I found the acting to be mostly good through the movie considered what the actors had to work with. The same goes for the fighting scenes between the monsters, the music and the special effects. But when it comes to the script, more or less the basis for the entire movie, it was so bad that it ruined the entire movie!

• The monsters was "of course" bullet and bomb proof "as always"...!

• Monsters that were developed millions of years ago had the ability to give of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) at will!

• The creatures that were developed millions of years ago knew exactly when to give of an EMP to make modern planes crash and to cripple boats, trains and so on!

• When a boat or a train had stopped because of an EMP, they just needed to wait for a while, and then suddenly the boat or train and so on was just fine again even if an EMP damages electronics PERMANENTLY!

• Radiation that damages genetic material in everything else alive was used as a source of energy for two of the three monsters in the movie!

• In stead of learning from their mistakes, the military just continued to send in equipment with electronics that would be damaged by an EMP, in stead of using equipment from for example WWII without any electronics that could be damaged by EMPs!

• After finding out that two out of three creatures gets energy from radioactivity, the military continues to put radioactive material in the path of the same monsters that the military KNOWS feeds on radioactivity!

• Radios and tracking devices containing electronics does not get affected by an EMP even temporarily despite everything else that contains electronics does!

• The "hero" in this movie is the hero because he is the son of a man that was at the site of the original disaster, because he remembered a couple of sentences his dad told him, and because he can disarm bombs because of his background with disarming bombs in the military. Therefore he is apparently the only person capable of several things and is immediately taken in by other military forces, no questions asked wherever he goes during the movie!

• His experience with disarming bombs of course also qualifies him to perform a High Orbit Low Opening (HALO) parachute jump in no time, and opening his parachute below the altitude of roof levels!

When this came out, people were upset that it did not have enough creatures in it. I agreed back then but now after the sequels I realize that Gareth Edwards was trying to focus on the story and not just a CGI fest. I really enjoyed Bryan Cranston's character and wish I could have more of that too. While I left wanting more, sometimes that is better than having too much.

This isn't the usual kind of disaster action movie. It's a bit more serious and the disaster scenes aren't rushed. It's better to see this on a big screen because some of it is in the dark or under dusky skies.

Effects are good not dizzying or overdone. The assorted monsters move naturally and are relatively realistic. The various locations from Japan to Hawaii are nicely done too though SanFrancisco could have been a bit brighter during the destruction. The Golden Gate and other landmarks aren't that precise but I get that things had to be spread out to accommodate the monsters.

The basic plot isn't needlessly complicated though I got a bit lost in the details with the tactics to kill the monsters and the nuclear link to the monsters. The story about the people is secondary to the monsters which is good as it doesn't intrude.

The main character played by a sensitive looking Aaron Taylor Johnson isn't some superhero type saving the day. He is more a in the thick of things observer which is refreshing for a change. No way out bravado here.

Elisabeth Olsen isn't a drop dead gorgeous love interest, more every day ordinary. Her screen time isn't that much. Bryan Cranston (why didn't he age?) and Juliette Binoche (who did her hair?) also lend solid support.

Ken Watanabe looks right for his part but his diction isn't clear enough for relaying the plot through dialog.

Overall it's a good solid and well made big screen action disaster monster movie that deserves a big screen watch.