I grew up watching the Creature Double Feature every Saturday, so I am unlikely to miss a Godzilla movie. The last attempt at a Godzilla movie was so terrible, it made me more excited about a new one. That it was being directed by the same guy who made Monsters made upped the anticipation. I fully expected that the new movie would harken back to the classic Japanese Godzilla movies where Godzilla was a force of nature battling other forces of nature. Humans were the catalyst for the crisis or just unfortunate bystanders to the conflict. They are monster movies, but they are also reflections of the anxieties of their time.
I saw Godzilla in full IMAX 3D with Dolby DTS sound. If one is going to see a movie about a giant monster, one should see it in the largest format possible. Even if the story is terrible, the spectacle can save the experience.
Godzilla didn't need the extra size. The story is solid. The first part of the movie gets you invested in the characters. You want them to make it through the coming crisis. The story also invests the monsters with a bit of character. The story also has plenty of social commentary. There is the play on conspiracy nuts, the over confident military, the questions about the safety of nuclear power, the fear of nature unleashed. I even found a little bit of reflection on climate change.
By the time the spectacle happens, the movie has earned it. The spectacle is spectacular. The monsters are HUGE. The cityscapes are gorgeous as they are being crushed. The soundscape of the movie is lush and makes the scale feel even bigger. The 3D was unobtrusive. I don't recall even noticing it.
Is this Godzilla perfect? No. The story is a little weak in places. I'm not sure I like the stoutness of the new Godzilla. Compared to the last Godzilla movie it is a masterpiece.
If you like monster movies, Godzilla is a must see. Go see it on a BIG screen for the full effect.
