(review of Japanese 103 minute cut: Gojira, aka 'The Return of Godzilla) This was a mixed bag for me. There wasn't that much middle ground for me on this viewing - on the one hand, this has some of (not, not some of, simply) the best use of a Godzilla as far as a man in a suit, not to mention with the practical effects, the use of miniatures (for instance the special flying machine that they use to especially zap Godzilla as opposed to the usual nuclear bombs, but we'll get to that in a moment), and the sets. It's sophisticated for the time even if at certain moments it may seem dated. It is, but that didn't stop me being riveted during every moment Godzilla was on screen, whether it was stomping all over a nuclear facility or, of course, all over Tokyo, and this latter part takes up much of the 2nd half of the movie (or at least the last half hour or more). The money, however much they spent, is up there on the screen. Even the film stock works to make it terrifying at times.
On the other hand though, this is a return not just to Godzilla as a legitimate threat after something like 20 years as a "bad guy" (the last time he wasn't doing something 'heroic' in some way, whether it was battling other, worse monsters, or hanging out with his son or fighting aliens or whatever, was Mothra vs Godzilla), and the tone is meant to be going back to what was done at the start in Honda's Gojira and to an extent it's first sequel, Godzilla Raids Again. The problem here though is that the filmmakers focus on two story lines with the humans: one is relatively compelling and emotional, with a character who first discovers some men on a boat who have been killed by some unknown entity (and he also does battle with, uh, monster sea lice, yeah, it's weird), and then is questioned by scientists and officials about what he's seen and it's confirmed it is Godzilla, and then the guy's sister comes into the picture. But the other storyline involves the government itself and... dull is too nice a word.
I don't know how it will be for others in the audience - and again, this is the original Japanese version I'm talking about, I haven't seen the American re-edit, which features Raymond Burr to connect it to the original American re-edit of the 54 film, and was panned by a lot of critics including sci-fi geek Roger Ebert - but there's a stretch of this movie I checked out of. I understood what the prime minister was dealing with was meant to be dramatic, but the conflict here, which involves the Soviets and to an extent the US and using nuclear weapons (including a missile from outer space) is more dated than any Godzilla costume or tiny airplane or set of cars. At the time the threat of nuclear annihilation was in the air, but even then it was sort of in its last gasp of air, and seeing the prime minister have to mediate between Russians and Americans is acted so poorly and written so stiffly that it occurs to me even more how necessary the satire on bureaucracy in Shin Godzilla is (which, like this movie, features little title cards showing who certain people are, though the new one goes even more nuts for it).
I think if you watch this only for the Godzilla action, it is incredible. It's shot in a way that is intentionally menacing - low angle shots of Godzilla return, how long had it been by then! - and the suit looks really sharp for its time, and the explosions and lighting are a great homage to the style that Honda originated with Toho's special effects people in 1954. If only the rest of the ho-hum movie (and yes the actors playing the 'ordinary' non-military/government people are quite good, though stock), with its barebones story and War-Games style theatrics around nuclear launch codes and outdated synth score (yes, synth can be dated folks), it could be one of the greats in the series.
On the other hand though, this is a return not just to Godzilla as a legitimate threat after something like 20 years as a "bad guy" (the last time he wasn't doing something 'heroic' in some way, whether it was battling other, worse monsters, or hanging out with his son or fighting aliens or whatever, was Mothra vs Godzilla), and the tone is meant to be going back to what was done at the start in Honda's Gojira and to an extent it's first sequel, Godzilla Raids Again. The problem here though is that the filmmakers focus on two story lines with the humans: one is relatively compelling and emotional, with a character who first discovers some men on a boat who have been killed by some unknown entity (and he also does battle with, uh, monster sea lice, yeah, it's weird), and then is questioned by scientists and officials about what he's seen and it's confirmed it is Godzilla, and then the guy's sister comes into the picture. But the other storyline involves the government itself and... dull is too nice a word.
I don't know how it will be for others in the audience - and again, this is the original Japanese version I'm talking about, I haven't seen the American re-edit, which features Raymond Burr to connect it to the original American re-edit of the 54 film, and was panned by a lot of critics including sci-fi geek Roger Ebert - but there's a stretch of this movie I checked out of. I understood what the prime minister was dealing with was meant to be dramatic, but the conflict here, which involves the Soviets and to an extent the US and using nuclear weapons (including a missile from outer space) is more dated than any Godzilla costume or tiny airplane or set of cars. At the time the threat of nuclear annihilation was in the air, but even then it was sort of in its last gasp of air, and seeing the prime minister have to mediate between Russians and Americans is acted so poorly and written so stiffly that it occurs to me even more how necessary the satire on bureaucracy in Shin Godzilla is (which, like this movie, features little title cards showing who certain people are, though the new one goes even more nuts for it).
I think if you watch this only for the Godzilla action, it is incredible. It's shot in a way that is intentionally menacing - low angle shots of Godzilla return, how long had it been by then! - and the suit looks really sharp for its time, and the explosions and lighting are a great homage to the style that Honda originated with Toho's special effects people in 1954. If only the rest of the ho-hum movie (and yes the actors playing the 'ordinary' non-military/government people are quite good, though stock), with its barebones story and War-Games style theatrics around nuclear launch codes and outdated synth score (yes, synth can be dated folks), it could be one of the greats in the series.