For me, a slight disappointment. I was really looking forward to this movie and even called it “the only great looking summer mega blockbuster” but I have to say that it really wasn’t, although it wasn’t exactly bad either.
What Works: Maybe I’m a little biased, but I loved that the main character’s name is Ford Brody, and really the whole Brody last name for nearly every main character in the film. That was about the only thing that made me pay attention to any of the dialogue since none of it is really worth listening to. Bryan Cranston makes a strong impression early in the film, and some of the visuals (particularly the sky-diving sequence into the middle of a San Francisco monster battle) are truly inspired. Watching Godzilla scream right into the camera in IMAX is jaw-dropping, and in moments like that the film really soars.
What Doesn’t: I’ve never seen such a collection of great character actors (David Straitharn, Juliette Binoche, Elizabeth Olsen, and the always-terrific Bryan Cranston, who can really sell the ridiculous lines this movie gives him) squandered in such uninteresting stock roles. In the lead role, Aaron Johnston just looks bored with his character, and gives oddly unenthusiastic line readings of life-or-death material. Ken Watanabe really needs to cool it with these types of “spooked, mildly mystical-talking” serious Japanese businessman/scientist/samurai roles. And the movie’s script is weak, from dialogue to the convoluted Godzilla vs. Giant Beetles plotting.
What I Would Have Done Differently: Why is the scariest-looking version of Godzilla I’ve ever seen the good guy? Seems like a real missed opportunity.