Damn.
Godzilla is perhaps the most anticipated film of the year, and let me tell you one thing: The hype has paid off. This is one of the greatest audiovisual events you can bear witness to this year. A tour de force of sound, visuals, and character.
Godzilla is about Lieutenant Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is the son of a nuclear physicist and a US Navy technician. He eventually winds up working with Japanese and American military and scientific leaders to fend off a Kaiju attack. That's about it, really, but the arguably thin plot doesn't even slightly drag down this film. In a monster movie such as this, it's important to be in awe of the monster, and this film definitely succeeds in that regard. These creatures are forces of nature, with a power that can't be stopped by man.
Godzilla is a sort of slow-burning thriller in its first two acts. The characters are introduced and built up, and each of them is compelling in their own right. Even if the narrative isn't much, the characters more than make up for it. They are a major source of drama in the film. There are a number of powerful scenes to be given from how the monsters' attack affects the characters. This is a major source of emotional investment in the film. It's this human drama that keeps the film grounded and makes the slow build-up of tension work.
The film is paced very effectively. Much of the film is dedicated to building up the eventual action scene, and at that it's very effective. Mounting tension exists throughout, which leads to a very satisfying climax. The film takes itself fairly seriously, and it's definitely tense enough to justify such a tone. Perhaps a better narrative might have allowed for the self-seriousness to amount to more than just tension, but for the time being, tension is enough.
But what's most relevant is the wonderful audiovisual elements. First of all, the movie looks gorgeous. The computer graphics are excellent alone, meshing pretty well with the live sets and actors. The monsters are impressive, possessing a large presence and a fitting amount of menace. Meanwhile, the cinematography is simply brilliant. Shots are framed spectacularly, consistently giving a great view of the photogenic landscapes. In particular, the typical ruin is shot and styled very impressively. The film operates largely in slow pans to give a good view of the carnage, and this works very well to match the film's atmosphere.
Not to be outdone, the sound is also excellent. While the movie is indeed often loud, the noise is always where it should be, and can shake a cinema. The IMAX enhances the sound on a level that is beneficial to the film, where you feel the pounding footsteps and loud roars just as much as hear them. Often, the sound will cut at just the right time to leave you in awe and terror of the great creatures on screen. Also of note is the brilliant soundtrack, which stands as one of the best scores I've heard this year. Pounding drums and soaring melodies make even the least of the movie's scenes epic.
If this movie had flaws, they didn't detract from my enjoyment of the movie. Every moment of Godzilla is excellent, and as far as summer popcorn flicks go, this is the top of the pack. Maybe next time we can get something more thematically resonant, but until then this will do.
9/10
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