It seems lately that the most well-reviewed or enjoyed films are those where a lot of time and care has been put in. Many of these are by directors who are fans of the original source material, and Gareth Edward’s reimagining of Godzilla is by no means an exception. Edward’s is not a very widely known director, aside from a film in 2010 called Monsters, about an extra-terrestrial invasion at the U.S.-Mexico border, and an episode of the television show Heroes back in 2008. His expertise mostly lies in visual effects, which can clearly be seen in Godzilla.

Godzilla opens with the stereotypical set-up, an archaeological dig, which hints that something escaped, leading to the rest of the film. The trailers are very deceiving in a good way, and I will say this, Godzilla is not the only monster in this film. One minor complaint may be just how long it takes the titular monster to show up. He is really not seen until about the 40 – 50 minute mark, and even then is shrouded in mist, clouds, debris, you name it. But, when Godzilla finally does make an appearance, it is amazing. The computer generated imagery is amazing, and really brings the film to life.

Another high point is the performance by Bryan Cranston, just recently coming ofo his role as drug-dealing kingpin science teacher Walter White in Breaking Bad. Playing seismologist Joe Brody, he is involved in an accident at the Janjira nuclear plant that sets in line the rest of the plot. The character of Brody is just so relatable, and immediately the audience is rooting for him. The fact that it is the recognizable and popular Cranston playing a not-so- significant role, makes the audience’s reactions even better.

It seems like every point in the film was engineered to get a reaction from the audience. During the monster fight scene in the film’s climax, many in the theater were treating it like a boxing match. There were many cheers for Godzilla, and when it seems like he wouldn’t be making it to the inevitable sequel, many were sad. However, for all the good points, there are also some bad.

At times, the dialogue becomes very hammy and awkward. Most of the roles are forgettable, with the monsters being the star of the show. Godzilla, otherwise, is a very enjoyable film, and a fun time. Those who are into the monster genre will enjoy this a lot, but anyone who likes a great action film will love it.