All of this seems like a desperate attempt to draw in an audience by doing something different. That's where the movie struggles the most. In an effort to make it seem like an original Godzilla film, all it really does is alienate those fans that have been loyal ticket buyers for decades. The entire film is like having a seizure. It's uncontrolled and it goes on longer than you ever hoped it would.
It hardly ever stops to catch up, seemingly content to throw as much into a two-hour film as possible without actually stopping to think if any of it's entertaining. It's hard to even fathom that what's appearing on screen is actually real. It's like a terrible dream of what someone with no prior experience in filmmaking or with Godzilla would produce on a big budget.
The human characters are introduced and dispatched just as quickly multiple times. You'll forget about a certain actor due to the obnoxious, overbearing, and uncaring soundtrack by Keith Emerson, and suddenly they're back. The scriptwriters failed to have the common sense to give meaning to any of the battles (human or monster) which all revolve around the typical alien invasion plot. How they ever managed to sign fan favorites Akira Takarada and Kumi Mizuno onto this disaster is unknown, but it's not a positive career move. Starring alongside is a stiff, unconvincing UFC fighter Don Frye.
The simple idea that this could be the final memory of Godzilla is disgusting. This isn't a movie; it's a series of pictures seemingly taped together by an 8-year old. It fails on every conceivable level, managing to disinterest both long time and younger fans. It's not worthy of the name Godzilla, it's not appropriate for his 50th birthday, and it's going to be improbable to ever swallow this as part of a sometimes serious, sometimes campy series. It's almost like a kick to the head after being knocked down to every Godzilla fan on the planet.
Article comments
1 - Chris Beaumont
That's a damn shame. I have been really wanting to see this. I really like Kitamura's work, it appears he was not the man for this job.
That said, I am still interested in seeing it.
2 - Matt Paprocki
If you by some chance have the new issue of G-Fan, it's almost nothing but GFW reviews. Some people seem to adore this movie, others wish would burn and be forgotten. There's no in-between here at all. I think you know where I stand. =;)
It's well worth tracking down a copy. I don't think the fan base was this divided on GINO. Makes for great reading.
3 - Chris Beaumont
I'll keep an eye out. I want to get all those recent R1 releases, but they're so expensive! Then again, I should sit back and watch the ones I have! I believe my favorite at the moment may be GMK.
4 - Jonathan
Hi there,
I came across your website, during a search for some hardcore Godzilla toy collectors. I have in my possession, 3 very very rare UNPRODUCED PLUSH PROTOTYPES, of Rodan, and Ghidorah, that Trendmasters made for salesman, but were never released. They were made back in 1993 or 1995 I believe, and debuted at the G-Convention in Chicago back then, and everybody went mad for them, signing a petition, begging Trendmasters to release them. Well, that never happened, and never will, as Trendmasters went bankrupt in 2002, and these toys remain very sought after! It's a safe bet that only 12 or less of these exist, and for the most part, each one is different then the next. For example, they were all supposed to have flashing light up eyes, and roar and shake, all motion sensored. They are 10" in size, and very well made! My Rodan doesn't work, but that is a prototype for you. They still display beautifully though. However, I have 2 very different Ghidorahs! One works with the light up eyes and roars, and the other does not, but it is a very cool and quite different proto. I have pictures of all of them. I am looking to sell them to a serious collector, because they cost me a lot of money, as the fans at the G-Con were literally offering up to $800.00 each for one of them, and I even have a copy of the one of the many pages of the petition that was signed begging to have them released. If you, or any one of your friends is interested, please email me back, and I can send pictures, and we can go from there.
You can email me for pictures:
shytoons@yahoo.com
Looking forward to hearing back from any of you!
Regards,
Jonathan
5 - nicholas
Godzilla Final Wars is the best movie ever, you should realy see it.These suckers say it is bad it is good.But some parts were bad most were good.I would give it a 910 because as I said some parts were bad.I would suggest you see it.It is realy realy good.
6 - nicholas
You can call me nick by the way,what I ment was not you guy but the people at the top say Godzilla Final Wars is a bad movie when it is a realy good movie after all.
7 - unkown
first of all the person that wrote this sucks balls ok, you dont even know anything about godzilla, hes the only monster movie in the history that made 27 movies in 50 years. I do miss the old school movies back in the day, i really dont care how low budget it was but they did sell because if they didnt he wouldnt have been around for 50 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are lots of fans all over the world that like him espiecally here in america and i dont give a rats ass of what people think about the last movie thats why if you go to other websites they have alot of good comments and yes I would of liked it better if they all fighted at the same time but you know what they didnt, so suck it up and dont be a baby
8 - Steve
I don't know who wrote this cheap, tatty review, but whoever did is clearly an idiot.
This film can be looked at in 2 ways. It's either a serious attempt, which is how you looked at it, which leads it to be appalling in quality and content. OR it can be intended as a spoof as to make light of the 50th birthday celebrity, which is the right mentality with which to look at the film, it is amazing and pointlessly entertaining.
9 - Matt Paprocki
"This film can be looked at in 2 ways. It's either a serious attempt, which is how you looked at it, which leads it to be appalling in quality and content. OR it can be intended as a spoof as to make light of the 50th birthday celebrity, which is the right mentality"
What in the film makes it apparent that it's a spoof? Everything is played straight, and aside from the US Godzilla being slaughtered, there's nothing here that's comedic. Toho takes this franchise seriously, and aside from a few minor camp moments, the series has been this way since 1985.
Why would they suddenly go against that for such a major landmark anniversary?
10 - david aguirre
godzilla is the coolest monster ever. you should make shoes of godzilla. you should also put godzilla on tv than everybody could see how he looks.
11 - Jesse
This movie is...well...I dont know. I would have gone a different way personally. The fact that Gigan effectively kills himself the second time doesn't seem right to me. Plus the mutants were way too...just there for no reason at all. I mean I don't think you see them again after the general fights them. And the Mothra Fairies just show up at random, spout out a bunch of information, then you forget they were even there.
The monster fights were way too fast, and childish. The four way battle was truly degrading. This is not a movie I would watch with any Non G-fan. Anybody else who would watch this movie who knew nothing would use this to judge ever other movie, and it would hurt.
The new director, I have to agree was a horrible choice for this movie. They should have let Kaneko do it. GMK was pure gold compared to final wars. The Bike chase could have been completely dropped and this movie would have lost nothing for it. The fact that the aliens could control the mutants could have been dropped, and this movie would have made more sense for it. The aliens had vast numbers on their side, what difference would it have made if they had the mutants or not?
Minya could have been thrown out and replaced with a modern day Varan. Monster X should have been thrown out, or at least that thing it turned into, it looked horrible plain and simple the wings looked like they would just break off and it looked just bad.
The monsters could have been treated more respectfully as well. Kumonga's demise was down right pathetic, and his web power was equally bad. Rodan's attack on NYC could have gone with out the whole cop scene and that childish cartoon special effect when that guy's hat got blown off.
Where Godzilla was held in the north pole, you would think there would be an entire military base up there guarding the monster, not just two guys, I mean it IS Godzilla after all.
The movie I had envisioned and the one I got were completely different.
I saw it going something like this:
Godzilla and earth monsters are at peace with the world at large, sure every once and awhile they get mad and threaten humanity, but that is what Giant monsters do.
Then, those pesky aliens show up, and there is no "We come in peace" Message. They came for a fight. The Technology levels between the two are pretty even, and war breaks out.
Aliens realize that they could actually lose the battle. So they do what any other self respecting aliens do, they summon the space monsters. Ghidorah, Gigan, Hedorah...maybe some cool new ones...Or mechanical monsters of their own design.
Humans employ the service of Kiryu, they said they destroyed it, but they lied, and or rebuilt it in secret with the DNA they had. Mechagodzilla is no match for the alien monsters enmasse and is easily forced to retreat.
Eventually Earth Monsters join in the fight, and the alien armies begin to get crushed, the alien monsters and machines and the earth armies and monsters go to war in one last battle, knowing somehow that winner takes all. (This could be conveyed due to the fact the earth people make a hasty trip to infant island and recruit Mothra and the fairies.)
Eventually, beaten and bloodied the monsters of earth eventually win the day, not all make it through the battle however, on both sides.
To connect the dots the story could be seen through the eyes of a beginner kajiulogist. And this character could mention simple facts to introduce monsters with just a few sentences. like "Everybody knows that Ebriah has terrorized the seas since his battle with Godzilla in the sixties, there are pictures." Or something like that to catch up the Average G-fan and new comers with some small bits of information on the monsters so things get connected.
The movie would tie all of the series together, since it would be the last one. It would be easy to do if done correctly. Continuity isnt a big issue with these movies and done correctly I dont think anybody would mind to know what some of their favorite monster has been up to since they were seen last.
No mutants, no motorcycle chases, no stupid aliens, no overwhelming monster humor, a storyline that makes sense and is connected, good forboding and dark music, fair amount of time for the monsters and less for the people, None of this "This is what you look like, so we will kill you" stuff, No Kaizer Ghidorah, No brainless monsters.
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The movie I invisioned was much more exciting then what I actually got. I seriously hope this isnt the last G-movie. They need to make one more to redeem themselves for this 50th year event. It should have been something special. Godzilla has had enough of the light hearted kiddy stuff in the 70's...Megalon...Godzilla's Revenge...Son of Godzilla.
The 50th year celebration should have been a fitting exit. for the 40th the created Godzilla vs Destroyah. That is a movie that will, for me at least be a moment in time suspended forever. Godzilla, for that series, died. It was powerful, and fitting. I will never forget it.
I can barely remember Final wars and Ive seen it three times. I haven't seen Destroyah in...well it's been too long and I still remember that one almost perfectly. Good movies make an impression, bad movies make one too. Movies that make no sense are forgetable.
Final wars had no basics, and with out them all that flash is nothing but trash. We have all seen it before. Even down to the Fighter flying in the ship that destroys the shield generator, taken right out of Star Wars...I mean the blaster beams stopped in the air like the matrix, come on already...
It is barely a Godzilla movie. I mean you see him in the very beginning in battle with the Gotengo. And it is too bad all those sparks look like...well..toys, then an earthquake shows up on cue. Then the missle guy has to make it dramatic by screaming before he pushes the button. I didnt know that pushing a button was such hard work or stressful. Somebody says "Fire" You should just push the button, it's not exactly old school warrior style with the swords. You just have to push the fricken button! The drama needed to be toned down alittle, and the special effects brought up a notch.
It is, for better or worse, A Godzilla movie. It makes no sense, and it is flashy and filled with techno music to the point of having a mental breakdown. The color seems off in some parts. Like the Motorcycle scene seems way too bright to me.
I just wish it was worth the hype they put into it. It is the first time in a long time I was actually dissappointed with a G movie. But I will watch it and count it among the other movies all the same. And hope for a brighter future.
The author of this review is not wrong in saying what he did, and that is what sucks the most.
12 - dave
I have not seen this godzilla movie,but I have heard of it and i know it will be awesome