By: Cynthia Ayala

Godzilla, the monster that has gathered many fans turning him into a cult classic monster, roars back into life in this new 2014 adaptation of the monster, in a film that mimics his origins but on a grander scale and intriguing story.

Directed by: Gareth Edwards

Screenplay by: Max Borenstein

Story by: David S. Goyer & Dave Callaham

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn & Bryan Cranston

Genre: Science fiction, Adventure, Action

Ford Brody, a Navy bomb expert, has just reunited with his family in San Francisco when he is forced to go to Japan to help his estranged father, Joe. Soon, both men are swept up in an escalating crisis when Godzilla, King of the Monsters, arises from the sea to combat malevolent adversaries that threaten the survival of humanity. The creatures leave colossal destruction in their wake, as they make their way toward their final battleground: San Francisco.

Now, this is Godzilla. This movie really does bring to life the original incarnation of Godzilla. Bringing back the classic design of Godzilla, this movie has brought back the man in the suit, while at the same time giving him a revamped looked. Additionally, this movie is not just about explosions and monsters fighting. Unlike it’s predecessors, this movie has a solid foundation of a story as it follows Ford Brody, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, a Naval bomb expert, who is caught in a battle between monsters. The movie does not automatically open up with the King of Monsters, but instead focuses on different monsters to build the story. The world is in a frantic state as these monsters converge in San Francisco.

There is an established story behind the monsters, a biological and scientific story here that makes the story of Godzilla worth the viewing. Not only that, but for long time fans of Godzilla, this movie returns to Godzilla to the monster fighting beast it has always been.

Stepping away from Godzilla the monster for a moment, let’s give a round of applause to the actors in the film! Perfectly cast, each one of them emanating the sheer urgency each of them has in order to give moviegoers a reason to care about more than Godzilla. As Ford Brody is trying to reach his family, losing his father in the process, there is his wife, Elle, played by Elizabeth Olsen, who is trying to hold herself together and survive as she sends her son off to be safe while having hope that she will be reunited with her husband.

As a whole, the casting works because each actor is able to facilitate the movement and the emotional strength within the movie.

Now, onto the special effects of the movie. They were mind-blowing! The special effects and the fight scene in the movie moved effortlessly. Usually when there is that much destruction within a movie, the scene tends to drag, but just when you think Godzilla has the monsters beat, something happens to deter his win while simultaneously moving the viewer to the edge of their seat. Because the scene shift from monster to human perspective, taking into account both battle fronts, the viewer is kept engrossed in the battle.

Now this is a Godzilla movie. ★★★½ (of out 4 ☆’s | A)