick of that trope. Perhaps there is no better way to connect the dots when dealing with newspaper clippings. But still.

In Ford's POV, his dad is off his rocker. But how could Brian Cranston fail to be convincing? I would believe him if he told me Martians had landed in that power plant. 

Why does Ford put the gas mask on when the MUTO emerges? Also, I'm not too fond of that MUTO. Its legs are too thick and not insectile, and it has a hip and leg joint structure like a mammal. In the birds' eye view shots, it looks like a person in a suit. These MUTOS look like stylized Art Deco monsters. 

I've seen this film about four times, and Dr. Serizawa has always amused me. When my daughter and I watched this in 2014, we used to call him "the staring man." His main job as a character is to react--and to stare at stuff. His female cohort is there only to explain to the audience what he is reacting to, and what his reactions mean. I love Ken Watanabe, and I wish he had a more significant role in this movie. 

After the death of Brody senior, the story devolves and becomes harder to follow, and less credible. First of all, would there be only one top military guy and one scientist working on the problem? Where are the rest of the scientists and government officials? And why are military officers making decisions about nuclear weapons without government oversight?

Secondly, the MUTO grabs bomb after bomb. I can't keep track of these bombs. What is the strategy? Are they the same bombs or different ones? Is there one or three? Are the soldiers trying to arm them or disarm them? Do they want to lure the MUTOs, or blow them up? This is part of what frustrates me about this movie. I can't follow it, and it makes me feel stupid. 

The sound design on the monsters is excellent, though, especially noticeable on the MUTO when it's crossing the bridge where Brody and his buddy are hiding. The train crash is fantastic, but I don't think anyone could survive a drop from that bridge into the water. More bombs - there is a bomb on the train, but the MUTO eats it. Then there's another bomb on the beach when Brody wakes up. Is that a different bomb? This is the train wreckage, right? Didn't MUTO eat that one? 

More than once, Godzilla uses a trope that I detest--the use of kids in danger to up the stakes. Kids are stuck here and there to add pathos. Still, I love the suspense of the kids’-eye view of the approaching monster from the school bus on the Golden Gate bridge.

The parachute-into-San Francisco sequence is gorgeous. I was surprised to hear the orchestral piece Atmosphères by György Ligeti, the same music used in 2001 a space Odyssey whenever the monoliths appear. What's that doing in this movie?

Godzilla coming through the fog in Chinatown is also beautifully shot. His signature climatic roar is fantastic. Even though these San Francisco scenes, I have no idea what the objectives of the soldiers are. But the eggs inside the building are creepy-cool, especially with the glimpse of the baby monsters inside each egg. 

All three of the monsters could have used better color and lighting. They are uniformly dark gray and hard to see. Godzilla vs. Kong is worlds above this film on that score. Godzilla looks inflated and balloon-y in the wide shots, but the closeups of his face are great. I love when the ash covers him up, and we think he's dead, then that one beady eye opens up.

Godzilla 2014 is a flawed, yet enjoyable entry in the canon.