Godzilla — Movie Review

When you get to the monsters the movie really takes off. You see glimpses of Godzilla mostly his back in several early scenes in the movie. The other two creatures are MUTOs, for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms. They sort of reminded me of cock roaches especially the one that flies.

There is an extensive set up piece that gives the history of the MUTO without really letting you know that it is a MUTO. Actually it is only one that you learn about the other isn’t revealed until later in the movie.

Back in 1999 a discovery is made in the Philippines. Caves are being explored. Something is found with a high level of radiation. There’s several gigantic pods found. One is clearly dead but the other. Whatever is inside escapes and takes a straight line to the ocean.

Cut to Japan and a nuclear power plant. This is where Bryan Cranston and his wife work. Their son is with them too. Strange things start happening at the plant. There are strange readings which look like seismic activity but aren’t because they are too consistent. The wife goes down into the bowels of the reactor. More strange readings happen. Then there is a breach and Cranston races down to try and save his wife but he cannot. The reactor collapses (in one of the cooler scenes in the movie).

Move to present day where the action really starts. The son is all grown up and in the Navy. The father has not been able to get over his wife’s death and continues to investigate what happen. I won’t give away all the plot but sufficient to say son goes to Japan. Father and son explore quarantined area around the reactor. Find out there is no radiation. The MUTO is being hidden here. MUTO hatches. MUTO can fly! Father dies from wounds when MUTO escapes. MUTO heads to Hawaii. Then all of a sudden along comes Godzilla.

MUTO one lands in Hawaii. Godzilla comes along and fights MUTO at airport. But wait there’s more

There’s another MUTO that’s kept in Nevada. This MUTO a female wakes up (that’s the reason for the strange readings they were communicating with each other). Everybody including the military and the son head for San Francisco. Climatic battle ensures. And that’s all you’ll get from me. I will say pay close attention to when Godzilla is about to breath fire so very cool. And the last time he breathes fire is really cool.

The effects are amazing. The MUTOs are really rather creepy. Godzilla is amazing right down to his roar. In fact the monsters are more interesting than the people. Wish there had been more fighting. San Francisco is of course destroyed. Does Godzilla kill both MUTOs? Does Godzilla live to fight another day? Go and see the movie and find out.

I had a couple of problems. Like I said too much time with people. The story lines should have been simplified. One too many subplots. Lots of good actors without a whole lot to do.

But in all a fun film to go to.

Now a little about when I went to see the film. I went to the 9:30 am showing on Saturday. I got to the multiplex which is in Georgetown around 9. There were a couple of people there. The doors were locked. I even tried a couple. A few more people show up. It gets to be about 9:10. I can see that there are people in there but still the doors aren’t open. So I try some of the doors. There are probably at least six sets of double doors. Only one is open. And only one of the doors of the set works.

We go into the lobby area. A person who I can only assume is a manager says to us they aren’t open until 9:30. I say you have three movies starting at 9:30. Then she says they open at 9:15. I think she thought we were going to go back outside but we didn’t. Finally at 9:15, they start selling tickets.

The strange thing is they hadn’t even started popping the pop corn when we came in. I go in and take my seat. The theater is empty. It turned out I had a private screening. No else came in. And that was damn cool.