i have some problems with the newest American Godzilla movie but that complaint always struck me as weird because so many Godzilla movies are already that way. Around that movie's release it became apparent that people who were familiar with Godzilla movies through cultural osmosis thought they were like 90 minute wrestling matches between people in rubber suits when that's not the case. The human element almost always has to pick up the slack in some regard, which was the real problem with that movie because any interest in the characters died with Bryan Cranston.
That's the thing, I always use Jaws as a good example of how to build up the creature, along with the fact I actually care about what's happening & how the plot still centers around the creature whose name is the damn title of the film. With Godzilla, I don't feel like it's his movie, it's "giant alien monster attacking Earth vs. solider who you want to care for cuz he has a wife & kid, oh btw godzilla might appear for a few seconds every now & again." It's like "OH SHIT GUYS, HERE HE IS" for about 5 seconds, but then back to the uninteresting characters. I didn't feel like we didn't actually see the monsters attacking the cities. Godzilla caused a giant-ass wave in Hawaii, but all he did was just get out of the water, then BAM GOTTA CUT AWAY TO BLAND MCGENERIC'S FAMILY.
Meanwhile, the original movie still holds up quite a bit because simply put, I feel like Godzilla has an actual purpose, he's not on screen often, but it still centers around his actions. Hell, even that lame '90s one felt like it was focusing more on the monster & what he was doing. I know later on in the series, it's more about "aw crap, a new giant monster is attacking, what're we gonna dOH DAMN, IT'S GODZILLA, HE'S GONNA FIGHT IT", but like ya said, they at least made ya care about the characters semi-relating to the plot, & that Hollyhood one just didn't do it. & yes, the fact Cranston wasn't in the movie more sucked as well.
