[critical] GODZILLA

Hasutant say now, do not beat around the bush and get right to it : the GODZILLA of Gareth Edwards is epic. Yesterday (almost) total anonymous, the director of the very few known MONSTERS may well attain the status of “personality” as his second feature film is breathtaking. And for once, we know where are the 160M$ of budget ! Explanations.

“The nuclear physicist Joseph Brody investigates the mysterious phenomena that take place in Japan, fifteen years after an incident that has irradiated the region of Tokyo. Refusing to stick to the official version, he returns to the scene of the incident accompanied by his son, Ford, a soldier in the US Navy. They discover that the incidents are not related to a natural disaster, but monsters awakened by nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean in the aftermath of the Second world War. These creatures are monitored by an organization, but they threaten soon to the security of the Hawaiian archipelago and the West coast of the United States. At the same time, the partner of Ford manages the wounded in a hospital in San Francisco.”

If you like action, this movie is for you. If you like movies that try to make people think and know how to use all of the technology that is available, this is the film for you. If you like that one treats father-son relationships without making them into a family drama, this movie is for you. If you like Bryan Cranston (BREAKING BAD), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (KICK-ASS) or Elizabeth Olsen (MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE), this movie is for you. But on the contrary, if you are not fond of the genre “monster movie”, go quickly, your way. I’ll get you warned. In effect, in wanting to write a unique and impressive, and the writers Max Bernstein, Dave Callaham (THE EXPENDABLES), Frank Darabont (THE GREEN LINE) and David S. Foyer (trilogy, THE DARK KNIGHT) are not gone dead hand. Their scenario may seem messy, or completely indigestible and messy. It runs, it shoots, it explodes and collapses everywhere. This is how the most pessimistic of us will summarize the film.

By highlighting a relationship between a father and his son, GODZILLA tries to brew a wider public thanks to a theme more universal. Unfortunately, the mayonnaise does not or very difficult. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the son of Bryan Cranston ? On paper, it is a dream. But on screen, this is a whole other story. No resemblance, no alchemy… in Short, a true nothingness between the two men. And the love story between Aaron and Elizabeth Olsen does not help things ! Although they are both very adorable, it’s hard to feel deeply affected by their problems. And even the possibility that they might not survive the film we do not reach. Because the dead, this is not that is lacking in GODZILLA, and this even among the headliners. Unfortunately, if there’s a character who deserved to die, and the sooner would have been better, this is dr. Ichiro Serizawa, played by Ken Watanabe. Usually very exciting and/or interesting (remember LETTERS From IWO JIMA, or even of INCEPTION), we can only be saddened that he has agreed to embody this character to the usefulness that on.

“The action scenes are absolutely mind-boggling.”

No, if it is necessary to look for something really sensational in GODZILLA version 2014, it is obviously on the side of the photograph. Zappons directly the found footage straight from CLOVERFIELD and that gives headache and the japanese influence is already present in PACIFIC RIM, and just stay open-mouthed at the work of Seamus McGarvey. Already at work on come BACK to ME, and ANNA KARENINA, director of photography, ireland has made an aesthetic and a visually flamboyant film from Gareth Edwards. Whether it’s the japanese coasts, beaches and mountains, hawaii or the desert of Nevada, everything is magnificent, and magnified. To such A degree that you almost forget that this is filmed and shown tends more to the chaos of the postcard. Ditto for the music of Alexandre Desplat, who has already composed the soundtracks of ARGO and ZERO DARK THIRTY (among others). Expertly mixed and well placed, it gives the film an atmosphere of outrageously dark, unbearable tension and puts the viewer in all of these states. Given that the danger can come from everywhere, we even ended up being scared of birds. Well played !

And if there is one that makes one shudder, it is undoubtedly Godzilla himself. Creature prehistoric and fire-breathing fully realized in the synthesized image, it surpasses all our expectations. But as always, the less one sees, or rather, the less one sees, the more it is scary. Like the two monsters biberonnés to the radiation that he has to deal with. All the three impressive and well-staged, they will make you want to completely overhaul your definition of “monster movie”. However, while there may not be a fan of the ceaseless quest of humanization of Godzilla (he has hands !), it is necessary to recognize that Andy Serkis consultant on the film, has done well his job.

Even if a sequel is possible, the film Gareth Edwards is looking at, must be appreciated and savoured like a terrifying one-shot. Despite a scenario a little too much supplied, and a casting not extraordinary, GODZILLA impresses and leaves you speechless with the action scenes absolutely breathtaking. Special Mention to this sequence of parachute jump where the immersion is total.

• Original title : Godzilla

• Achievement : Gareth Edwards

• Scenario : Max Bernstein, Dave Callaham, Frank Darabont, David S. Goyer

• Main actors : Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe

• Country of origin : Usa / Japan

• Released : MAY 14, 2014

• Duration : 2h03mn

• Distributor : Warner Bros. France

• Synopsis : The nuclear physicist Joseph Brody investigates the mysterious phenomena that take place in Japan, fifteen years after an incident that has irradiated the region of Tokyo and torn his own family. Refusing to stick to the official version that evokes an earthquake, the scientist returns to the scene of the incident accompanied by his son, Ford, a soldier in the US Navy. They discover that the incidents are not related to a natural disaster, but monsters awakened by nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean in the aftermath of the Second world War. These creatures are monitored by an organization called ”Monarch”, but they threaten soon to the security of the Hawaiian archipelago and the West coast of the United States. At the same time, the partner of Ford, a registered nurse and mom of two, manages the wounded in a hospital in San Francisco.