It's impossible to describe the sheer hatred Godzilla fans have for this American adaptation. While there are a small number of closet fans, they would be wise to keep their thoughts to themselves. Dean Devlin's own admittance to not liking the previous films, a cheap shot at Godzilla fanzine G-Fan's editor JD Lees, and the abomination of the creature itself doom this film into the lowest depths of summer blockbuster history.
While the mainstream looks at a typical Godzilla film and laughs at their cheapness, fans look and see charm, effort, and the heart of the creators working with minimal budgets to create some incredible scenes of destruction. While no one will try to defend disasters like Godzilla vs. Megalon, the original purpose of the monster was obvious.
As a stand-in for the nuclear horror Japan suffered, Godzilla meant something. He had a purpose as his indestructible hide marched through Tokyo. That's the reason Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's concept failed miserably. It has no sense of being, no purpose, and most importantly, no real horror. This is a cheap monster film on a ridiculously oversized budget with little thought as to why it was being made.
It's a shame too, because the time spent creating it was obvious. The special effects squad created some mesmerizing action at times, but missed out on the real reason we love Godzilla in the first place. This is a giant iguana that runs from the military, an inexcusable disgrace to a cinematic icon. This knock-off monster doesn't even cause much in the way of damage, preferring to stick to the side roads to avoid smashing through buildings.
You can sit back and call the original Japanese films cheap garbage with men in suits and cardboard buildings. The fact is, the amount of care taken in those "garbage" movies is incredible, and should be obvious to anyone who enjoys special effects. This American bastardization lacks heart, and its cold, rainy presentation seems perfectly appropriate. (No stars out of *****)
As if this film needed more butchering, this latest "Monster Edition" DVD is a sure sign of why DVD sales have failed to grow. Slapped with a "Mastered in High-Definition" info box on the case, this is the same transfer the original DVD in 1998 had. It's a nice presentation with sharp black levels, stunning color where needed, and only minor compression issues. Grain is the key problem on minor occasions. (****)
Back in 1998, this was a showcase disc for home theater enthusiasts. Given that this is the same 5.1 mix from that previous DVD, it's obvious that this hasn't changed. This is film that deserved some recognition for its sound design, aside from the ridiculous and unnecessary change to Godzilla's trademark roar. Bass is simply outstanding, and the aggressive and constant use of the surround channels is unmatched. There's no need to buy this for the audio if you have the original. (*****)
Article comments
1 - Guppusmaximus
Anyone who can't appreciate the old Godzilla movies must not try to recreate because this is a perfect example of what happens. PURE SH!T!!
Good Review and thanks for the heads up.....But, I don't think anyone will remember this movie especially that POS cheesy song that P-Dingdong did.
2 - Foywonder
An atrocious movie that had no respect for either its subject matter or its audience combined with the backlash that arose when it failed to live up to all the megahype... The ultimate irony is that Devlin and Emmerich will never live this film down. No matter what they ever do - Devlin especially - they'll always have the spectre of this travesty hanging above their heads.
3 - matt h.
Your review of the 'Monster Edition' of Godzilla (1998)stated it is the same video transfer as in the original dvd release (which was not credited as anamorphic on the packaging!). The 06' version is credited as anamorphic. I never purchased the original version because it was supposedly only letterboxed. If this is true, it would appear that the 'Monster Edition' would be the preferable version to own based solely on the increased resolution advantages of the anamorphic display.