Ugh. What a disappointment. I think there's a good movie in there somewhere, with more editing and maybe another script rewrite or two. As it is, all I saw was a well intended movie which fell flat on its face with some great visuals and nice ideas. Poor casting, poor script, terrible pacing, weak characterization, and simply not enough focus on Godzilla being anything more than just a background presence.
I can see what the director wanted to do with the film, and if he managed to pull it off it might have been meaningful, but it just doesn't work. The logic in the events that build the film up are weak, the emotional stuff is forced and silly, the characters don't really get to do anything worthwhile but yet they're the focus of the film at all times. Ken Watanabe was totally the token Japanese "expert" whose only purpose seems to be to remind people that Godzilla is in the movie. I'm not even sure what he's supposed to be an expert of to be in the position he is in, since he basically got every single thing wrong other than "Godzilla rocks". Pathetic role.
What I liked: the visual direction, the Japanese quarantine zone, the monster designs, the monster battles, and the lighting. On technical merits the film is really quite beautiful. Too bad everything else drags it down. The pacing was completely dreadful and I wouldn't have cared if every single character in the show died. What a waste.
