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Godzilla |OT| Legendary
- Thread starter Snaku
- Start date
Shouta
Member
Most Godzilla movies have terrible characters, honestly. It's a lot like the ol'summer blockbuster. They aren't there to be deep and well developed, IMO. Godzilla films are about the event that's occurring in addition to the monster battle. The characters server as the view to explore that and to experience the struggle. Good character drama is kind of like adding the cherry on top or an extra layering of icing on a cake when it's available though.
How
I thought that was weird but
apparently according to the scientists they vivisected it and thought it was practically dead so they just left it with all the other radioactive shit
Biollante has such a cool design. One of those cases where practical effects are just WOW.
Mako and Raleigh are screwed.
Darth Pinche
Member
Anything after or during the credits?
Prince of Space
Banned
I dunno, just put Kaz Hirai's face on Godzilla, XBO on Muto's body and write something on the bottom like "gtfo" or "sony, bitch!", something along those lines
Vinegar Joe
Member
Just come back from seeing it.
As a Godzilla fan I have mixed feelings. On the one hand there were moments that were everything I ever wanted from a big-budget Godzilla film, on the other it felt like a wasted opportunity.
I would however recommend that all Godzilla
fans go see it, because despite its faults it is still a Godzilla film worthy of the name...and to be honest some of the Japanese ones have barely even managed that.
The rest of this post will be a bit spoilery (jk spoiler above), so only read if you've seen the film.
Godzilla was
fucking
shit
As a Godzilla fan I have mixed feelings. On the one hand there were moments that were everything I ever wanted from a big-budget Godzilla film, on the other it felt like a wasted opportunity.
I would however recommend that all Godzilla
and Gamera
The rest of this post will be a bit spoilery (jk spoiler above), so only read if you've seen the film.
The main issue I had with the film was the erratic pacing. The teasing of
effective at first, but it carries on well after we've already seen the monster in full flow. It isn't until the final fight that the camera pans back and it finally feels like it can admit it's a Godzilla film.
The fight in middle of the film being shown primarily on news footage was just a bad joke, and that point I was ready to give up. Which is a shame, because everything else felt pretty well constructed. Apart from Ken Watanabe, who spent the entire film looking like he'd split his cornflakes and was essentially
The fight in middle of the film being shown primarily on news footage was just a bad joke, and that point I was ready to give up. Which is a shame, because everything else felt pretty well constructed. Apart from Ken Watanabe, who spent the entire film looking like he'd split his cornflakes and was essentially
useless.
When things finally kick off, it really is very good. I mean, possibly best kaiju
When things finally kick off, it really is very good. I mean, possibly best kaiju
ever good. Which makes the preceding three quarters of the film particularly annoying because you realise how good it could have been. But wasn't.
Honestly, I've wasted enough time on this movie so here is a spoiler-filled drinking game to reflect my thoughts:
For most of these you're going to be drinking a lot. I don't think it will make the movie any better.
Drink when:
I always struggle to grasp the fact that these films are 'Summer Blockbusters' which means logic doesn't matter, but it's just really frustrating to witness the stupidest shit happen. Relationships and human characters were all so cheap and unbelievable that every scene with them was boring and, by the third act, completely laughable.
I really wanted to enjoy this because the first trailer was hype as hell, but once again an amazing outlandish concept is weighed down by a pathetic representation of humanity.
Best:
Worst:
For most of these you're going to be drinking a lot. I don't think it will make the movie any better.
Drink when:
Ken Wantanabe looks shocked.
The Giant Monsters appear out of nowhere after sneaking into the area silently.
Aaron Taylor Johnson survives something that should have killed him.
The fighting stops so monsters can roar. (e: honestly, while this happens a lot it's not too bad. It's just that Godzilla roared like 4 times in 5 minutes)
More infantry is sent in, because that ought to do it!
The film briefly creates cheap characters you'll feel sad about (ie: dog on beach, children, family) despite countless individuals dying without recognition.
Every wasted shot (ie: 5 seconds of bus doors as the bus drives off, ending shot of water)
The military's sophisticated tracking systems loses any of three monsters.
The Giant Monsters appear out of nowhere after sneaking into the area silently.
Aaron Taylor Johnson survives something that should have killed him.
The fighting stops so monsters can roar. (e: honestly, while this happens a lot it's not too bad. It's just that Godzilla roared like 4 times in 5 minutes)
More infantry is sent in, because that ought to do it!
The film briefly creates cheap characters you'll feel sad about (ie: dog on beach, children, family) despite countless individuals dying without recognition.
Every wasted shot (ie: 5 seconds of bus doors as the bus drives off, ending shot of water)
The military's sophisticated tracking systems loses any of three monsters.
I always struggle to grasp the fact that these films are 'Summer Blockbusters' which means logic doesn't matter, but it's just really frustrating to witness the stupidest shit happen. Relationships and human characters were all so cheap and unbelievable that every scene with them was boring and, by the third act, completely laughable.
I really wanted to enjoy this because the first trailer was hype as hell, but once again an amazing outlandish concept is weighed down by a pathetic representation of humanity.
Best:
Godzilla himself, despite fucking around at the golden gate bridge) was amazing. The end fight was awesome and he was pretty much perfect.
Worst:
The very first time the audience saw Godzilla fight they didn't get to experience the throw down firsthand. Instead we saw it via a TV screen, inter-spliced with footage of a kids face. Absolutely stupid.
The gif should then pan out and have Antonio Banderas do the Assassins pose.
BEST GIF EVER
Zvonimir Boban
Banned
As a Godzilla fan from childhood this movie hit all the right spots for me. There are some dumb moments with the soldiers and whatnot but I don't give a fuck, Godzilla is genuinely Godzilla and not some terrible interpretation like Zilla was.
Sat there near the end and turned to my brother and said
and about 30 seconds later you see
It was so fucking beautiful :*)
Sat there near the end and turned to my brother and said
"I hope he has his atomic breath"
a faint blue glow as his tail emerges out of the smoke and the dust and I almost squealed like a little girl.
It was so fucking beautiful :*)
Vinegar Joe
Member
Have fun getting your stomach pumped.
Seriously, this film would be much improved with a good 30 mins left on the cutting room floor. Almost all of it with Ken Watanabe.
Sat there near the end and turned to my brother and saidand about 30 seconds later you see"I hope he has his atomic breath"a faint blue glow as his tail emerges out of the smoke and the dust and I almost squealed like a little girl.
It was so fucking beautiful :*)
Now I didn't like the film at all, I did really like the look of Godzilla though, amazing design accompanied with fucking incredible sound design. However, as much as I didn't like it, or enjoy it, that scene put a smile on my face, that was amazing to look at.
Seventy_X_Seven
Member
Reading a lot of the GAF impressions I honestly have no clue what a lot of you were expecting. It's a movie about a giant lizard that beats shit up, what do you really want from the human characters? And you have to have human characters or else there's no real context to anything.
Anyways, I'm seeing the movie in four hours and I'm still super excited. I've watched nearly every Godzilla movie from the past 30 years or so over the course of a few weeks, easily entertained. I'm sure I'm going to love this!
Anyways, I'm seeing the movie in four hours and I'm still super excited. I've watched nearly every Godzilla movie from the past 30 years or so over the course of a few weeks, easily entertained. I'm sure I'm going to love this!
Bobby Roberts
Banned
You'll probably find out once you actually watch the thing and form your own opinion
More of the former, much much less of the latter.
Vinegar Joe
Member
Like I said, if you're a Godzila fan you have to go see it. You absolutely have to.
You may be disappointed, you may not be, but make your own mind up.
And FYI my problem was not with the human characters at all. As you said I never really had any expectations of them anyway.
Honestly don't know why there's so many complaints about the human characters. I haven't seen any Godzilla except 98 so I didn't have any expectations based off old stuff.
It's all more than serviceable. Is there any incredibly well written characters? Nope. But is there any terribly poorly written characters? Nope. The worst crime the film commits is giving actors as talented as Olsen, Straitharn and Hawkins little to do, but I'd rather have small parts filled out by good actors than poor ones, and they were all fine.
It's all more than serviceable. Is there any incredibly well written characters? Nope. But is there any terribly poorly written characters? Nope. The worst crime the film commits is giving actors as talented as Olsen, Straitharn and Hawkins little to do, but I'd rather have small parts filled out by good actors than poor ones, and they were all fine.
Zvonimir Boban
Banned
My one complaint would be that the human interest stuff was too trite, could have done with either cutting some of that stuff out and preserve the current tone or make it silly B-movie material.
Here you have some top actors being wasted on some very ordinary dialogue and shit nobody cares about. Pacific Rim hit that mix of dumb dialogue and awesome action perfectly in a way that this movie didn't but I don't care because
GODZILLA IS GODZILLA AND EVERYTHING ELSE CAN SUCK IT
The Librarian
Banned
To add to this:
You go see a Godzilla movie to see Godzilla. He's the main character. Sure, he may share the spotlight with a human character, but he's the main character. The best Godzilla films aren't the ones that provide complex human characters (though, as you say, it does help) it's the ones that better set up/contextualize/make interesting Godzilla's conflict/situation within the film.
For me it was just the execution. It is really great when it comes to Godzilla himself, as others said, and I agree with Edwards' approach to put it in context of human characters with the Jaws template of movie making. However, I just don't think he has the chops to pull of human drama or any dialogue whatsoever. I have had the same problems with Monsters, i couldn't stand the main couple, but i had put that down to awful acting. Here there are a lot of great actors, all with awesome filmography, but they all look like they've just woken up or something. It never felt anyone had any urgency, every emotion has to be uttered out loud rather than acted on and no one seem competent at what they do. Scientists do feel like scientists, soldiers don't feel like soldiers. I'm not exactly expecting Zero Dark Thirty with Godzilla, some of it just feel half arsed. For new up and coming British blockbuster directors, i've been more impressed by Gareth Evans and Rupert Wyatt.
You can't see that this could have been really great if done well because the overall ideas are great, but part of it feels undercooked. You can cut the human stuff, but then it would have to be fun enough and have more energy to it. Gareth Edwards chose to put the human drama at the center stage, but unfortunately, that is his weakest area and it doesn't seem like it's something he can improve on quickly.
Evans has a lot to learn about restraint. The Raid 2 was far too self indulgent for its own good, and (ironically considering the Godzilla complaints), the lack of characterisation in Raid 1 is far more of a strength in that movie than the dense plotting and attempt at writing characters in the second one.
Just got back. Thought it was incredible. Imagery was absolutely (hauntingly) beautiful at times. They also kept the story mechanics nice and simple, and the movie was all the better for it. One of things people aren't mentioning is the sound design, the noises these things make are fantastic. Overall its nice to see a big goofy idea treated with such a serious tone and what's more, pulling it off.
Seventy_X_Seven
Member
Pretty much my thoughts. And not just for Godzilla movies, but any monster movie really. Have the movie center around the event itself and build a great atmosphere for it. Then put the movie in the perspective of puny humans who aren't necessarily going to be next to the monster the entire time or even most the time. The characters don't have to be extremely deep or have some massive character development over what only ends up being usually a few days of some monster smashing stuff. The character just needs to be a serviceable template: have a clear motive and not act completely alien. If so and everything else is good (as far as setting up the event and the atmosphere for it) then you can let your imagination run loose and get a good feel for what it would be like to experience the event yourself.
See, everyone has identified the trend of having shallow, basic characters but imagine how much richer the film could be if we could buck it! The formula is just being abused at this point and I don't understand why. Is it considered playing it safe? Because having everyone understand that the human element is terrible is probably an indicator that it's not a good thing.
The Librarian
Banned
You don't make a good Godzilla film by making complex characters though that will make the movie more enjoyable. You make Godzilla movies better by making Godzilla's predicament complex/interesting.
The Librarian
Banned
That's been known for a while.
you went to monster film to see an actor ? really !?
Fantastic movie and as I expected the
Soundtrack was really spot on as well, and Godzilla's roar is really amazing.
One thing however stood out in every fucking scene it was so hilarious at one point with
This, so much this, ahahaha.
Halo Jump was probably the fucking highlight beside the likeable characters and Cranston's superb acting and of course Godzilla's awesomeness and the ray of death.
But man, that Halo Jump, first the light dives into the aircarft, then they jump, and when they land there is this perfect silence and shit gets real, such an amazing scene.
But man, that Halo Jump, first the light dives into the aircarft, then they jump, and when they land there is this perfect silence and shit gets real, such an amazing scene.
Soundtrack was really spot on as well, and Godzilla's roar is really amazing.
One thing however stood out in every fucking scene it was so hilarious at one point with
Dr. Serizawa. This guy pulls off a constant WTF is going on face, and shit just got real face, but he does it the ENTIRE movie.. so good!
This, so much this, ahahaha.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Yeah, and that is why I honesty liked Pacific Rim more than Godzilla. PR went the Marvel way, while Godzilla went the DC / Nolan way. I can enjoy both, but I prefer Marvel to DC, just like I prefer Pacific Rim to Godzilla.
That said, I'll probably see it again this weekend. It's definitely a big screen kind of movie.
outunderthestars
Banned
Just got back from a screening. Only made it about an hour then split. I don't understand how you spend so much money making a movie and then make every human character in it be as boring as can be. Such a waste.
TheChewyWaffles
Member
It's called GODZILLA not INTERESTING HUMAN
Alien is called ALIEN, not INTERESTING HUMANS (and android), but there isn't much alien in the movie.
outunderthestars
Banned
Then dont waste the first 45 minutes showing me a boring family living in a world somehow complete devoid of color, emotion, or a single interesting moment. Both Cloverfield and Pacific Rim managed to have interesting first acts. Godzilla couldn't be bothered to do that so I couldn't be bothered to stay for the rest.
TheChewyWaffles
Member
Yah but you paid for a movie...at least see the main attraction.
Edit: you said "screening" so maybe you got in for free.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
tbqh godzilla being seen less is a common thing in his movies
Sweet
I thought the MUTOs could burrow?
It's probably one of those creatures
Sweet
I thought the MUTOs could burrow?
It's probably one of those creatures
that already have eggs ready and just need some radiation sperm to procreate
outunderthestars
Banned
It was free, and honestly, it was the first film I have walked out on in years. Just wasnt feeling it at all. It was just too slow to get going. To each their own though, and in the end I am just happy that Hollywood is still willing to make giant monster movies, even if this one didnt resonate with me.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Again, godzilla movies are always like this - godzilla doesn't take up the whole movie in his films. Now yeah the human portion they need to improve on, but godzilla is always never on screen a lot.
I though the humans it was alright. Much better then your average summer movie.
The weird thing is some people in this thread were acting like " Woahh.. no Godzilla in this movie wtf." so I was surprised to see him so often xD.