In the original 1954 movie, Godzilla represented the destruction and fear of nuclear weapons and energy in Japanese society in the wake of the Second World War and American occupation. It was not just the Japanese who feared this new technology, though they certainly new its power more than most. In the United States, Them!, a movie from the same year, was a story of giant ants that were created nuclear fallout from bomb testing in Nevada. It ends with a speech from Dr. Medford, played by Santa from Miracle on 34th Street, about the unknown dangers nuclear energy.

In the movie Godzilla was monster of limitless power who was awoken by bomb tests in the Pacific. His path of destruction through Tokyo and connection to the bomb ring of those final days of the Second World War. His abrupt appearance in the Pacific is an example of unknown consequences of atomic energy.

The Godzilla in 2014 represents a great danger of our time. The King of the Monsters is referred to as being able to "bring balance". The giant insects Godzilla faces are awoken by strip mining in the middle of a tropical forest. A large portion of the early film takes place in a destroyed nuclear power plant, obvious nod to the Fukushima Nuclear disaster. There is an overall theme of environmental degradation and the consequence of that with Godzilla being forced to "bring the balance" just as a hurricane or flood restores balance or ties at least. Godzilla leaves a path of destruction in his wake, but it is to defeat those who would unbalance the order of things. The most striking example of this theme is at the end of the film. Refugees of the destruction of San Francisco gather in a arena. Broken families are searching for each other with the help of FEMA workers. Beds and blankets are scattered throughout. The comparison between this and Hurricane Katrina are automatic.

Monster movies, as well as horror, have a insight the fears and worries of the day. Invasion of the Bodysnatchers was about communism, Them! was about nuclear energy and the most pressing issue of our day, climate change is dressed by having a 400 ft monster destroy San Francisco. (Of course)