From Monsters to Godzilla...or (Gojira)
The brilliance of Monsters, (the 2010 debut film from director Gareth Edwards) lied with its creation from such a tight budget. The fact that the very monsters who were wreaking havoc, war and destruction on humanity weren't revealed until the end of the film, is weaved so well into a fantastic plot twist you won't see coming.
Director Gareth Edwards wrote, directed and created the critically lauded film with the special effects being created from scratch on his own laptop. Managing to create such a film that took everyone by surprise; that it was compared to an indie Cloverfield in terms of being a hit, not commercially but for the most critically lauded as one of the best monster films for a long while.
I had no expectations whatsoever about the film Monsters, that when the film had finished so brilliantly and the credits rolled up the screen, I had this great feeling that some films are greatly under appreciated. It may not have featured a heavy amount of explosions every other minute, or jam packed full of the "monster" but it focused more on the human part of the story.
The two characters newspaper photographer Andrew (Scoot McNairy), and his boss' daughter Sam (Whitney Able), emotionally and physically carry the film, filling in the moments where we're waiting patiently for a scary monster unveiling. We as an audience are swept along on this adventure across the area of North America (Mexico) which has been cordoned off as an "infected zone", to reach the American border, to safety.
If you're intrigued by mysterious creature films, with human centered stories, then this film won't disappoint. It may be slow at times, but the immersion is simple, led by the cinematography of the film, which is beautiful, haunting and easily the best to be achieved with three quarters less of the budget, of normal everyday Hollywood blockbusters.
To move onto such an epic blockbuster, from such a small indie film, is complimentary to that same director with the talent to make a remarkable debut, that puts him to the top of the director pile in Hollywood producer's' offices.
That he was chosen to direct THE monster of all monster films, shows that *hopefully* his talents can make something decent, with a great story, and a great character, intricately interweaving in many human characters that you care for to discover and engage with the main character: that of Godzilla itself.
From the two trailers alone, Gareth Edward's film has managed to celebrate and entice the interest of film goers and lovers of the monster: Godzilla, for the 21st century audiences. Less a special effects centered story, it will hopefully reveal just tidbits of the monster throughout the film. There seems to be an understandable conspiracy involving the explanation for the nuclear tests in the pacific, as an attempt to kill the monster.
There is no need for a stupidly basic plot, a linear plot line, one that you would expect of a Michael Bay film perhaps: a kill and destroy film about this gigantic monster. But more looking at the story around the history of the Godzilla character, where did it come from? how long has it been around for? (1950's it looks like, from the plot given in the trailer).
It is a sci-fi as well as being a generic (in a good way) monster film. There will some mystery, some humanising of the situation, some philosophy behind the idea that humanity can be destroyed by humanity's own endeavours to destroy the monster. A sense of irony perhaps.
"The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in our control, and not the other way around." A standout quote from Ken Watanabe.
The last Godzilla film to grace our cinema screens was Roland Emmerich's 1998's effects laden attempt at creating the spectacle of the first monster of the cinematic age.
Edwards' 2014 version looks set to be harking back to the original monster, the original mythology of the best creature film. It will also mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the character Godzilla or Gojira to give it it's Japanese name.
I for one am incredibly intrigued by this film, with real characters both creature and human, the monster eerily looking like the original creation, with past and future sci-fi fears revealing themselves once more. The origins are once again, after 60 years, looking to be a decent Godzilla film to celebrate this monstrous birthday.
Below are the teaser and full official trailer for Godzilla. Released here in the UK, 16 May 2014.
@mysticmeg13 on Twitter. Or please leave a comment as I would love to hear what you think about this new origin story of Godzilla. Did you enjoy watching Monsters? Do you think Gareth Edwards can create something worthwhile?...
Director Gareth Edwards wrote, directed and created the critically lauded film with the special effects being created from scratch on his own laptop. Managing to create such a film that took everyone by surprise; that it was compared to an indie Cloverfield in terms of being a hit, not commercially but for the most critically lauded as one of the best monster films for a long while.
I had no expectations whatsoever about the film Monsters, that when the film had finished so brilliantly and the credits rolled up the screen, I had this great feeling that some films are greatly under appreciated. It may not have featured a heavy amount of explosions every other minute, or jam packed full of the "monster" but it focused more on the human part of the story.
The two characters newspaper photographer Andrew (Scoot McNairy), and his boss' daughter Sam (Whitney Able), emotionally and physically carry the film, filling in the moments where we're waiting patiently for a scary monster unveiling. We as an audience are swept along on this adventure across the area of North America (Mexico) which has been cordoned off as an "infected zone", to reach the American border, to safety.
If you're intrigued by mysterious creature films, with human centered stories, then this film won't disappoint. It may be slow at times, but the immersion is simple, led by the cinematography of the film, which is beautiful, haunting and easily the best to be achieved with three quarters less of the budget, of normal everyday Hollywood blockbusters.
To move onto such an epic blockbuster, from such a small indie film, is complimentary to that same director with the talent to make a remarkable debut, that puts him to the top of the director pile in Hollywood producer's' offices.
That he was chosen to direct THE monster of all monster films, shows that *hopefully* his talents can make something decent, with a great story, and a great character, intricately interweaving in many human characters that you care for to discover and engage with the main character: that of Godzilla itself.
From the two trailers alone, Gareth Edward's film has managed to celebrate and entice the interest of film goers and lovers of the monster: Godzilla, for the 21st century audiences. Less a special effects centered story, it will hopefully reveal just tidbits of the monster throughout the film. There seems to be an understandable conspiracy involving the explanation for the nuclear tests in the pacific, as an attempt to kill the monster.
There is no need for a stupidly basic plot, a linear plot line, one that you would expect of a Michael Bay film perhaps: a kill and destroy film about this gigantic monster. But more looking at the story around the history of the Godzilla character, where did it come from? how long has it been around for? (1950's it looks like, from the plot given in the trailer).
It is a sci-fi as well as being a generic (in a good way) monster film. There will some mystery, some humanising of the situation, some philosophy behind the idea that humanity can be destroyed by humanity's own endeavours to destroy the monster. A sense of irony perhaps.
"The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in our control, and not the other way around." A standout quote from Ken Watanabe.
The last Godzilla film to grace our cinema screens was Roland Emmerich's 1998's effects laden attempt at creating the spectacle of the first monster of the cinematic age.
Edwards' 2014 version looks set to be harking back to the original monster, the original mythology of the best creature film. It will also mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the character Godzilla or Gojira to give it it's Japanese name.
I for one am incredibly intrigued by this film, with real characters both creature and human, the monster eerily looking like the original creation, with past and future sci-fi fears revealing themselves once more. The origins are once again, after 60 years, looking to be a decent Godzilla film to celebrate this monstrous birthday.
Below are the teaser and full official trailer for Godzilla. Released here in the UK, 16 May 2014.
@mysticmeg13 on Twitter. Or please leave a comment as I would love to hear what you think about this new origin story of Godzilla. Did you enjoy watching Monsters? Do you think Gareth Edwards can create something worthwhile?...
Comments
Post a Comment