Godzilla 2: 10 Ways To Make Sure The Sequel Is Better Than The Original

1. Holding Out For A Hero

Despite how divided Godzilla's fanbase is over the film's elements, probably the most consistent complaint is about it's hero. Do we personally have a problem with Lt. Brody? Not really; Godzilla films aren't known for their compelling human characters. For many, however, it was the biggest reason the film failed to entertain. The character's motivations are unclear and the actor doesn't seem to understand where his personality lies. It results in a bland protagonist: his father's death, which should be by far the most emotional scene in the film, seems to barely register on the face of our hero. When he goes after the Mutos, we never get a clear idea if he's looking for revenge or just simply doing his job. This is probably the primary reason his journey is so uncompelling; we should know how exactly our hero feels. Compare this to the character Daisuke Serizawa in the original film: he's the only man who holds the weapon that can defeat Godzilla, but worries over whether or not to use it. It's not out of cowardice; he fears that the weapon would be so effective that governments would be compelled to replicate it. When he finally does use it against Godzilla, he kills himself so that no one can know his secrets. Despite being a monster movie, the protagonist had an equally compelling motivation and conflict. Not only was it understandable, it reflected the larger real life issues of the film, which in this case was nuclear escalation. While we're not saying Godzilla's human protagonists need to be politically aware, their concerns and motivations should be grand in order to justify sharing screen time with a city-destroying monster.