Legendary Pictures' GODZILLA - !!SPOILERS!!

[Biojex]

Good work, Jye. I've sent you my paypal info.

A Godzilla trilogy

 

[jnmx2000]

no, no. I was commenting on how Godzilla vs Destoroyah rips off quite a bit from ALIENS in the early parts of the film.

LOL that's what I get for not reading the whole thread. I know the scene where the army finds the little D's running around and they are using the motion sensor guns.

So I take it the next godzilla probably won't come out till 2017 at the earliest, possibly 2018. I was hoping for a 2016 film but not with Edwards doing star wars.

 

[Buttmunch]

Maybe Michael Bay will direct G2.

After the lack of monster fighting in this one, I'd actually be OK with that sadly. We don't seem to be getting the destroyer of worlds Godzilla now, so we might as well just let him and some monsters destroy the crap out of stuff. Like him or hate him, Bay can deliver on that.

I'm just afraid Edwards will ruin Boba Fett now. I don't need a 2 hour movie with 5 minutes of Fett with only 'suspense building' talk of him and quick glimpse of a cape fluttering around a corner. After the bait and switch he pulled with Godzilla, I'm not his biggest fan.

 

[GasparZizou]

I loved all the suspense and build up, it's exactly what the trailers set this movie to be and I don't feel the pay off was cheap, it was exactly what I expected, I only wish we got a bit more of an uncut monster fight, but other than that, I liked it.

 

[jye4ever]

Part of me wants to agree with BM.

But then I come to my senses.

I'm ok with GE returning, let me explain why.

This was only his 2nd movie, 1st big budget one.

Impressive work all things considering.

I believe its easier for GE to increase the action than it is for MB to comprehend structure and character.

I'm sure GE has read all the reviews and knows what he needs to improve upon.

 

[Biojex]

Michael Bay, no. Clean splosion action with a lot of people jumping in slow motion. I'd sooner see Edwards co-op this movie with Guillermo Del Toro. We'd rant and scream about Pacific Rim, but forget that the guy can craft a well rounded horror experience with substance too.

I'd bring in Snyder before I bring in Bay.

 

[Buttmunch]

Part of me wants to agree with BM.

But then I come to my senses.

I'm ok with GE returning, let me explain why.

This was only his 2nd movie, 1st big budget one.

Impressive work all things considering.

I believe its easier for GE to increase the action than it is for MB to comprehend structure and character.

I'm sure GE has read all the reviews and knows what he needs to improve upon.

I know exactly what you mean. With Bay we'd get zero decent story or acting, but we'd at least get our eye candy to the extreme. Maybe if Edwards and Bay teamed up. Let Bay handle the fights and Edwards can do everything else.

Cutting away from the fights nearly every time was just poor film making period. Godzilla gets a great introduction at the airport and they cut away? I mean, seriously, WTF. To me it almost felt like they just didn't have the budget for any real scenes until the end. And if that is the case, I supposed Edwards did the best with what he was given there. But if having so many Muto scenes robbed us of more Godzilla, than that was just a bad script choice. When the title character gets less screen time than an almost 5 year old, you have a serious problem. I mean you literally see Godzilla nearly in the trailers as much as you do in the film. Its that bad. And how many of those scenes in the trailer were DIFFERENT than what was in the movie. There was no Godzilla roaring at the subway doors closing for one. That means they wasted time/cost making misleading advertising shots instead of putting that towards actual screen time. I think that is my biggest complaint with the movie was that that advertising was so misleading. Many of the Godzilla shots in the trailer weren't even in the movie or were done differently in the end.

Even though I liked the film the second time around better because I knew what to expect, it didn't erase in my mind what we were SUPPOSED to get based on the trailers. I told myself after the Mandarin fiasco to not take anything for face value anymore, but I figured Godzilla being an agent of destruction was a safe bet. Boy was I wrong

And Del Toro... I love the guy's work, but that's only if it ever happens. I've been disappointed so many times with projects he's announced his doing for them to never come to pass (Haunted Mansion, Frankenstein, Hellboy 3?). I've stopped believing anything he says he's going to do until I see a trailer with footage for it. I'm still not even sure of the Strain will actually happen or not this summer

 

[Irvy]

No thanks I don't want Bay anywhere near Godzilla.

 

[GasparZizou]

Cutting away from the fights nearly every time was just poor film making period. Godzilla gets a great introduction at the airport and they cut away? I mean, seriously, WTF. To me it almost felt like they just didn't have the budget for any real scenes until the end. And if that is the case, I supposed Edwards did the best with what he was given there. But if having so many Muto scenes robbed us of more Godzilla, than that was just a bad script choice. When the title character gets less screen time than an almost 5 year old, you have a serious problem. I mean you literally see Godzilla nearly in the trailers as much as you do in the film. Its that bad. And how many of those scenes in the trailer were DIFFERENT than what was in the movie. There was no Godzilla roaring at the subway doors closing for one. That means they wasted time/cost making misleading advertising shots instead of putting that towards actual screen time. I think that is my biggest complaint with the movie was that that advertising was so misleading. Many of the Godzilla shots in the trailer weren't even in the movie or were done differently in the end.

Even though I liked the film the second time around better because I knew what to expect, it didn't erase in my mind what we were SUPPOSED to get based on the trailers.

Why bad film making? Some of the cutouts I kinda liked, I just think it should have had at least one full fight.

You really don't see Godzilla as much as in the trailers literally, unless you mean proportionally, then I guess you're right, but I expected exactly that, maybe a bit more Godzilla, but no Pacific Rim exposition.

I for one, am not against using different takes in the trailers, it prevents giving to much away in them.

As for what we were supposed to get, I don't quite understand that, do you mean solely the scenes and takes seen in trailers? Or do you mean tone and story? Because tone and story-wise the movie met my expectations to the full, I wanted a more mysterious Godzilla, barely visible except for some shots in difficult angles that took advantage of Godzilla's massive scale, and the sound cues to accompany those sightings were really genius.

Bottomline: IMO the trailers set my expectations in just the right way.

 

[Biojex]

I was fine with the trailer shot switch outs. It gave me a nice surprise in the theater, to where I didn't feel like I had seen too much in the trailer.

 

[RavenEye]

Ya know I find it hard to believe the commercials have more Godzilla now than what y'all said he was in movie... So in retrospect, I saw the movie through the commercials?

 

[MaulFan]

Exaggeration, one of the recent #1 spots is the first time any Godzilla vs muto footage has been shown and even that wasn't much, there's plenty that's not in trailers or tv spots.

 

[jye4ever]

I think GE was on to something with that kind of build up.

It makes me want to see the movie again.

 

[MaulFan]

I think GE was on to something with that kind of build up.

It makes me want to see the movie again.

I don't think his build up approach would be a problem if the human story engaged people enough to not care. I think part of the success in the past is that there's been no precedence for that particular character. Alien, JAWS, JP, Predator, etc., no one had any pre-conceived ideas for how much they'd see the creature, so there's no frustration if moments are cut short or glimpses brief.

With Godzilla, despite being a new take on him, there's 60 years and nearly 30 films to build an expectation of what you'll get, on top of movies like PR not holding back the creatures at all.

I'm not sure any human story could have been compelling enough to make people ignore that a fight was just cut off, I feel like many people went into the movie expecting fights. I don't know how they could have done it, but maybe it would have worked if no review, trailer or anything let you know another monster was in the movie. If people just expected Godzilla walking in, maybe the cut offs would have successfully built the desire for the payoff, or more successfully as I know for some it works.

I still applaud them for having the balls to do it, no matter how it worked out or not, I feel like movies today are too afraid to try things like that and just aim to cater as quickly as possible to the audience.

 

[greygoose]

The cut out's right before the fight scenes are either down to:

a) Budget issues

or

b) Edwards style of film making.

If it was budget issues than you can see why Edwards was hired for the job in the first place. If it was intentional by Edwards than it was a poor and lazy decision in my opinion.

 

[MaulFan]

Edwards wasn't hired to cheap out, he was hired because the visual style and the tone of his Monsters film and the way he made the human journey interesting felt right for Godzilla and I would agree, I really enjoy the film, it's not amazing but it captivated me, the main people were a couple nobodies but I found myself wanting to see where the journey went and the world they went through along the way was really well done.

It'll be interesting to see if I feel like Godzilla lives up to Monsters or if I feel like the MAGIC he captured there got lost. Considering he wrote, directed, shot and provided effects for Monsters all on his own, I'm sure working with writers and a studio was a different experience. Max Borenstein doesn't have much behind him for writing so perhaps the combo of a fresh director and writer didn't play out. According to Edwards, one of the main scenes worked on by Frank Darabont was the door shutting scene from the power plant, which by all accounts is one of the best scenes of the film, so maybe Borenstein wasn't the best for the project, maybe a more seasoned writer could have given Edwards something better to work with.

Monsters was a fairly simplistic film, not heavy on dialogue and such, so the dialogue and all was much different than you'd need in Godzilla with armies and civilians and all sorts of events taking place.

I do believe, even if Godzilla isn't up to the level of Monsters, Edwards will learn from the experience and grow, and maybe his time on Star Wars will allow him to come back to Godzilla with growth and experience to serve him.

Despite the financial success, I'm sure Edwards will take the criticisms as something to consider in the future because it's not just fanboys complaining about Godzilla's screen time use, true film critics have even said as much.

 

[JAWS]

The cut out's right before the fight scenes are either down to:

a) Budget issues

or

b) Edwards style of film making.

If it was budget issues than you can see why Edwards was hired for the job in the first place. If it was intentional by Edwards than it was a poor and lazy decision in my opinion.

Edwards has said he did it because too much fighting becomes over kill and boring. I tend to agree with that. I look at MOS as a great example of too much action becoming boring.

I don't think his build up approach would be a problem if the human story engaged people enough to not care. I think part of the success in the past is that there's been no precedence for that particular character. Alien, JAWS, JP, Predator, etc., no one had any pre-conceived ideas for how much they'd see the creature, so there's no frustration if moments are cut short or glimpses brief.

With Godzilla, despite being a new take on him, there's 60 years and nearly 30 films to build an expectation of what you'll get, on top of movies like PR not holding back the creatures at all.

I'm not sure any human story could have been compelling enough to make people ignore that a fight was just cut off, I feel like many people went into the movie expecting fights. I don't know how they could have done it, but maybe it would have worked if no review, trailer or anything let you know another monster was in the movie. If people just expected Godzilla walking in, maybe the cut offs would have successfully built the desire for the payoff, or more successfully as I know for some it works.

I still applaud them for having the balls to do it, no matter how it worked out or not, I feel like movies today are too afraid to try things like that and just aim to cater as quickly as possible to the audience.

For me I thought Godzilla was in the movie enough... I just wish that the "Human story" was better. Garth had all this talk of JAWS and CEOT3K and it did not even come close. With the exception of Bryan C None of the characters were interesting. ATJ was good when he got to play off of someone but they had him by himself for most of the film. Ken W was as wooden as ATJ as was the main General. The General's "This Alfa Predator of yours" coversation was as boring of a delivery as anything in the film.

Garth messed the Human story up and made the lack of Godzilla and the directing choices with the fights that much more apparent. If the scens cut to a character we loved it may not have been so jaring... Instead we are getting to something good and then BAM! We are stuck with characters we don't feel for, care about, or relate to.

I have said this before. Garth needed some kind of natural Humor in this film like JAWS, JP, and CEOT3K.. It would have helped us relate and have a better time during the "human" moments.

Still have to go see it again.

 

[JAWS]

Edwards wasn't hired to cheap out, he was hired because the visual style and the tone of his Monsters film and the way he made the human journey interesting felt right for Godzilla and I would agree, I really enjoy the film, it's not amazing but it captivated me, the main people were a couple nobodies but I found myself wanting to see where the journey went and the world they went through along the way was really well done.

It'll be interesting to see if I feel like Godzilla lives up to Monsters or if I feel like the MAGIC he captured there got lost. Considering he wrote, directed, shot and provided effects for Monsters all on his own, I'm sure working with writers and a studio was a different experience. Max Borenstein doesn't have much behind him for writing so perhaps the combo of a fresh director and writer didn't play out. According to Edwards, one of the main scenes worked on by Frank Darabont was the door shutting scene from the power plant, which by all accounts is one of the best scenes of the film, so maybe Borenstein wasn't the best for the project, maybe a more seasoned writer could have given Edwards something better to work with.

Monsters was a fairly simplistic film, not heavy on dialogue and such, so the dialogue and all was much different than you'd need in Godzilla with armies and civilians and all sorts of events taking place.

I do believe, even if Godzilla isn't up to the level of Monsters, Edwards will learn from the experience and grow, and maybe his time on Star Wars will allow him to come back to Godzilla with growth and experience to serve him.

Despite the financial success, I'm sure Edwards will take the criticisms as something to consider in the future because it's not just fanboys complaining about Godzilla's screen time use, true film critics have even said as much.

Monsters had better characters...

 

[MaulFan]

For me I thought Godzilla was in the movie enough... I just wish that the "Human story" was better. Garth had all this talk of JAWS and CEOT3K and it did not even come close. With the exception of Bryan C None of the characters were interesting. ATJ was good when he got to play off of someone but they had him by himself for most of the film. Ken W was as wooden as ATJ as was the main General. The General's "This Alfa Predator of yours" coversation was as boring of a delivery as anything in the film.

Garth messed the Human story up and made the lack of Godzilla and the directing choices with the fights that much more apparent. If the scens cut to a character we loved it may not have been so jaring... Instead we are getting to something good and then BAM! We are stuck with characters we don't feel for, care about, or relate to.

I have said this before. Garth needed some kind of natural Humor in this film like JAWS, JP, and CEOT3K.. It would have helped us relate and have a better time during the "human" moments.

Still have to go see it again.

It's possible Edwards was overwhelmed by a larger cast and didn't know how to bring out the best, so the reason Cranston seems so above the rest is because he's a veteran and good enough that he doesn't need direction to pull it off where others might. Also, Edwards 2 cast members in Monsters were a real couple so they played a lot into the quality of how things play on screen.

 

[JAWS]

It's possible Edwards was overwhelmed by a larger cast and didn't know how to bring out the best, so the reason Cranston seems so above the rest is because he's a veteran and good enough that he doesn't need direction to pull it off where others might. Also, Edwards 2 cast members in Monsters were a real couple so they played a lot into the quality of how things play on screen.

Did not know they were a real couple. Interesting.