Godzilla (2014)
PG-13 123 mins

It’s been about 60 years since Godzilla first wandered onto Japanese shores. Since then, he’s appeared in more than thirty films (most of them Japanese). He (is it a he?) is simply an institution. Not only that, I don’t even need to say anything about the story. You know what to expect. It’s a monster movie.

What’s interesting about this iteration of Godzilla is that it isn’t really made as one. It’s the story of Godzilla (vs. two MUTOs… Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms) as seen through the eyes of a family. This works both to the film’s advantage and detriment. It does help to keep the film as a human story. We do care about the well-being of civilians, but seeing the protagonist’s struggle gives the audience a personal stake.

Unfortunately, humanizing the story takes away from the spectacle of gigantic monsters fighting each other in crowded cities. Don’t get me wrong, there are action sequences throughout that are entertaining, but don’t quite fulfill Godzilla level expectations. ‘Pacific Rim’ was a fun, spectacle film. ‘Godzilla’ is a forgettable, if entertaining, run of the mill thriller.

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