Godzilla (2014)

The critic delivers an emphatic rave, calling the film glorious and astonishing. They praise its patient build and awe-inspiring spectacle, while noting Bryan Cranston’s wig as its only flaw.

Sexton calls it a thumpingly good monster movie and recommends seeing it. He praises its fidelity to the original and Edwards’s effective use of partial, fleeting views.

Kermode finds the reboot impressive and respectful of Honda’s original, though not as deep. He praises Edwards’s ambition and the film’s tender creature relationships, while noting that supporting characters fade during the destructive third act.

Romney finds the film to be powerful fun. The standfirst singles out its star-studded take on Godzilla’s story.

The review praises the film’s bold visual sense of scale and compelling action. It finds the 4K image markedly improved, though the disc’s extras are cursory and largely unneeded.

Newman finds the film successfully restores Godzilla as the true King of the Monsters, despite its weak human story. He praises the awe-inspiring scenes that dwarf people against the monsters and destruction.

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McCarthy finds the film smart, visually impressive and largely successful, though weighed down by dull human characters and an over-serious tone. He praises the technical craft and suspenseful monster action, while wishing Godzilla appeared more often.

The review finds that Gareth Edwards restores Godzilla’s stature with mood and spectacle, though the film lacks dramatic bite. It praises the opening’s devastating impact and the film’s spectacle.

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Adams finds the film’s human characters thin and the story unable to sustain its monster spectacle. He praises Edwards’ use of 3D and visual staging to make Godzilla’s immense size feel tangible.

The critic finds the remake po-faced and ultimately dull despite its impressive destruction. He praises the digitally recreated disaster scenes but complains that human suffering and agency are reduced to background details.

Edelstein finds the film’s finale exhilarating but considers its earlier withholding and upbeat nuclear message flawed. He praises the eerie, Ligeti-scored sequence of soldiers dropping into the besieged city.

Sharkey finds the film too slow to reveal Godzilla and too light on character development, despite its promising premise. She praises the effects and the beauty of the destruction in the final action sequences.

Debruge finds the reboot disappointing, arguing that its bland human characters take too much attention from Godzilla. He praises the creature effects and the scale of the monster mayhem.

Lane finds the film bloated and formulaic, ultimately advising readers to skip it. He praises the late battle’s shadowy spectacle and Godzilla’s striking movements at sea.

The critic praises the film as a visually imaginative, masterfully crafted blockbuster. They single out its carefully escalating creature confrontations and awe-inspiring spectacle.

Pape calls the reboot a triumph, praising its immersive blockbuster spectacle and naturalistic handling of the story. He singles out Bryan Cranston’s raw emotional performance, while criticizing Aaron Taylor-Johnson as mostly vacant and dispassionate.

Lambie finds the film a respectful, gripping tribute and a satisfying reintroduction of Godzilla. He praises the suspenseful build-up and street-level action, while noting that the characterisation is superficial.

Goldberg finds the film an exciting, respectful Godzilla reboot despite its weak plot and underwritten characters. He especially praises Edwards’s patient buildup, which makes Godzilla’s eventual reveal thrilling.

Lussier finds the film uneven and overlong, but says its thrilling finale more than makes up for a slow start. He praises the human perspective and singles out the suspenseful train-trestle sequence and the climactic monster action.

Crawford finds the film flawed but ultimately a thrilling, worthwhile Godzilla movie. He especially praises the climactic monster showdown, calling its fights and visuals spectacular.

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Dibdin finds the film technically masterful but emotionally hollow, with spectacle compensating for its dourness. She praises the tense, atmospheric action set pieces and the gripping opening act.

The critic finds the film frustratingly slow, with too little Godzilla to sustain the human-centered story. The monster’s action sequences are praised for hitting the kaiju sweet spot, and the action remains clearly visible.