Godzilla stomping back to theaters

[Tribal Warfare]

Godzilla stomping back to theaters via Legendary

By Ace Fernandez
Well, well, well ... look who's getting back in fighting shape.

Everyone's favorite gigantic, havoc-wreaking lizard, Godzilla, is on his way back to the big screen via Legendary Pictures, which has acquired the rights to develop and produce a new feature based on the iconic Toho Co. character. Warner Bros. will co-produce, co-finance and distribute through its deal with Legendary, and Toho will roll out the film in Japan.

Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers are also producing; Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will be executive producers on the project.

The last major Godzilla outing, an American, New York-set version from Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, grossed $376 million worldwide in 1998 despite fielding equally major criticism. Toho quickly produced "Godzilla 2000," in which the big beast took on an evil UFO, the following year.

But the Godzilla franchise juggernaut has survived decades of permutations (he first appeared in 1954), dozens of films, books, video games and merchandising tie-ins and seems perpetually ready to rear up again for new audiences.

The new film is shooting for a 2012 release.

"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Added Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, "Godzilla is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which Warner Bros. and our partners at Legendary are best known."

The two companies have partnered on such global properties as "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight," "Superman Returns" and "The Hangover," which have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. Together, they have a remake of "Clash of the Titans" stomping into theaters Friday.

[007]

Originally Posted by Rausch

As of early Sat morning it's running at 80% Audience and 73% by critics on RT...

Warning: I've read most the reviews and almost all the negative one's are spoiler heavy. I don't get this. If you didn't like it that's fine but don't ruin it for everyone else...

This is why I don't read reviews until after I see the movie.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

I hated this movie - the creative choices they made at the beginning of the film were just wrong to me and I could never get around them. I was so looking forward to this and left extremely disappointed.

Wow
Posted via Mobile Device

[keg in kc]

Just saw it. It was awesome.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Just saw it. It was awesome.

Same.

Did anyone else geek out when...

Spoiler!

Godzilla's spikes started to glow blue?

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Just saw it. It was awesome.

This. Even my wife loved it. We'll be seeing it again soon.

[007]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Same.

Did anyone else geek out when...

Spoiler!

Godzilla's spikes started to glow blue?

I was waiting for that the whole time. The second it started to happen I started chuckling. My son looked at me as if I was nuts. Then it happened.

[tk13]

I enjoyed it. As mentioned, almost it's almost understated in some ways, which is hard to do with a giant monster. I'm almost surprised the reviews have been as good as they've been... I kind of figured people would hate the "slow burn" approach. But when it builds to the big moments they deliver.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Guru

I was waiting for that the whole time. The second it started to happen I started chuckling. My son looked at me as if I was nuts. Then it happened.

That was great.

Spoiler!

Also, did anyone else notice the word "Mothra" on a piece of glass, I think it was an aquarium or terrarium... when Bryan Cranston's character goes back to his house in the quarantined zone?

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by tk13

That was great.

Spoiler!

Also, did anyone else notice the word "Mothra" on a piece of glass, I think it was an aquarium or terrarium... when Bryan Cranston's character goes back to his house in the quarantined zone?

My son noticed that. Told me about it on the way to the car after. I missed it.

Spoiler!

It was written on a piece of tape on the fish tank.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by tk13

I enjoyed it. As mentioned, almost it's almost understated in some ways, which is hard to do with a giant monster. I'm almost surprised the reviews have been as good as they've been... I kind of figured people would hate the "slow burn" approach. But when it builds to the big moments they deliver.

I think the slow build worked very well. As fantastic as those fight sequences were, you can't have two solid hours of that without it getting dull. It's just too much to take in... sensory overload.

Much better to be left wanting a little more.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I'll be honest, I expected a bigger opening weekend.

And after seeing the film there are a lot of spoiler moments. Most of these would ruin the movie for someone who hasn't watched it yet.

I'm also waiting for the super right wing to complain that the story is bashing America because our government/military/people do stupid things and make mistakes.

If you follow the events of the movie the world (read: at least 4 different countries) are trying to keep secret what Cranston is trying to uncover.

To me it was more: this is how the world today deals with problems and eventually mother nature will tell us to learn to swim...

I think it will do better. There were ten times more people at the theatre I go to for Godzilla than spiderman. And I choose this theatre to avoid crowds. Saying that, it will fall off faster than most movies.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I'd say he's the raw human emotion in this film. Grief, anger, disgust, he squeezes the most out of every scene he's in. His performance was powerful and it's an extreme understatement to say they didn't utilize this enough.

I'll agree with early reviewers that his performance the first 1/3rd of the film builds an expectation the rest of the film doesn't satisfy.

As the movie moves on and we see more and more of Godzilla it's almost as if he's the personification (best way I can see to put it) of Cranston's raw emotion. For those large dog owners you know that moment when your pet see's a cat and no matter what you say or what else is happening it has one purpose at that moment: ending that cat.

Godzilla vs. Muto is Dog vs Cat.

Spoiler!

It's also that final after the big battle. I remember thinking "Holy $3it! Did that just happen!?! They should flash a big bloody FATALITY at the top of the screen!"

Cranston did a superb job, but man he had little to do with the story outside of the echo location. All of his story and angst was a blip on the movie and could of been cut. But was needed I guess to recruit american audiences to watch that are not zilla fans.

[KcMizzou]

Until just now, (reading a review) I had no idea that Cranston's son in the movie is the kid from "Kick Ass" Aaron Taylor-Johnson

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I meant the way it was shot. Lots of long, wide angle shots in scope. Really gave it that epic feel and everything felt huge.


At times it felt more like a natural disaster flick than a monster flick.

this might be a spoiler

Spoiler!

The MUTOs get more screen time than Godzilla himself.

I agree with your spoiler, my review wasn't the best.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Until just now, (reading a review) I had no idea that Cranston's son in the movie is the kid from "Kick Ass" Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Yeah, he matured quickly. And the girl is an Olsen.





Also, hopefully they dub poorly all the American voices to Japanese for the Japan viewing.