Godzilla

TITLE: Godzilla (2014 version)

GENRE: Monster Sci-Fi

RATING: PG-13 for language and disaster-style violence

GRADE: Pass

If you hear the name Godzilla, you can expect the movie he’s associated with to be all about mass destruction. He’s a multi-story tall monster with other multi-story tall monsters to contend with. And when they fight, they’ll take the entire world with them if they have to. Entire cities will fall into piles of rubble and their people will either be displaced or brutally murdered by these gigantic warriors. Even America’s military is powerless against these monsters despite having nuclear weapons at their disposal and tanks that would otherwise knock over entire buildings.

This extreme feeling of hopelessness is paramount in creating a disaster movie of any kind. The lower your chances for survival, the more amazing it’s going to be when you finally achieve your goals. We all know most movies will end happily. What we don’t know is how and why. Even with the biggest guns and the most destructive bombs, it’s not enough. So how else can the world combat these multiple giants? Seems impossible, right? It just might be. If you’re made to believe it is, then the movie you’re watching will become much more entertaining.

Aside from the extreme violence and mass destruction, Godzilla has also been praised for having a memorable storyline, particularly as it relates to the Brody family’s strong bond. In the beginning, Dr. Joe Brody is determined to contain the moth-like monster he has imprisoned in a nuclear reactor. He’s so dedicated to his work it interferes with his ability to sleep at night. Fifteen years later, Joe’s son Ford joins the military and has his own battle to fight: civilian life with his wife and child. The love and dedication the Brody family shows for each other is a beautiful thing. Their love is so strong not even monsters as tall as a skyscraper can keep them apart. They will fight for each other to keep from being bubblegum on the bottom of Godzilla’s foot.

The last thing I’m going to touch on deals with the movie’s pace. As with books, I also enjoy a fast pace when it comes to movies and TV shows. Godzilla has a slow pace and it doesn’t bother me one bit. With a rich storyline and brutal destruction rolled into one neat little package, a slow and stalking pace shouldn’t bother the people who watch this movie. You’ll get your chance to be on the edge of your seat. Don’t think of this movie as being slower than a snail crawling through peanut butter. Think of it as slow torture for your mind. Picture your face being scraped across the concrete ground for two-plus hours. The only difference is it won’t hurt your brain; it will hurt your soul. Badly!

I gave this movie a passing grade and you will too. If you’re not like me and you use a letter system, you’ll probably put enough pluses next to that A to make a novel out of your grade. Although, I don’t recommend you actually do that, because then it really WILL be like slow torture (for your brain, not for your soul). Enjoy the show!