Oh, I don't know...
Posted on 05/17/2014 7:59:48 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
The new Godzilla is out, and while I'm not the biggest fan I saw it last night and enjoyed it.
Some dissapointing statements were made by the filmmaker about the film being about climate change. Seeing the film, I don't understand how he would make that connection other than to score Hollywood points. That isn't what it is about. The original film was about the destructive power of the atomic bomb, and the beliefs that despite our technological arrogance, nature was still in control. This is the opposite of saying that emitting some carbon dioxide can destroy the Earth. Happily, this film stays with the original theme that nature is in control.
The previous American try at a Godzilla film was a disaster, and like a diehard Denver Bronco fan when the team makes it to the championship, fans were happy someone was making this new one, but worried it would be another disaster. The filmmakers knew this too of course, but made some good choices, and even some risky choices that turned out well. Good choices in that it follows the original faithfully, and risky in that it makes some of the same choices the 1998 film did, but executes them a whole lot better. By that I mean both films had human stories as the primary focus instead of just a monster smashing stuff.
What makes the difference between the 1998 failure and this movie is two events that happened in between, the Fukushima earthquake and meltdown, and the world trade center attacks. Both events have had profound effects on the people affected and by everyone in the countries hit. And where the 1998 film chose a lighthearted, don't take this seriously path, this one treats the monsters and their destruction as real disasters on the scale of 9/11. The humans don't go for comic relief, they are real people making realistic choices to stay alive, just as we have seen in the real disasters.
This film is about Fukushima and 9/11 as much as the original was about the atom bomb. It could not have been made before those events, and looking back, that explains the 1998 film perfectly. 1998 was simply too frivolous a time to make a Godzilla film.
Well it didn’t really make sense that the Japanese scientist knew Godzilla would take care of the other monsters.
I read where the director stated that Godzilla ignores humans in this film or pays them no attention because he is on one mission.........going after his natural enemy.
The Professional is a very special movie.
Yeah, I read that, too. It just looked intentional to me.
Godzilla could have easily plowed through all of those Navy ships toward his target, yet stopped and went under them (More or less).
SPOILER: I thought the military was portrayed well. They didn't waste time once they found out what they were dealing with, they formulated a nuclear attack right away. Everything after that was to execute that plan. Think back to the occasions when they were using small arms. They knew it would not be effective, they were distracting the monsters from something else, like civilians or the boat.
However I believe Godzilla caused lots of havoc anyway. He causes a huge tsunami, that devastates Honolulu.
Oh, I don't know...
Definitely a crazy person.
Oh well there’s always Godzilla II or III coming down the pike.
Thank you.
I noticed that too. I think they portrayed it deliberately ambiguously, you can interpret it any way you want.
I was wondering if they’d go that route.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the ‘90s Gamera movies, but they kinda did the same thing:
Gamera awakens and starts hunting down the Gyaos monsters around the world, occasionally saving a person or two.
So, how was the music in Godzilla?
IMDB says that Godzilla’s made the most on opening day for 2014.
http://www.imdb.com/news/ni57195493/?ref_=hm_nw_tp_t1
If it keeps up, there will be a sequel.
I thought the monster sounds were good. I’ll have to describe the music as “not memorable.”
AH! Okay.
Thank you.
The fukishima tsunami didn’t have any particular animosity or love of the Japanese, it just did what it did. Same with these monsters mostly. Occasionally they could get a monster’s attention, but usually with poor results.
Thank you. No, I don’t post on Rotten Tomatoes, this is the only place I post.
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Hollywood just keeps on reminding us why we should stop going to see their stupid films.
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