What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

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What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by NewBloodGodz »

Despite the split in the fandom over this film, myself included, no one can truly argue that there weren't some good points. So this thread is to pick apart what people enjoyed about the film. To start off, I enjoyed Godzilla's design, his roar and his atomic breath being kept. Bryan Cranston's scenes were great, and despite the teases, when Godzilla is onscreen, he feels like a God from another age. The camera work was very in line with keeping the perspectives of making him look big, and massive. I loved that he survived at the end and the Kiss of Death fatality.

Anything anyone would like to add, you may fire away.

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by All_Humans_Must_Die »

the MUTOs, personally these two were my favorite characters in the movie because of how much personality was put into them both for example when the two finally met/reunited and when the nest was destroyed and the female started "crying". Although they may be the "antagonist" kaiju but technically they aren't really evil, they were just doing what they've always did for centuries. Finally their design, its rather simple but it looks so strange with the insectoid limbs, leathery wings, having no eyes, and because all of this is on a vertebrate its one of the things I find about these two so interesting.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by Mr. Xeno »

Bryan Cranston, and everything related to him. Best actor, best performance, best character, best story.
The special effects were pretty good. There was no moment where I thought, "God(zilla), that looks like shit!"
The build-up in many scenes are, for the most part, pretty intense.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by FalconZ »

I loved how they made Godzilla the hero at the end. I would've hated it if it were a movie about Godzilla just rampaging and getting killed by the military.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by morgoth »

-All the scenes with Bryan Cranston, pretty much the first 40 minutes.
-The muto in general; I love the design.
-The final battle
-The HALO jump.
-The male muto hatch
-The airport scene (even though we didn't see the showdown)
- The kiss of death
-The male muto tail whack death
- The first use of the atomic breath.
-The female muto train attack.
- The end; I know many people here thought it was cringe worthy, but I got a kick out of it.
-Elizabeth Olsen's pretty face.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by BlankAccount »

-The Mutos. They really feel like they belong in the Toho family and just kaiju genera in general. They also made a great tag team and were very good at melee combat.
-The charge of the atomic breath and the sound, you can just feel it's power growing and there is lightning behind Godzilla as he charges, possibly magnetizing the air? Must investigate further.
-Kiss of Death. What can I say other than FATALITY.
-Godzilla's sumo combat skills. It was nice reminder of Showa Godzilla's boxing while still being it's own thing.
- Armor, it gave this Godzilla his own identity while not seeming out of place.
-Heavy weight Godzilla. Everyone keeps going about his height which really isn't that much taller than Heisei or GFW but I like that we finally have a heavyweight Godzilla, the past versions or usually mid-weight or light weight (as far as monsters go).
-Stealth monsters. Several times the monsters, despite their sizes, sneak up to people and each other without them knowing it. Plus I got a chuckle when it failed the one time as the male Muto spotted him in the harbor when he was trying to sneak up.

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by TetsukiGroudon »

I like the monster aspect of this film. And the cinematography was awesome. Some characters easily have the potential to be very interesting.

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by BlankAccount »

Now that I think about it, I wonder how much heavier the Legendary versions of Mothra, Rodan, and Ghidorah will be.

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by PRIMEVAL »

Living Corpse wrote:Now that I think about it, I wonder how much heavier the Legendary versions of Mothra, Rodan, and Ghidorah will be.
Probably a few 10 thousand tons, I think.

:P

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by Tyrant_Lizard_King »

Cranston, Godzilla, Godzilla killing the female Muto, the beam charge scene, Godzilla's big reveal, Um, that's about it I guess.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by Noble Saber »

- Opening credits
- Bryan Cranston
- Janjira plant sequence
- M.U.T.O. escape sequence
- Hawaii fight sequence
- Godzilla's introduction
- Nevada sequence
- Admiral Stentz/Stentz's introduction
- Dr. Serizawa
- That shot of Godzilla rising out of the water being reflected in the school bus
- HALO Jump sequence
- San Francisco fight
- Godzilla's roar and design
- M.U.T.Os

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by BlankAccount »

Tyrant_Lizard_King wrote:Cranston, Godzilla, Godzilla killing the female Muto, the beam charge scene, Godzilla's big reveal, Um, that's about it I guess.
Eh, tail crush on the Male Muto was cool.

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by UltramanGoji »

Godzilla's scenes, Cranston's scenes, set design, opening credits, effect shots (not just monster scenes) were all pretty cool.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by Gerdzerl »

Living Corpse wrote:Now that I think about it, I wonder how much heavier the Legendary versions of Mothra, Rodan, and Ghidorah will be.
Well, I suppose I could try and make some (fairly reasonable) estimates based on previous weight ratios.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For Mothra:

Showa era Godzilla's weight of 20,000 metric tons / 1964 Showa era Imago Mothra's weight of 15,000 metric tons = 1.33333333

Showa era Godzilla's weight of 20,000 metric tons / 1964 Showa era Larva Mothra's weight of 10,000 metric tons = 2

Showa era Godzilla's weight of 20,000 metric tons / 1968 Showa era Larva Mothra's weight of 8,000 metric tons = 2.5

Heisei era Godzilla's weight of 60,000 metric tons / 1992 Heisei era Larva Mothra's weight of 15,000 metric tons = 4

Heisei era Godzilla's weight of 60,000 metric tons / 1992 Heisei era Imago Mothra's weight of 20,000 metric tons = 3

GMK Godzilla's weight of 30,000 metric tons / GMK Larva Mothra's weight of 10,000 metric tons = 3

GMK Godzilla's weight of 30,000 metric tons / GMK Imago Mothra's weight of 15,000 metric tons = 2

Kiryu Saga Godzilla's weight of 25,000 metric tons / Kiryu Saga Larva Mothra's weight of 9,000 metric tons = 2.77777778

Kiryu Saga Godzilla's weight of 25,000 metric tons / Kiryu Saga Imago Mothra's weight of 12,000 metric tons = 2.08333333333

Final Wars Godzilla's weight of 55,000 metric tons / Final Wars Imago Mothra's weight of 25,000 metric tons = 2.2


Legendary Godzilla weighs 90,000 metric tons.

90,000 metric tons / 1.33333333 = 67,500.0001687 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 2 = 45,000 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 2.5 = 36,000 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 4 = 22,500 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 3 = 30,000 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 2.77777778 = 32,399.9999741 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 2.08333333333 = 43,200.0000001 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 2.2 = 40,909.0909091 metric tons
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For Rodan:

Showa era Godzilla's weight of 20,000 metric tons / Showa era Rodan's weight of 15,000 metric tons = 1.33333333

Final Wars Godzilla's weight of 55,000 metric tons / Final Wars Rodan's weight of 30,000 metric tons = 1.83333333333

Heisei era Godzilla's weight of 60,000 metric tons / Heisei era Rodan's weight of 16,000 metric tons = 3.75


Legendary Godzilla weighs 90,000 metric tons.

90,000 metric tons / 1.33333333 = 67,500.0001687 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 1.83333333333 = 49,090.909091 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 3.75 = 24,000 metric tons
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For King Ghidorah:

Keizer Ghidorah's weight of 100,000 metric tons / Final Wars Godzilla's weight of 55,000 metric tons = 1.81818181818

Showa era King Ghidorah's weight of 30,000 metric tons / Showa era Godzilla's weight of 20,000 metric tons = 1.5

Mecha-King Ghidorah's weight of 80,000 metric tons / Heisei era Godzilla's weight of 60,000 metric tons = 1.33333333333

GMK Godzilla's weight of 30,000 metric tons / GMK King Ghidorah's weight of 25,000 metric tons = 1.2

Heisei era King Ghidorah's weight of 70,000 metric tons / Heisei era Godzilla's weight of 60,000 metric tons = 1.16666667


Legendary Godzilla weighs 90,000 metric tons.

90,000 metric tons x 1.81818181818 = 163,636.363636 metric tons

90,000 metric tons x 1.5 = 135,000 metric tons

90,000 metric tons x 1.33333333333 = 120,000 metric tons

90,000 metric tons x 1.16666667 = 105,000.0003 metric tons

90,000 metric tons / 1.2 = 75,000 metric tons
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by Pkmatrix »

Can I just say "everything"? :lol:

- I love the performances and the characters in this movie. Bryan Cranston as Joe Brody is everyone's favorite, sure, but I really liked Ken Watanabe, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, and David Strathairn too. I really hope they bring Serizawa, Graham, and Stenz back for the sequel! I also liked Aaron Taylor Johnson as Ford. I've never understood all the complaints about his performance, it was absolutely fine to me and fit the character. He was a positive for the movie, not a negative!

- Godzilla and the MUTOs were great! I loved how expressive all three were. ^_^ The MUTOs themselves were great characters and a lot of fun to watch, the filmmakers did a great job taking what could've easily been brainless killing machines and making them sympathetic. The two finally meeting is one of the most adorable and unexpectedly heartwarming scenes in a Giant Monster movie, and Femuto's despair over her dead children is heartbreaking. Easily some of the best Giant Monster performances put to film!

- The opening credits sequence is brilliant and one of my favorites in the whole genre. So much backstory crammed into just a few minutes! Plus, the incredible visual of Godzilla at Castle Bravo. :D

- I love the whole concept of Serizawa and Graham exploring inside the skeleton of a Giant Monster. Great idea and very well executed!

- I like the quick glimpse into Ford and Elle's home life. It was a nice quiet sequence that let us reground ourselves before the monsters started coming out to wreck the world again.

- Abandoned Janjira. Great visual and a cool sequence!

- The Hokmuto's hatching and escape is a great action sequence, well-paced, suspenseful, and exciting as hell. ^_^

- Everything in Hawaii! I just love the whole Hawaii sequence, from start-to-finish. Great set up, very suspenseful, and a great payoff in Godzilla's first real entrance. Despite all the whining about cutaways, I love that they cut away from the fight and only show it in the background on TV in the next scene. Wonderful use of mood whiplash and juxtaposition! :D

- I thought having the Navy surround and more or less escort Godzilla was inspired, and a cool visual that we've never had before. Of course he wouldn't care about them! As far as he's concerned, they ships are like the whales and fish that probably already follow him around.

- Serizawa and Stenz conversation about using the Bomb and Serizawa's watch is probably my favorite exchange in the whole movie.

- The train crossing. What a cool scene! Yeah, the whole train transport subplot is entirely superfluous and probably could've been cut down a lot, but it's worth it just for Ford's encounter with Femuto. ^_^

- The whole final act in San Francisco is just filled with moments that I loved: the Golden Gate Bridge sequence, the MUTOs meeting, the fight, the HALO jump, Femuto's remorse and rage over Ford killing her kids, Godzilla killing Hokmuto and getting squashed by a skyscraper (I love his look of, "Well, crap." right before it falls on him), the Kiss of Death, Ford's rescue and the bomb going off. Just great all-around. ^_^

- The very end, with Godzilla slipping back into the ocean and everything become so calm before cutting to credits. It gave the whole thing a great sense of finality, like an exclamation mark to the whole movie. ^_^

I should stop here, otherwise I'll just keep going and going and going...

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by kamilleblu »

Likes:
-Godzilla's Return
-Cinematography
-Kiss of Death
-Joe Brody
-Intimacy between Ford and his wife (we don't get that too often and Olsen was looking nice in that scene)
Pkmatrix wrote:-snip-
Which actually reminds me. Not to kill the mood, though I had a few questions about some of the things you mentioned:

- If the nuclear tests done by the United States were actually attempts to kill Godzilla, how long did it take to get rid of him? The tests continued beyond the 1950s. Also, if all it took was one nuclear submarine to draw Godzilla to the surface, how were other monsters not attracted after all those tests. That's counting only the United States, what of all the other nations that went nuclear and started testing bombs? Were all these attempts to kill their own monster or were the simply tests? Either way, it raises the the question 1)why didn't other monsters appear or 2)if these were efforts to kill other monsters, how did this information not leak to the public? In a world where Pearl Harbor and 9/11 happened, I find it difficult to accept that every government kept their monsters perfectly secret. Remember, there is supposed to be hordes of monsters in hibernation. Yet nothing got for six decades, this timeline matched ours until 2014. The only reason I'm harping on this is because they changed Godzilla's traditional origin for this and it's supposed to be realistic.

- Why didn't the military fly the nukes to San Francisco (they eventually had to do this) or transport them from different directions?

- Godzilla spent most of the film ignoring humans, even allowing them to travel across the ocean with him. Furthermore, he went out of his way to avoid confrontation with humans. How is he "the punishment we deserve?"

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by Pkmatrix »

kamilleblu wrote:Which actually reminds me. Not to kill the mood, though I had a few questions about some of the things you mentioned:

- If the nuclear tests done by the United States were actually attempts to kill Godzilla, how long did it take to get rid of him? The tests continued beyond the 1950s. Also, if all it took was one nuclear submarine to draw Godzilla to the surface, how were other monsters not attracted after all those tests. That's counting only the United States, what of all the other nations that went nuclear and started testing bombs? Were all these attempts to kill their own monster or were the simply tests? Either way, it raises the the question 1)why didn't other monsters appear or 2)if these were efforts to kill other monsters, how did this information not leak to the public? In a world where Pearl Harbor and 9/11 happened, I find it difficult to accept that every government kept their monsters perfectly secret. Remember, there is supposed to be hordes of monsters in hibernation. Yet nothing got for six decades, this timeline matched ours until 2014. The only reason I'm harping on this is because they changed Godzilla's traditional origin for this and it's supposed to be realistic.
I think at least some of these are going to be dealt with by the sequel. If we're to go by the tie-in comic, then the nuclear tests DID revive more than just Godzilla and MONARCH has spent most of the last 60 years covering it up. Remember, this storyline is using the secret history/conspiracy plot angle, which by standard Hollywood logic is enough to explain how/why the public never found out (the bits in the opening credits suggest some of it did leak and people outside did try to spread word, but were probably just disregarded by the public as crackpots).
kamilleblu wrote:- Why didn't the military fly the nukes to San Francisco (they eventually had to do this) or transport them from different directions?
In-story, they wanted to make sure Femuto was following and probably were worried that flying it far enough ahead that the plane wouldn't lose power was too far. That's why they resorted to an analog train and analog trigger mechanism. IRL, probably because the writers really wanted to do that scene on the bridge and needed to kill time, getting the script up to length (otherwise, you could've jumped straight from the Hawaii sequence to San Francisco with no in-between).

As I said, while I very much like the train bridge sequence, the whole subplot is really unnecessary and I think the movie probably could be improved with it removed. Unfortunately, the way Hollywood is nowadays, studios are hesitant to release 90 minute Blockbusters - anything less than 120 minutes is seen as "too short" and not justifying the expense. It's a good but ultimately unnecessary sequence.
kamilleblu wrote:- Godzilla spent most of the film ignoring humans, even allowing them to travel across the ocean with him. Furthermore, he went out of his way to avoid confrontation with humans. How is he "the punishment we deserve?"
I've several times disagreed that Godzilla went out of his way to avoid confrontation, so I won't get into that again. Unless I'm misremembering, no one in the film said he was "the punishment we deserve" but instead it was basically that he was there to set the balance. The line you're thinking of was just advertising bluster that you really should not have taken seriously, no moreso than ads for every other movie claiming it is the "Best Movie of the Year!"

He is not the punishment we deserve. He was never supposed to be.

Which, actually, is a point I should add to the list of things I like about this movie. :)

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

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Pkmatrix wrote:-snip-
I've been judging it as a standalone film, because that's allegedly how Gareth handled the project. Even if the sequels were already in mind before their announcement, that's not exactly a valid excuse for the amount of issues with the story. Previous Godzilla origin stories/reboots like G54, Return of Godzilla, and Godzilla 2000 stand on their own. Though G14 asks you to believe MONARCH handled the monster situation perfectly for six decades. No monster ever reached civilian grounds? Governments can barely contain their own citizens. Look at how easy the situation escalated in G14, which was with apparently sixty years of experience handling giants. No actual specialized technology to deal with them? Look at the technological advancements during the Space Age. Legendary is really stretching it. And the comic doesn't count, it can be disregarded at any moment by the filmmakers and I've heard that it contradicts things shown/stated in the film. Lastly, a film should be able to stand on its own merits and not require books to cleanup sloppy writing.

Even if Godzilla isn't the punishment we deserve (which if I remember correctly came directly out of Gareth's own mouth/false advertisement?), I still fail to see how this interpretation "restored the character's glory" as some like to claim. Legendary divorced him from his man-made origins. We hold no responsibility for his existence and the opening credits implies that he or other monsters appeared before the nuclear age. The destruction of the U.S.S. Maine occurred in 1898. Furthermore, we went unpunished for our reckless use of super weapons and now said actions can either be viewed as heroic or acts of self-defense. And at best meaningless, since they failed to destroy Godzilla. Or were they serious with the god comparisons, that we can do little to these giants and simply happen to be in their way? Our actions literally mean nothing? People complain about the late Showa Era ruining the character, though that version of the monster didn't muddy his history. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind an anti-hero or hero. I just think Legendary made a mess of an origin story compared to what came before.

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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by morgoth »

The haters high-jacked this thread too, I guess.
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Re: What DID you like about Godzilla 2014?

Post by All_Humans_Must_Die »

morgoth wrote:The haters high-jacked this thread too, I guess.
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