There wasn't enough Godzilla in the 2014 film. I'll be fine with over-correction. LOL
I don't care what the critics think - I'm looking forward to a monster movie where the monsters are the story. LOL
"My superpower? I'm irresistible to women." Gambit- ANXF #9
Gambit's kittens: Oliver, Lucifer and Figaro: Oliver and Company.
I really like the shout out to long time fans with new arrangements of the original musical themes from the 1950s/60s Toho films:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qBvXSv2qoY
Bam! I finished my re-watch of all 34 films in the Godzilla series. Seeing number 35 in the theater tomorrow!
^ Christ, no! Delivering a list like that would be torture to create. I'll give you a top 10 out of the 34 in chronological order of release, though
Godzilla '54
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Invasion of Astro Monster
Son of Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Gigan
Godzilla vs. Biollante
Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-out Attack
Shin Godzilla
The hardest ones to place in there for me were King Kong vs. Godzilla and GMK; those spots were almost Ebirah, Hedorah, Mechagodzilla 74, and even The Return of Godzilla (not a terrific movie, but I just dig the mood of it so much). My favorites range from the most serious and somber to the silliest and most... cheap! I'm a big believer that the original series is far superior to what came after, largest because they were always trying new things and doing weird stuff. Plus, Ishiro Honda and Jun Fukuda are just better directors than the crop of people since then, and special effects directors like Eiji Tsuburaya and Teroyoshi Nakano create such interesting and memorable images that newer movies, even with substantial improvements in special effects technology, have trouble outshining.
People complained about a lack of Godzilla in 2014. It is absolutely remedied in this one. Now they are still complaining. Look, the film isn't entirely perfect. But if you just want to kick back and see giant monsters pummeling each other? This is the movie for you.
Anyway, I went, I saw, and I loved it.
spoilers:end of spoilers
We have different factions all with different agendas - the military wants to destroy the monsters; Monarch wants to preserve them; and the rogue group lead by Charles Dance wants to set them free in order to reduce the human population as they believe we are the "infection" destroying the planet via overpopulation and taxing of resources.
Mothra is being studied at a Monarch containment site. This is where we are introduced to Famiga and Brown's characters. It is revealed via a flashback to 2014 that the Russell family were caught up in the events of the first film. It resulted in the loss of their son, which caused the family to break down and separate. Farmiga throws herself into trying to come up with a device to help control the Titans. While Chandler's character turns to studying wolves in the wild.
Everything hinges on a device called Orca. Which allows humans to communicate with the titans by tapping into their echolocation frequencies. It is this device that everyone ends up fighting over. It is seized by Dance's group. Who kill everyone and take Farmiga and Brown's characters hostage. Mothra hatches and escapes to cocoon herself. They proceed to the Antarctic where Monster Zero (Ghidorah) is located. He is set free by Farmiga's character (who is revealed to in cahoots with Dance's group in the process.)
Monarch tracks down Chandler's character and ask his help in finding his wife. He then discovers that she rebuilt the Orca. As they originally created it together. But it was never meant to be used/weaponized. He harbours resent towards Godzilla and believes that Monarch should be destroying the titans. Nevertheless, he agrees to join them in an effort to rescue his daughter and wife. They eventually discover that Godzilla is awakened by Ghidorah's impending revival. They follow him to the Antarctic and engage Dance's group in a skirmish before they get away during Godzilla and Ghidorah's first fight. Ghidorah flees after throwing Godzilla into the pit it came from.
The other titans are awakened by the Orca device and not as a reaction to Ghidorah. Rodan is set free from the volcano. Which is another Monarch containment site. Monarch goes there to stop Dance's group and help in a mass evacuation. Dance's group is not there, instead they are bouncing the Orca's frequency via satellites. They aren't there. Instead, they are in Boston. Rodan and Ghidorah fight. But Rodan is outclassed by Ghidorah. Godzilla catches up and engages Ghidorah again. Gaining the upper hand by dragging him underwater and fighting him there.
The Oxygen Destroyer is used by the military in an effort to kill Godzilla and Ghidorah. This affects lifeforms Indigenous to earth. It is via its use that Monarch learns Ghidorah is not from earth as he isn't affected by it. Thus they allude to his alien origins. With Godzilla believed dead, Ghidorah acts as the new Apex. His call spurs other Titans to awaken and begin causing mass destruction on a global scale.
Godzilla survives, but just barely. He flees to his "home" deep in the earth to heal by absorbing heat and radiation. His home is in sunken ruins of an ancient culture. Monarch tracks him there with help from Mothra and speed along his recovery by detonating a payload of nuclear warheads. This is the scene that depicts Ken Watanabe walking up steps and touches Godzilla fondly before setting the warheads off manually. Sacrificing himself in the process (which is pretty boss scene.)
Due to his sacrifice, Godzilla recognizes that Monarch is there to help him. He heads towards Ghidorah and a join force of Monarch and the military provided support.
Godzilla is supercharged and proceeds to attach Ghidorah with renewed vigor. Mothra joins the fight. But Rodan comes to Ghidorah's aid and begins to fight Mothra.
While they battle, the G-team (a modern spin on the G-force) go with Russell to find Madison. Who escaped from Dance's base near Boston and into the city. Farmiga also goes looking for Madison. Eventually she meets up with the G-team (who have learned about her true motives) and put their differences aside to save Madison. Whom they find at their old home.
Mothra beats Rodan. But is gravely injured. Godzilla is also overwhelmed by Ghidorah after the latter becomes supercharged by draining the city's electricity. Mothra engages Ghidorah, but is destroyed. Her "essence" falls onto Godzilla. Ghidorah grabs Godzilla and flies him up into the sky before letting go. Godzilla drops to the ground.
Madison is found and the group heads to the extraction point. But Farmiga takes the Orca device Madison built and lures Ghidorah away to give Godzilla a chance to catch his breath. He does and becomes superheated by the excess radiation he absorbed from the warheads. He then releases the energy in multiple pulses that burn Ghidorah to cinders. Only one head remains and Godzilla vaporizes it with his atomic breath. Thus preventing him from regenerating.
All the other titans arrive and encircle Godzilla. They all recognize him as the "king" and bow to him. Godzilla stands tall and lets out a roar in triumph.
We get multiple news stories highlighting how the earth has begun to rapidly recover in the wake of Godzilla's fight with Ghidorah.
The cinematography and direction are amazing. Same with the editing. But the score is the standout. The big reason I say that is is due to the fact it includes the famous Toho themes. Once the traditional Godzilla theme kicks in, it truly elevates the movie. I literally had goosebumps.
The problems, which are minor, lie mostly with the acting (Bradley Whitford seems annoyed to be there) and script (some of the dialogue falls flat.) Certain threads are left hanging, but those are there to be picked up in further films.
In the end, these films are meant to be big on spectacle and excitement. We all just want to see monster on monster slugfests and this film provides both in spades.
Last edited by Somecrazyaussie; 05-30-2019 at 03:21 AM.
Just got back from seeing this. Trailer completely lied to audiences. There were no monsters at all. I wouldn't even call it a monster movie. Movie starts out somewhere in the middle east(not shown in trailer!) and Will Smith shows up out of nowhere. Then the whole rest of the movie is about this thief who finds a lamp and ends up falling for a princess. And there's musical numbers too. Completely disgraceful. Godzilla creators will be rolling in their graves.
I'm going to start an online petition and a boycott.
There's an after credits end scene, so stay put for that.
spoilers:end of spoilers
Fishermen find King Ghidorah's head and show it to the Charles Dance character, asking if he wants it. He says he'll take it.
I actually guessed that in Godzilla vs. Kong (spoiler tags in case its true) spoilers:end of spoilers. Now if this is what happened in the Toho series, ok, I only remember watching maybe a handful of them as a kid if even that. But "that monster" is coming, IMO.
After the titular fight both monsters would team up to fight Mecha Godzilla. The after credits scene, to me, means they'll put King Ghidorah's head on a robot body and he'll become Mecha Godzilla.
I really wish I could be in attendance for the movie once it hits Japan. This movie really is a love letter to the Toho films.
Some info on the various Titans from the novelization of the movie and other sources.
spoilers:end of spoilers
Not all made it into the movie but i suppose could show up later in a Director's Cut.
Serizawa states that 17 Titans have been found since Godzilla but it seems like way more than that.
Behemoth/Titanus Behemoth
Location: Tingua Preserve, Brazil
Monarch Outpost 58
Ghidorah/Monster Zero
Location: Antarctica
Monarch Outpost 32
Godzilla
Location: Castle Bravo, Bermuda
Monarch Outpost ??
Kong/Titanus Kong
Location: Skull Island, South Pacific
Monarch Outpost 33
Leafwings
Location: Skull Island, South Pacific
Monarch Outpost 33
Leviathan
Location: Loch Ness, Scotland
Monarch Outpost ??
Methuselah/Titanus Methuselah
Location: Munich, Germany
Monarch Outpost 67
Mokele-Mbembe/Titanus Mokele-Mbembe
Location: Jebel Barkal, Sudan
Monarch Outpost 75
Mothra/Titanus Mosura
Location: Yunnan Province, China
Monarch Outpost 61
MUTO
Location: Janjira, Japan
Monarch Outpost ??
Rodan
Location: Isla de Mara, Mexico
Monarch Outpost 56
Scylla/Titanus Scylla
Location: Sedona, Arizona, USA
Monarch Outpost 55
Typhon
Location: Unrevealed (possibly Greece)
Monarch Outpost ??
Undesignated Titan
Location: Indian Ocean
Classified Monarch Outpost
Note: Refered to as "Kraken" by Monarch personel
Unrevealed Titan (presumbaly Abaddon, from sources outside the novel)
Location: Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Monarch Outpost ??
Unrevealed Titan
Location: Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA
Monarch Outpost ??
Margygr
Location: Deceased, boby located at Castle Bravo
Note: Found in the Arctic after being killed by an unknown Titan
Jinshin-Mushi
Location: Deceased, boby located at Castle Bravo
MUTOs
Location: Deceased, boby located at Castle Bravo
2 Shinomura are mention being killed by Godzilla
Germany, Thailand and Wyoming all have Monarch Outpost presumably with Titans of there on.
Not mentioned in the novel by name. Comes from other sources.
Abaddon
Location: Cambodia
Monarch Outpost ???
Note: May have been seen on screen that Mark Russell was scanning through?
Baphomet
Location: Unknown
Monarch Outpost ???
Note: May have been seen on screen that Mark Russell was scanning through?
Bunyip
Location: Unknown, possibly Australia
Monarch Outpost ???
Note: Don't remember seeing any reference to him in the movie.
Sargon
Location: Mexico
Monarch Outpost ???
Note: May have been seen on screen that Mark Russell was scanning through?