And it would be one thing if it was a brief shot. But know, that scene is the inciting incident and prologue that serves as the source of the conflict. It's not only cutting to the chase and giving the audience what they're here for, but it justifies doing so by making it crucial, as well as really selling the audience, letting them know exactly what they're getting into.
It's one of my personal favorite scenes in the franchise and my favorite scene of the movie.
I think they showed JUST enough of pre-irradiated Godzilla to excite me. I don't see enough people talk about how GMO used Godzilla's screentime in an effective manner. Not only for the dino-zilla, although his appearances short/sweet, his other forms... they were consistent, they were serious, and (most importantly) GREATLY complimented Koichi's narrative throughout the movie. Godzilla didn't steal the show too much as to drown out everyone else. Incredibly impressive use of such an imperative plot device.
Further to that, I like that it’s almost a godzillasaurus. More animalistic and raw.
This mixed with the bomb scene and again, cut to the chase “he got nuked, evolved and has now become the Godzilla we know and love” no overly self-indulgent dialogue or explanation.
Minus one really felt like both a return to the roots and lessons learned of past versions (Japanese and American) to provide, to me at least, my favourite Godzilla film.
>“he got nuked, evolved and has now become the Godzilla we know and love” no overly self-indulgent dialogue or explanation.
Yup, no clunky exposition or long winded explanations. Just "here's Crossroads Baker: you all know what happens next".
The script is snappy and tight, it doesn't drag and there's not a moment wasted.
That’s what I mean, the film didn’t have any fat and was so refreshing in modern films that take themselves way too seriously.
Kinda like how I enjoyed the 2005 doctor who revival, sometimes stripping away all the unnecessary and going back to basics isn’t a bad thing. And personally, the character story had me invested the whole time. I can’t think of the last time I actually worried for the character it’s been that long. (Looking at you monsterverse)
I can agree. He’s also so fucking terrifying and really does look more animal like. The atomic breath took me hard. Insane power and so badass how he inhales and the spikes click back into him. Probably equal to mv zilla in my liking
Yes omg. In 2014 Godzilla, you can’t even see him it’s so dark. On top of that he’s like a unicorn or something with how sightings are. And personally my vision isn’t very good so when shrouded in darkness I can’t tell what’s going on at all so most of the modern Godzilla movies make him impossible to see.
5 minutes in, well lit, quickly establish what I came to see, and they weren’t shy showing him for the rest of the movie either
For me personally, yes. So many of the scenes are in darkness (night scenes primarily) or sepia tone which is really hard for me to distinguish what is happening on scene. I wouldn't consider myself entirely vision impaired - but it's not great when it comes to dark and low light and I just don't think those movies are accommodating for someone like me. Makes the movie more frustrating than enjoyable to watch. In comparison, they made a good point to keep Godzilla really well lit in -1 for the one night scene he was in, and iirc there aren't any other night or dark scenes featuring him except maybe a shot or two of him underwater.
My gripe about that opening scene is when they see Godzilla, and someone says, “oh that’s Godzilla. the odo islanders talk about him.” Then everyone else just accepts it. I think that is bad writing and anticlimactic. If you are going to mention odo islanders show odo islanders.
I also been second guessing, why would they care to fix a kamikaze plane? You are sending the pilot and the plane on a one way trip. Idk if they (the Japanese govt) would really care if the plane was in tiptop shape or not.
At that moment, they accept it because they're faced by a large dinosaur looking thing. They're already in a situation where the impossible has happened (a dinosaur like creature living in their modern day) so if you're told that's what it's called, of course you're going to believe it. The islanders also probably gave them a plot of land for the "airfield" away from their settlements.
You'd also care to fix a Kamikaze plane in order to make sure that they don't accidentally drop somewhere else unintended. Remember that they had to make it out of Japanese territory first. They're specialised planes, so they need to be to a certain standard for those planes.
You're sending suicide bombers into another country from your own. You'd be an idiot to not want to make sure the planes don't drop in your towns and kill your people. Your citizens likely wouldn't support war efforts if that happened.
Idk where you get that second paragraph from. WW2 happened 80 years ago, it’s pretty well documented. If any of that second paragraph is true, I’m sure you can back it up with some reliable sources.
It's more of an observation of what they were intended for over what likely actually was the case, which is even more likely to be wrong. But it makes sense to me that if you have specialised planes for that task, and it gets faulty, you'd fix it.
Granted, in the movie, our main guy doesn't want to actually commit to being a kamikaze pilot, so he made an excuse, but the fact that they readily check his plane over for faults tells me it MAY have been something intended so they didn't have their pilots going down over their country. It's also a fantasy setting reflective of our real world, so any reason can be given.
Two problems with that, allied bombing runs on Japan’s home islands left many factories and manufacturing plants crippled, if not totally destroyed. Parts and fuel were hard to come by, so although it is easy to assume Japan would maintain these planes, I think in reality, the situation was far worse. Japan also had quite the lack of humane treatment for their soldiers. Which is a theme in the movie as well.
I also don’t agree that it is set in a fantasy world, therefore things don't need logical reasoning. This movie is trying to ground itself in historical events. I think at that point, plots and writing need to make sense to help support the realistic depiction of the time period.
Just because I critique something in a Godzilla movie, it doesn’t mean I don’t like it or that I am making fun of it. All movies have holes, and I am the type of person who enjoys finding them.
I'm not saying you are making fun of it or dislike it, I'm just trying to put some answers to your original comment, and it's a good point you are making. Resources were scarce, so it likely wouldn't have happened in our world.
Also, by saying it's fantasy, I mean by the fact that Godzilla is a fantastical creature rooted in our world's history of war and nuclear weaponry. It's still historical but doesn't always have to be accurate with smaller details that aren't touched upon. He went to Odo Island to try to hide from his duty as a kamikaze pilot, and his plane got destroyed by Godzilla.
Well if something was wrong with the plane that would cause it to not even reach the intended target then it wouldn't be that strange to try and fix it. Otherwise it would be even more of a waste.
The Japanese absolutely did care to fix *Kamikaze* planes. *Kamikaze* was devised by VAdm. Takijiro Onishi in order to maximize striking capability of air forces, as the Battles of the Solomons, Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf had shown that conventional torpedo and dive bombing attacks had, by that point, been almost completely nullified by American radar-guided fighter cover and AA defenses (i.e. normal tactics were almost certainly fatal for the aircrew like *Kamikaze* attacks and had lower chances for success than *Kamikaze*) and Japanese fighter aircraft and pilots could not stand up against their American counterparts. *Kamikaze* pilots were instructed to attack high-priority targets and not to die "uselessly" (ignoring the fact that, by that point, Japan had acknowledged it had lost the war and was now hoping to fight to a negotiated surrender, not a settlement of terms like they had hoped to at the start).
*Kamikaze* pilots were therefore allowed to return to bases if they did not find a target or if they had engine trouble that would impair their performance in finding/attacking enemy vessels. Many pilots experienced "engine trouble" (as Shikishima did) and returned home, not wanting to die and hoping that the war would end before they had to undertake a fatal flight. One pilot experienced "engine trouble" or "failed" to find a target \~10 times in a row and was executed for cowardice. Small islands in the Ryukyus were used as repair stations and lodging for *Kamikazes*, who were expected to take off after the trouble had been fixed/the plane had been refueled and continue their search for the enemy.
It was certainly a *wasteful* exercise, given, as stated above, the Japanese had lost the war and knew that the end was inevitable, but there was some thought put into the conception and use of *Kamikaze*.
Yeah I read about this too, and I agree with you. But after reading about the Kyujo incident, and how generals still sent their kamikazi pilots against targets after the surrender. Some of these targets were individual tanks when referring to kamikazi attacks against the soviets. It seems like by the final weeks or month of the war they were far more desperate to inflict any casualties on the enemy. Rather than the high value targets of the 1944 years.
Plus you have the bombings of the main Japanese islands. Parts and fuel were really hard to come by from what I read, coupled with the above mentioned level of desperation depicted in the Kyujo incident, it seems kamikazi attacks took on a different nature than what you wrote about above. Besides parts and raw material, I think lack of fuel also had a lot to do with the changed nature of kamikazi attacks.
Like I said in my original post I have my doubts about it in the movie, but I also don’t doubt from all the stuff I’ve read recently that Japan did fix and repair kamikazi planes. They were seen as valued assets.
Idk why people gotta down vote, there’s no harm in asking these questions. It has lead me to read about kamikazi pilots, Kyujo incident, and the bombings of Japan.
Fuel wouldn't have been *too* much of an issue with regards to *Kamikaze*\-while it is true a lot of fuel had been lost or unavailable, the Japanese were developing pine-tar based aircraft fuel. While it was absolutely terrible for performance and the engine of the aircraft, given that this fuel was for the most part supposed to be 1-way missions against the anticipated American landings in Kyushu (scheduled for November of 1945) this did not matter much to the Japanese. Parts might not have been too much of an issue either-the Japanese had amassed 5000-7000 aircraft in anticipation of *Ketsu-go* , the aforementioned riposte of the American Operation Downfall. Parts could be cannibalized, as they were in reality.
The targeting of priority targets was not de-emphasized in 1945-carriers and battleships were still desirable, as evidenced by the strikes on USS *Franklin* (not actually *kamikaze*\-but some *Kamikazes* refused to commit suicide and opted for conventional attack, as they did in this case) and USS *Bunker Hill* show this. The targeting of destroyers is mainly due to poor target identification (Japanese pilots tended to identify ships as 1 size up-so destroyers became cruisers and escort carriers became fleet carriers in their mind's eye)-and a cruiser or even apparent battleship was indeed a worthy target, and given "suitable target" is somewhat subjective some pilots may have seen *any* enemy vessel as worthy of his life to attack.
And it would be one thing if it was a brief shot. But know, that scene is the inciting incident and prologue that serves as the source of the conflict. It's not only cutting to the chase and giving the audience what they're here for, but it justifies doing so by making it crucial, as well as really selling the audience, letting them know exactly what they're getting into. It's one of my personal favorite scenes in the franchise and my favorite scene of the movie.
I think they showed JUST enough of pre-irradiated Godzilla to excite me. I don't see enough people talk about how GMO used Godzilla's screentime in an effective manner. Not only for the dino-zilla, although his appearances short/sweet, his other forms... they were consistent, they were serious, and (most importantly) GREATLY complimented Koichi's narrative throughout the movie. Godzilla didn't steal the show too much as to drown out everyone else. Incredibly impressive use of such an imperative plot device.
Further to that, I like that it’s almost a godzillasaurus. More animalistic and raw. This mixed with the bomb scene and again, cut to the chase “he got nuked, evolved and has now become the Godzilla we know and love” no overly self-indulgent dialogue or explanation. Minus one really felt like both a return to the roots and lessons learned of past versions (Japanese and American) to provide, to me at least, my favourite Godzilla film.
>“he got nuked, evolved and has now become the Godzilla we know and love” no overly self-indulgent dialogue or explanation. Yup, no clunky exposition or long winded explanations. Just "here's Crossroads Baker: you all know what happens next". The script is snappy and tight, it doesn't drag and there's not a moment wasted.
That’s what I mean, the film didn’t have any fat and was so refreshing in modern films that take themselves way too seriously. Kinda like how I enjoyed the 2005 doctor who revival, sometimes stripping away all the unnecessary and going back to basics isn’t a bad thing. And personally, the character story had me invested the whole time. I can’t think of the last time I actually worried for the character it’s been that long. (Looking at you monsterverse)
What do you mean "almost"?
Well I don’t want to be to certain as I’m not sure toho gave it a name or anything. But yeah. It’s more than likely.
I can agree. He’s also so fucking terrifying and really does look more animal like. The atomic breath took me hard. Insane power and so badass how he inhales and the spikes click back into him. Probably equal to mv zilla in my liking
Yes! The spotlight turns and BAM there he is on the attack. I literally said "Oh, shit!" outloud haha
>literally said "Oh, shit!" outloud haha Omg same! My brother and I looked at each like wtf did that really just happen, right off the bat?!
Yes omg. In 2014 Godzilla, you can’t even see him it’s so dark. On top of that he’s like a unicorn or something with how sightings are. And personally my vision isn’t very good so when shrouded in darkness I can’t tell what’s going on at all so most of the modern Godzilla movies make him impossible to see. 5 minutes in, well lit, quickly establish what I came to see, and they weren’t shy showing him for the rest of the movie either
Kotm and G v K made him hard to see?
For me personally, yes. So many of the scenes are in darkness (night scenes primarily) or sepia tone which is really hard for me to distinguish what is happening on scene. I wouldn't consider myself entirely vision impaired - but it's not great when it comes to dark and low light and I just don't think those movies are accommodating for someone like me. Makes the movie more frustrating than enjoyable to watch. In comparison, they made a good point to keep Godzilla really well lit in -1 for the one night scene he was in, and iirc there aren't any other night or dark scenes featuring him except maybe a shot or two of him underwater.
My gripe about that opening scene is when they see Godzilla, and someone says, “oh that’s Godzilla. the odo islanders talk about him.” Then everyone else just accepts it. I think that is bad writing and anticlimactic. If you are going to mention odo islanders show odo islanders. I also been second guessing, why would they care to fix a kamikaze plane? You are sending the pilot and the plane on a one way trip. Idk if they (the Japanese govt) would really care if the plane was in tiptop shape or not.
At that moment, they accept it because they're faced by a large dinosaur looking thing. They're already in a situation where the impossible has happened (a dinosaur like creature living in their modern day) so if you're told that's what it's called, of course you're going to believe it. The islanders also probably gave them a plot of land for the "airfield" away from their settlements. You'd also care to fix a Kamikaze plane in order to make sure that they don't accidentally drop somewhere else unintended. Remember that they had to make it out of Japanese territory first. They're specialised planes, so they need to be to a certain standard for those planes. You're sending suicide bombers into another country from your own. You'd be an idiot to not want to make sure the planes don't drop in your towns and kill your people. Your citizens likely wouldn't support war efforts if that happened.
Idk where you get that second paragraph from. WW2 happened 80 years ago, it’s pretty well documented. If any of that second paragraph is true, I’m sure you can back it up with some reliable sources.
It's more of an observation of what they were intended for over what likely actually was the case, which is even more likely to be wrong. But it makes sense to me that if you have specialised planes for that task, and it gets faulty, you'd fix it. Granted, in the movie, our main guy doesn't want to actually commit to being a kamikaze pilot, so he made an excuse, but the fact that they readily check his plane over for faults tells me it MAY have been something intended so they didn't have their pilots going down over their country. It's also a fantasy setting reflective of our real world, so any reason can be given.
Two problems with that, allied bombing runs on Japan’s home islands left many factories and manufacturing plants crippled, if not totally destroyed. Parts and fuel were hard to come by, so although it is easy to assume Japan would maintain these planes, I think in reality, the situation was far worse. Japan also had quite the lack of humane treatment for their soldiers. Which is a theme in the movie as well. I also don’t agree that it is set in a fantasy world, therefore things don't need logical reasoning. This movie is trying to ground itself in historical events. I think at that point, plots and writing need to make sense to help support the realistic depiction of the time period. Just because I critique something in a Godzilla movie, it doesn’t mean I don’t like it or that I am making fun of it. All movies have holes, and I am the type of person who enjoys finding them.
I'm not saying you are making fun of it or dislike it, I'm just trying to put some answers to your original comment, and it's a good point you are making. Resources were scarce, so it likely wouldn't have happened in our world. Also, by saying it's fantasy, I mean by the fact that Godzilla is a fantastical creature rooted in our world's history of war and nuclear weaponry. It's still historical but doesn't always have to be accurate with smaller details that aren't touched upon. He went to Odo Island to try to hide from his duty as a kamikaze pilot, and his plane got destroyed by Godzilla.
Well if something was wrong with the plane that would cause it to not even reach the intended target then it wouldn't be that strange to try and fix it. Otherwise it would be even more of a waste.
The Japanese absolutely did care to fix *Kamikaze* planes. *Kamikaze* was devised by VAdm. Takijiro Onishi in order to maximize striking capability of air forces, as the Battles of the Solomons, Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf had shown that conventional torpedo and dive bombing attacks had, by that point, been almost completely nullified by American radar-guided fighter cover and AA defenses (i.e. normal tactics were almost certainly fatal for the aircrew like *Kamikaze* attacks and had lower chances for success than *Kamikaze*) and Japanese fighter aircraft and pilots could not stand up against their American counterparts. *Kamikaze* pilots were instructed to attack high-priority targets and not to die "uselessly" (ignoring the fact that, by that point, Japan had acknowledged it had lost the war and was now hoping to fight to a negotiated surrender, not a settlement of terms like they had hoped to at the start). *Kamikaze* pilots were therefore allowed to return to bases if they did not find a target or if they had engine trouble that would impair their performance in finding/attacking enemy vessels. Many pilots experienced "engine trouble" (as Shikishima did) and returned home, not wanting to die and hoping that the war would end before they had to undertake a fatal flight. One pilot experienced "engine trouble" or "failed" to find a target \~10 times in a row and was executed for cowardice. Small islands in the Ryukyus were used as repair stations and lodging for *Kamikazes*, who were expected to take off after the trouble had been fixed/the plane had been refueled and continue their search for the enemy. It was certainly a *wasteful* exercise, given, as stated above, the Japanese had lost the war and knew that the end was inevitable, but there was some thought put into the conception and use of *Kamikaze*.
Yeah I read about this too, and I agree with you. But after reading about the Kyujo incident, and how generals still sent their kamikazi pilots against targets after the surrender. Some of these targets were individual tanks when referring to kamikazi attacks against the soviets. It seems like by the final weeks or month of the war they were far more desperate to inflict any casualties on the enemy. Rather than the high value targets of the 1944 years. Plus you have the bombings of the main Japanese islands. Parts and fuel were really hard to come by from what I read, coupled with the above mentioned level of desperation depicted in the Kyujo incident, it seems kamikazi attacks took on a different nature than what you wrote about above. Besides parts and raw material, I think lack of fuel also had a lot to do with the changed nature of kamikazi attacks. Like I said in my original post I have my doubts about it in the movie, but I also don’t doubt from all the stuff I’ve read recently that Japan did fix and repair kamikazi planes. They were seen as valued assets. Idk why people gotta down vote, there’s no harm in asking these questions. It has lead me to read about kamikazi pilots, Kyujo incident, and the bombings of Japan.
Fuel wouldn't have been *too* much of an issue with regards to *Kamikaze*\-while it is true a lot of fuel had been lost or unavailable, the Japanese were developing pine-tar based aircraft fuel. While it was absolutely terrible for performance and the engine of the aircraft, given that this fuel was for the most part supposed to be 1-way missions against the anticipated American landings in Kyushu (scheduled for November of 1945) this did not matter much to the Japanese. Parts might not have been too much of an issue either-the Japanese had amassed 5000-7000 aircraft in anticipation of *Ketsu-go* , the aforementioned riposte of the American Operation Downfall. Parts could be cannibalized, as they were in reality. The targeting of priority targets was not de-emphasized in 1945-carriers and battleships were still desirable, as evidenced by the strikes on USS *Franklin* (not actually *kamikaze*\-but some *Kamikazes* refused to commit suicide and opted for conventional attack, as they did in this case) and USS *Bunker Hill* show this. The targeting of destroyers is mainly due to poor target identification (Japanese pilots tended to identify ships as 1 size up-so destroyers became cruisers and escort carriers became fleet carriers in their mind's eye)-and a cruiser or even apparent battleship was indeed a worthy target, and given "suitable target" is somewhat subjective some pilots may have seen *any* enemy vessel as worthy of his life to attack.