Godzilla '84: More Than Just Smashing Buildings

Okay, so I finally got around to watching "The Return of Godzilla" from '84, and wow, it was… different than I expected. I'm usually drawn to movies with strong character work (hence the name!), and I honestly didn't think I'd find much of that in a Godzilla flick. But I was pleasantly surprised! The human drama surrounding the government's attempts to cover up Godzilla's return was actually really compelling. The scene where the journalist, Gondo, is desperately trying to get his story out, but keeps getting blocked at every turn? Chilling! You really felt his frustration and the weight of the responsibility he felt to warn people. The way they depicted the politicians grappling with the potential international consequences was also pretty interesting – it wasn't just about the monster, but about the political fallout. I almost felt bad for them, haha. Almost. I also liked how they kept Godzilla somewhat mysterious, less of a mindless monster and more of a force of nature. Of course, there's plenty of smashing too. The practical effects definitely show their age now, but there's still something viscerally satisfying about seeing Godzilla wreck Tokyo. A lot of nowadays monster movies just use CGI and its not the same. The pacing felt a little slow in places, I think maybe they could have tightened up some of the dialogue scenes, but overall it was defintely a worthwhile watch. I wouldn't say it's the best Godzilla movie ever, but it has a maturity and a kind of grounded feel that I really appreciated. It's a reminder that even giant monster movies can have something to say about humanity, fear, and the choices we make in the face of overwhelming odds. Anyone else have thoughts on this one?