Board Thread:Movie Discussions/@comment-24868748-20140518055647/@comment-25098873-20140624054528

I was very wary about seeing the new Godzilla movie. After all, it was done by Americans and Jurassic Park 2.5 (my nickname for G1998) haunted my expectations. And frankly, the more I heard about the movie the more wary I was. It was supposed to be a reboot, but he was a good guy battling bad monsters? When I think reboot, I think going back to the original, drawing out it's essence, perhaps updating it, but still reminding us what made the characters so great. Think of what Byrne did for Superman and Miller did for Batman. What I heard about the movie didn't tell me it was a reboot, but a celebration of the mid- and late Showa series. Fine and well, just don't call it a reboot then.

Anyway, I went to see the movie, and I just hoped for something better than the 1998 piece of you-know-what. I did get that; it was probably about as good a Godzilla film as one can expect Americans to make. Nevertheless, I still came away from it convinced that Americans should not do Godzilla films. They just can't do them right.

First, it seems like the creative team did decide to do a reboot of sorts--of G1998. But that is not how you do Godzilla to begin with! So Godzilla 2014's head is eerily reminiscent of G1998. Ford Brody destroys the MUTO's nest and the female takes it personally--again reminiscent of G1998. I had to grit my teeth to keep from shouting "You effing idiots!"

Second, there was the Serizawa character. They get one of the best actors in the world (Ken Watanabe) to play Serizawa, and then they totally waste him. G2014's Serizawa had nothing of the heroic pathos of G1954's Serizawa. Instead, he was just pathetic. This is supposed to be the son of someone who survived Hiroshima and yet he hardly fights the Navy's plan to use atomic weapons against the monsters! The Japanese films only had the military considering the atomic bomb once during the entire series (the American version of King Kong vs. Godzilla notwithstanding). Even as late as 1984, the Japanese films depicted the people trying to avoid using atomic weapons against Godzilla. At the very least, this Serizawa should have argued more forcefully against using atomic weapons. Because he should know better!

Finally, the monster fights. The Japanese films were wise enough to get out of the way and show the monsters fighting, rather than make it background to the action on the ground. At most, they would cut back-and-forth between the ground- and monster- action. They wouldn't show Ford doing something on the ground and have Godzilla fling a MUTO around in the background, leaving one wondering what is going on. If you want to show off the CGI, then show us the monsters fighting. Don't just throw out an occasional reminder.

In the end, I wouldn't consider G2014 a horrible film. Still, I'm kind of hoping Toho will take Godzilla back and show the American producers how it's supposed to be done.