To be fair, I've only just seen this film in the theater (literally, moments ago), and I tend to watch the movies I review multiple times to get it right.
With that disclaimer in mind, take the following as "notes" instead of a full-fledged review:
First and foremost, this movie is CLEARLY trolling anyone who watched Godzilla (2014) and complained about how little screen-time Godzilla had. The "giant monster time" of the movie is pretty minuscule, almost to the point of non-existence in its 120 minute running time.
That doesn't mean that the movie is without tension, action, and intensity. It does have all of those things. Just not in the way that you'd expect of a "traditional" Godzilla film. Thankfully, this Godzilla movie is not trying to be an incoherent Transformers film. If you want those, you know where to find them.
Shin Godzilla also nails the basic element of a heartfelt Godzilla film that knows its roots. It definitely has a message. All those scenes of boardrooms filled with government officials negotiating between other government officials and government officials negotiating with officials who then negotiate with (well, you get the point)...it is making a social commentary. Just like Gojira (1954) did.
Lastly, this new Godzilla (because, yet again, it's not connected to any previous incarnation) is a destructive beast. The devastation is vast and has a real impact on the human characters in the film. The actual impact on human lives is arguably more heart-felt than in the American (2014) film. But that's something to be addressed upon further viewing...
