Movie Review - Shin Godzilla

SORRY, fans of the 1998 and 2014 Hollywood film versions, but this is how Godzilla really should have been done.
Japan reclaims their iconic monster, with this modern-day retelling of the classic tale of Gojira (as he is known in Japan).
Legendary director Hideaki Anno (best known for writing and directing the popular Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series), who also wrote the script, manages to update the beast's origin story as a cautionary tale of post-nuclear war Japan, giving a very realistic portrayal of how such a threat would be dealt with today.
The story starts with a strange creature emerging from the sea, terrifying civilians and forcing the Japanese government into action.
Despite all the assurances that they have enough firepower to take out the monster, mid-level cabinet member named Yaguchi (Hiroki Hasegawa) is unconvinced that it will succeed.
Sure enough, the monster begins evolving at a rapid rate, leading to the government having to modify their plans and Yaguchi being placed in charge of a team of scientists and military experts in order to find a way to take out the monster.
In between all that, Japan is forced to accept the help of foreign allies, including the US government, represented by the flashy Kayoko Ann Patterson (Satomi Ishihara).
The film is an unconventional monster movie for today, as it is not an action-packed thriller. A majority of it takes place in meeting rooms, with large groups of people discussing what to do about Gojira.
Although it sounds boring on paper, it really is not, as the audience is brought into the problem-solving aspect of the situation. As the story unfolds, you understand the complexities of figuring out what to do with such a large-scale threat, and the frustrations that come with bureaucratic red-tape.
Nonetheless, once the action takes place, it is glorious in its destructiveness. This Gojira has his own unique brand of special powers, and the first time he uses them will take your breath away.
The acting is pretty good all around, especially Hasegawa, although I found Ishihara's performance as the 'American' Patterson rather jarring.
The biggest downside is the inconsistent design of Gojira, who goes from a rubber puppet to a stiff mechanical doll to a CGI creature.
Although the slow development of the story might bother some first-time viewers, this will be a joy to watch for hardcore Gojira/Godzilla fans.