This won't be very comprehensive or a full plot synopsis just my thoughts on why the movie is excellent.
Because of the mixed reviews I went into this movie very apprehensively. After seeing the movie I left the theater with a smile on my face. I feel it does a good job of cutting between the monsters converging on San Francisco and the humans coming up with, and executing, a plan. The movie is 2 hours, but felt short, which shows that I was able to get invested. Bryan Cranston, while only in the film for a short time, gives an excellent performance. Ken Watanabe is around the entire movie and also gives an excellent performance. His "let them fight" remark ushering in the movie's climax is the stuff of legend.
I'll talk a little about the monsters. The full-frontal reveal shot of Godzilla is well executed. The glimpses of Godzilla we see before he's fully revealed give a fantastic sense of scale. The two MUTOs put up a great fight against Godzilla and allow for impressive visuals and fight scenes. The first MUTO, a male, is smaller and has wings. The second MUTO is female and is huge, roughly the same size as Godzilla.
Now for the fighting! We're given a heavy tail swipe by Godzilla that kills the male MUTO. Godzilla breathes his atomic breath three times in the film. Godzilla killing the female MUTO is absolutely one of the greatest things I've seen in my life. Godzilla grabs her head, pries her jaw open, then shoots atomic breath down her throat. The force of the blast decapicates her and he's left standing with the creature's head in his hand. Godzilla bellows and then drops her head. He then passes out from exhaustion.
We get a happy ending as the main human character reunites with his wife and son. Godzilla awakes as rescue workers are searching the rubble of damaged parts of San Francisco. He lumbers toward the ocean and, before descending, lets out one final roar. News coverage of the event declares him King of the Monsters and anoints Godzilla savior of San Francisco.
As a fan of Godzilla I feel it's one of the best films in the franchise. I eagerly await Legendary Pictures' Godzilla 2.
"On my business card I am a corporate president. In my mind I am a game developer. But in my heart I am a gamer." - Satoru Iwata
