OVERVIEW: Nature controls man, not the other way around, in “Godzilla,” arriving onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2-Disc DVD Special Edition and Digital HD on September 16 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. An epic action adventure directed by Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”), Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “Godzilla” is the long-awaited big screen return of the King of the Monsters.

SYNOPSIS: In this gritty, realistic sci-fi action epic, Godzilla returns to its roots as one of the world's most recognized monsters. Directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring an all-star international cast, this spectacular adventure pits Godzilla against malevolent creatures that, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

FILM REVIEW: 

Admiral Stenz: This alpha predator of yours, doctor, do you really think he has a chance? 
Ichiro Serizawa: The arrogance of men is thinking nature is in their control and not the other way around. Let them fight. 

Finally! About 16 years later, we get a U.S. release Godzilla film that Godzilla would be proud of. It is true to the Godzilla franchise and very reminiscent in so many ways. If you are a fan of the classic Godzilla movies, this is a must see. Now remember, the Godzilla movies of old are fantastic “B” movies so you’re not going to get a whole lot more than that here either; although this film is quite dramatic and intense for a Godzilla movie, so this one has more depth. But again, it all the while stays true to the “B” movie form. This is the way it should be. Now I mention 16 years later because 16 years ago we had our last U.S. release Godzilla (1998), the one with Matthew Broderick. Now even though that one was a tangent, a departure from the classic but with the same name, it wasn’t necessarily a bad movie. Many people knocked that version, but taking it as a standalone, it wasn’t all that bad. With this version though, we definitely get back to tradition. Starting with opening scenes in Japan, seeing some of the actors speak almost looked dubbed, people running in the streets screaming, and a good dose of MMA (monsters of mass destruction) takes you back. It is cliché all the way but maintaining some amount of depth which was pretty cool.

As I watched the film, I continued to ponder over comparable films such as Cloverfield, Super 8, Pacific Rim, and even King Kong. If I had to pick, I would say this is most like Pacific Rim, but in reality, Godzilla is incomparable and the original. Of the major monster characters, only King Kong is older (1933) by 21 years, in case you were wondering as I was and Joanie-on-the-spot Priscilla found that fact for me. As you would expect, the special effects are pretty darn good in this one compared to its predecessors. The overall cinematography is pretty good too. One thing that stood out for me was the sound effects . . . impressive. Another aspect that was impressive was a particular performance by one of the members of the cast. I’ll give you one guess. Bryan Cranston delivers a powerful performance even in this genre. He elevates the movie up a notch. The rest of the cast was pretty good too, or shall I say good enough. Same goes for the storyline, although at least it is modern and appropriate. You can’t really ask for more. Remember, Godzilla movies were never meant to be great, just fun and action packed, therefore, this is a great Godzilla movie. Gareth Edwards has done an excellent job directing this piece. He was brave to take this on even though his work would fall under severe scrutiny by the Godzilla faithful. One such scrutiny I heard was a comment on the size of Godzilla. When I first heard this I chuckled because I thought it was a ridiculous comment. Well, after seeing the film, I’ve got to admit that he did look a little too chubby, but still very much huggable.

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 1.85:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English, French  and Spanish subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.40:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1/DVS English, Dolby Digital 5.1 Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese

Subtitles - English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and hi-def sound. 

DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away. 

Digital Copy provides consumers with a choice of formats from a variety of partners, including options to watch on iPhone®,
iPad®, Android, computers and more.

UltraViolet™ is the revolutionary way for consumers to collect their movies and TV shows in the cloud. UltraViolet™ lets
consumers instantly stream and download to tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs. Now available in both the United States
and Canada.

MONARCH: Declassified - Discover explosive new evidence not contained in the film that unravels the massive cover-up to keep Godzilla’s existence a secret.

Operation: Lucky Dragon
MONARCH: The M.U.T.O. File
The Godzilla Revelation

The Legendary Godzilla - Go behind the scenes with filmmakers and cast for an even deeper look at the larger than life monsters in the film.

Godzilla: Force of Nature
A Whole New Level Of Destruction
Into The Void: The H.A.L.O. Jump
Ancient Enemy: The M.U.T.O.s