This is the 37^th film in the monster’s legacy, as well as the 70^th anniversary of the first film. It harkens back to the originals, starting at the end of World War II. From there it tells the human story with an unabashedly sentimental slant and simple ideology. Anyone expecting the massive destruction as the monster stomps thru the city will be disappointed (me included). Writer, director and visual effects expert Takashi Yamazaki has created an effectively impressive beast, but has chosen to focus more on the potency of the human spirit to inspire the audience. The simply-drawn characters and the extended dialogue scenes drag the pace. The final encounter is much more about community courage and personal heroism that plays out in an unrealistically quick timeline. Some may relate to this human drama more than Godzilla’s fearsome devastation, but I’m more old school and found it predictable and lacking thrills. (2.5 / 5)

Movieland link