[Baltan II]

Queen of the MUTOs. No, you just got trolled.

I still need more time - and at least a second viewing - to form full impressions, but I absolutely loved it this first time around.

I don't know what exactly there was to dislike about Joe's character, aside from being bland as shit. His determination to somehow make it back to his family while remain true to his duties as a soldier and at least protect their lives worked for me for what he needed to do. The parallel to Godzilla's determination to end the Muto threat was forced for sure, but he sufficed. I don't mind Ford's absence due to his death at the claws of the male Muto but I am in utter agreement that he could've carried the movie in an amazing capacity instead of Joe, obviously as a very different story.

A return to a heroic Godzilla is the dream I never fathomed becoming reality. And I actually loved the monster battle teases for the most part! The most glaring exception, I felt, was everything with the female Muto. I either needed to see more of her rampage west or her destruction of Vegas. The Hawaii "fight" looked like it was abrupt no matter what considering the male knew he was outmatched, and the San Francisco battle was lean but not so much that I was left wanting.