OT Godzilla review

["Larry Dunn" <larrydunn@hotmail.com>]

This review is spoiler-free.

I saw Sony's tentpole production last night, and thought it was 
generally fun if shamelessly shallow.  It's like poprocks -- exciting in 
the mouth, utterly devoid of nutritional value.  Summer fare, 
reminiscent in some ways of "The Rock."

It was stupid, of course, but not as insultingly stupid as Independence 
Day, which would have been a real achievement.  The opening credits 
sequence was fabulous.  Pacing is generally good.  The love story is 
basically harmless but utterly superfluous and the only thing that holds 
the pacing back.  Female reporters this summer sure take a beating!

Centropolis flicks have this way of hitting you over the head with 
things, as if you were dumber than a bag of hammers.  I laughed when 
some people impersonating American soldiers were issued sticks of gum, 
then groaned when it was spelled out exactly why this was (duh).

The Godzilla design itself is very impressive and interesting -- iguana 
or no iguana, his dinosaurian inspiration is clear, and there's a bit of 
Jay Leno thrown in for good measure.  If the guy in the rubber suit is 
the only thing that does it for you, then this new design is unholy 
heresy, but in and of itself it's a neat behemoth-monster design. 

Those of you who have kids shouldn't reap little nightmare dividends 
from bringing them along.  No one is eaten (well, almost no one) and 
it's really more of a spectacle than a frightfest.

So what the hell; check your brain at the door and have fun.  Hey, it's 
got a giant lizard in it -- how can you not go?

Larry

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