Director: Gareth Edwards.
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Juliet Binoche.
Running Time: 123 minutes.
Certificate: 12A.
Synopsis: In 1999, Japan is devastated by a freak natural disaster. Fifteen years on and the signs point to the same thing happening again, but will anyone believe engineer Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) before it’s too late?
It’s the age of the reboot/remake, and given he’s been around since the fifties, it’s surprising that it’s taken the studios this long to bring a franchise as longstanding as GODZILLA back into action. It was even more surprising to some that the decision was made to hire a relatively unknown director to helm the world-renowned property.
Gareth Edwards’ debut film MONSTERS captured the imagination of the audience, focusing on the relationship of its characters and only giving brief peeks at the titular creatures. He applies a similar technique with GODZILLA, teasing the audience with snippets of ‘almost-sees’, building up the tension slowly before treating them to the big pay-off.
The last time we properly saw the iconic monster was all the way back in 1998, where the most memorable element was Jamiroquai’s smash-hit single, ‘Deeper Underground’. The film (which starred Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno) was littered with witty one-liners, but Edwards’ reboot doesn’t play for laughs, instead keeping the tone serious to keep his movie grounded and more believable. Although it is played serious, there are a few humorous nods for the audience, including an INDEPENDENCE DAY dog homage.
The portrayal of the military is also refreshing, with summer blockbusters usually filled with clichéd macho men, hysterical soldiers and cold-hearted generals. GODZILLA’s army men, however, are a truer reflection of our real life troops. They have a job to do and put their heart, soul and, in some cases, lives into defending their nation. This is an onscreen armed force you’d definitely want protecting you.
The choice of casting is perfect, with all involved dutifully playing their parts. As might be expected, the story and character development in the film isn’t as strong as it could be, but the cast rise above this and manage to give very engaging portrayals. Aaron Taylor-Johnson does a remarkable job of casting aside his KICK-ASS alter ego with his character, Ford, being at the epicentre of events. Elizabeth Olsen, an accomplished actress in the indie field, plays Ford’s wife Elle, and, although slightly underused, her first blockbuster outing is great practice for her next role as Scarlet Witch in THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. Watanabe and Cranston are both on top form as usual, but the plot might have benefitted from one or both of them taking a more central role.
There is one cast member we haven’t mentioned yet: the big man himself. Godzilla is visually stunning, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given Edwards’ previous career in FX. So dark in colour that he blends seamlessly with the night, he causes more than a few surprise appearances. His bark is every bit as compelling as his look, and, when he makes his first mighty roar, you’ll never hear JURASSIC PARK’s T-Rex in the same way again, with the latter now reduced to a feeble kitten mew.
Fans of MONSTERS will be pleased, as in many ways GODZILLA is just a bigger budget, higher octane version. The budget between the two films is astronomical, but Edwards hasn’t let the expanded money bank go to his head, and he deftly squeezes every penny into a solid summer smash. Blockbuster fans will be happy to know that when the action gets going, it’s gritty visceral carnage. Drama lovers may feel a little underwhelmed, but as films about giant lizards go, this one is definitely worth the price of admission.
[usr=4] GODZILLA is available in 2D, 3D and IMAX, and is in UK cinemas now.
