The Scene in Cloverfield when the Tanks show up and we get our first glimps at the monsters face is one of the all time great moments in Giant Monster movie history.... That was the scene that more then anything in the new Godzilla film captured what a Godzilla film should feel like IMO... Those tanks start firing.. that foot comes down... Monster shrieks... Hud is screaming for his life... Just great stuff.
Having said that.... Godzilla had some great moments.... But Cloverfield had the tone and was the overall better film.... It kills me to say that as a Godzilla fan.
Speaking of Being a Godzilla fan... I find myself reading negative reviews and I want to come to the films defence because it's Godzilla but then I realize I agree with half of what is said