GODZILLA (2014)

"Godzilla" is the latest film to feature the often-feared creature that awakens during a sea expedition in the 1950s. This film includes past events that lead up to Godzilla making his way to land, but it also adds a new chapter to the story. With just enough of the old and new, "Godzilla" is the perfect remake. Plot Summary As the opening credits scroll, a scene unfolds that shows the purposeful detonation of a nuclear bomb at Bikini Atoll, an atoll in the Marshall Islands. Immediately after the explosion, a dark figure emerges from the water. The film then jumps forward to the year 1999. Scientists Ishiro and Vivienne are summoned to examine a quarry in the Philippines, where a large skeleton and two eggs have been found. The pair quickly learns that one of the eggs hatched and an unknown creature escaped to the sea. Around the same time, a nuclear plant in Tokyo begins to experience heightened seismic activity. Plant manager Joe Brody sends a team underground to investigate the cause of the unusual occurrence. During the inspection, there is an explosion that causes the collapse of the plant and results in the death of the entire team, including Joe's wife. Several years later, Joe is caught trespassing on the same plant that has been quarantined since the explosion. Joe's son Ford arrives in Tokyo to help him in his quest to discover the cause of the explosion. However, the two men are quickly located by security and taken to a secret facility located in the ruined nuclear plant. There, the men observe a creature that is thought to be responsible for the destruction of the plant. Suddenly, a winged creature hatches from an egg and flies away, which causes the collapse of the facility. While trying to escape, Joe is killed. Determined to find out what his father was uncovering, Ford teams up with Vivienne and learns that the unidentified creature is somehow connected to Godzilla, an ancient creature that was awoken in the 1950s after a deep sea expedition. Joe, Vivienne and the rest of the team set out to capture the creatures that could potentially destroy entire cities. Cast Bryan Cranston and Aaron Taylor-Johnson provide the best performances in "Godzilla." Bryan Cranston, who plays Joe, transforms from a young scientist just doing his job to a man devastated by the loss of his wife and determined to find out why she died. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has the lead role in the film playing Ford. Taylor-Johnson adds just enough emotional turmoil to his character to highlight the reasons why he risks his life to stop strange and destructive creatures. The many supporting characters all enhance the film in various ways. Sally Hawkins, who plays Vivienne, and Elizabeth Olson, who plays Ford's wife, both appear as capable characters who balance out the largely male-dominated group involved in the investigation into the explosion. Film Analysis "Godzilla" strikes a great balance between focusing on emotionally driven characters and close family relationships in addition to the otherworldly creatures that are unleashed after many decades. The film stays true to previous films featuring Godzilla by beginning with the deep sea exploration that awakens Godzilla and the nuclear plant explosion that is a result of the other creatures escaping. The initial scenes are set in 1954, and then the time jumps to 1999. The time periods are clearly marked, and the transitions are very easy to follow. The final transition to the present day, which is when all of the major developments occur, provides a refreshing continuation of Godzilla's legacy. The focus on more than one creature makes the film very well-rounded and not solely focused on a team of investigators stopping Godzilla. The creatures are all very unique in appearance and are distinct from other deadly creatures featured in similar films. Godzilla's redesigned look is changed just enough that he appears to be even more threatening, but he is still recognizable. The winged creatures are fascinating to look at and have unique capabilities that make them appear at times to be more threatening than Godzilla. The special effects are breathtaking and flawless. From the nuclear explosions to the flying creatures, the screen is lit up with destruction that is both realistic and so large in scale that it is nearly unimaginable. The eggs hatching is one of the more fascinating scenes to watch in regard to the special effects. The creatures nearly obliterate the shell and emerge in a terrifying way. "Godzilla" combines elements of the many previous films, but it also adds a new chapter to the story. The focus on the effects of the explosion on Joe's family provides a human-centered element that contrasts well with the unidentified creatures and government cover-ups. From start to finish, "Godzilla" is entertaining to watch and delightfully terrifying.