6.4/10
374,007
1,651 user 642 critic

Godzilla (2014)

Trailer
2:26 | Trailer
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.

Director:

Gareth Edwards

Writers:

Ishirô Honda (based on the character: Godzilla, owned and created by) (as Toho Co., Ltd.), Takeo Murata (based on the character: Godzilla, owned and created by) (as Toho Co. Ltd.) | 3 more credits »
Popularity
968 ( 15)
7 wins & 31 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Aaron Taylor-Johnson ... Ford Brody
CJ Adams ... Young Ford
Ken Watanabe ... Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
Bryan Cranston ... Joe Brody
Elizabeth Olsen ... Elle Brody
Carson Bolde ... Sam Brody
Sally Hawkins ... Vivienne Graham
Juliette Binoche ... Sandra Brody
David Strathairn ... Admiral William Stenz
Richard T. Jones ... Captain Russell Hampton
Victor Rasuk ... Sergeant Tre Morales
Patrick Sabongui ... Lieutenant Commander Marcus Waltz
Jared Keeso ... Jump Master
Luc Roderique ... Bomb Tracker
James Pizzinato ... HALO Jumper
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Storyline

In 1999, the Janjira nuclear plant was mysteriously destroyed with most hands lost including supervisor Joe Brody's colleague and wife, Sandra. Years later, Joe's son, Ford, a US Navy ordnance disposal officer, must go to Japan to help his estranged father who obsessively searches for the truth of the incident. In doing so, father and son discover the disaster's secret cause on the wreck's very grounds. This enables them to witness the reawakening of a terrible threat to all of Humanity, which is made all the worse with a second secret revival elsewhere. Against this cataclysm, the only hope for the world may be Godzilla, but the challenge for the King of the Monsters will be great even as Humanity struggles to understand the destructive ally they have. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

The king arrives See more »


Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where the coyote hears something in the distance then runs off, trainers cleared debris from area. On action, trainer that was standing off camera cued coyote to run from point A to point B See more »

Goofs

The male Muto is about 30 meters, but when he dives into the ocean, his head's size is clearly as big as the warship he dives into, and right after, his head is about the size of a car. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Boyd: Dr. Serizawa? Jerry Boyd. I'm warning you, it's a mess. It's just a total mess. Monarch set me in this morning. Took a look around but I told them we need you.
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Crazy Credits

The IMAX intro for the film features Godzilla's roar. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Shazam! (2019) See more »

Soundtracks

Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, 2 Mixed Choirs and Orchestra
Written by György Ligeti
Performed by Das Symphonie-Orchester Radio Frankfurt (as the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra), conducted by Michael Gielen, & Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks conducted by Wolfgang Schubert
Courtesy of Wergo/Schott
By arrangement with Source/Q
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User Reviews

 
Just got back from the theater.
19 May 2014 | by TehmehSee all my reviews

Well, well. I'll say this first: I haven't seen the Japanese original nor the sequels. I've only seen the horrible abomination from 1998. This one is naturally better, but I want you (the reader) to know that I'm not familiar with everything Godzilla.

Monster movies seem to have a pattern. There is always a family, some military involvement and the works. "Godzilla" is not an exception. What is exceptional though, is the way these things were handled. Yes, sometimes I cringed at some family matters, but other times (especially when Cranston was on screen) I was almost moved.

Bryan Cranston naturally does fine, but Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the lead. He is the character that is everywhere at almost all times. He's sometimes more of a plot vehicle than a character, and this movie isn't surely worth watching because of him, but at least he didn't annoy me as much as I feared and the movie managed to get to the point I was waiting for without making me hate the wait. Ken Watanabe, too, is handled mainly as an exposition machine or is tasked with setting up the mood, but he's always enjoyable to watch and when he's on screen everything feels a lot better.

The monsters, what they are and what they do, are set up well enough. We get some impressive visuals and decent build-up even before the first full-on action scene. The creatures are introduced nicely, and when they get to business, it's all nice to watch.

Godzilla is of course the main character, and many people complain that he isn't shown much in this film. That is not a moot criticism, and I understand that. However I enjoyed our hero of a monster more this way. When he WAS on screen, it was more special and worth the wait.

While this is (at least on the human side) a fairly serious movie, I found something uplifting in the monster action itself. Little boy inside this grown man cheered, and even though a lot of buildings and property got smashed, I didn't get tired or annoyed about it like in, say, Man of Steel. There is childish excitement to be found in this movie, even though you'd have to wait for it some time.

My only criticisms are these: the tired family/military-portion of the monster movie formula (while not nearly as bad as I feared), and sometimes the pounding score didn't know when to stop and let our ears take a breather. Because when it did stop in the middle of chaos, the silence was eerily beautiful. I wish we would've had more of that important contrast.

I'd recommend this as a theater experience, not sure if I'll eventually buy the blu-ray because I don't feel like seeing this again. Anyway, some gripes aside, "Godzilla" provides a fun movie experience and washes away some of the bad taste you got in your mouth (brain) from the 1998 version.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Release Date:

16 May 2014 (Canada) See more »

Also Known As:

Godzilla See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$160,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,188,384, 18 May 2014

Gross USA:

$200,676,069

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$524,976,069
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Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1
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