Movie Defense Force: Godzilla

[elvor0]

Ahh Godzilla 1998. I was 7 when I saw this, ergo no quality control on my part I remember barely anything about it, aside from the end scene with the egg hatching. I did however actually cry in the cinema when Godzilla died. I don't want to watch it again, just because I don't want to ruin that silly sentimental memory for myself.

 

[shrekfan246]

The real problem with this movie is that it just takes itself too seriously. It never embraces the insanity of its premise and instead tries to explain everything in way more detail than it really needs to instead of saying, "here's some crazy shit, enjoy the madness."

I don't know, I think there's a difference between "It takes itself too seriously" and "It spends way too much time on trivial shite".

"That's a lot of fish" seems to preclude the movie thinking it's particularly 'serious', for instance.

Anyway, yeah, this is one I've brought up a few times around the forums as a film I like that I've never really gotten all of the hate for. But I like Matthew Gormless as an actor, Hank Azaria and Jean Reno helped carry the non-monster parts, I didn't have any vested interest in the earlier Godzilla films--though unlike a fair number of people around here I had actually seen a good number of them before 'Zilla '98--and I generally don't get angered by franchise names being put onto things that could be their own IP. I can see when it doesn't make any sense, but it won't color my overall impression.

 

[Something Amyss]

If there was more Kaiju action, I'd be more forgiving. Like Bayformers, however, there's too little of the titular big stompy thing.

I don't care about it not being true to Godzilla. I liked the appearance of "Zilla." Jean Reno is Jean Reno. But it's a human drama with a Kaiju backdrop. Fuck that.

 

[daibakuha]

I think Jim is wrong with this one. People didn't hate this movie because it's not Godzilla, they hated it because it's a shitty movie.

Godzilla fans weren't the only ones who hated it.

 

[thetoddo]

This is in that special category of movies for me that would have been a solid flick if it weren't associated with an established property. I felt it was a servicable giant monster flick and if it hadn't been "Godzilla" it probably would have gotten a better reception (see Cloverfield). I also think that if the Star Wars Prequel trilogy had had it's Star Wars branding stripped from it it would have been a trio of average sci-fi movies though, so my opinion might be insane.

 

[zvate]

I've been critical of this series but this one made me laugh because Jim's recollection mirror's my own. I remember really liking this movie when I saw it a long time ago but if I watched it again I would just be waiting for those moments of nice action I remember and I'm sure it would drag on in a surprising way.

 

[Darth_Payn]

I thought it was pronounced Jean "Reh-NOH", so I will keep calling him that, because that sounds more French, but in a cool way. And that picture of baby Godzilla Jr. from the old movies? That was so ugly I had to laugh!

 

[ZakCanard]

When people say how awful the 1998 Godzilla movie was, they should be reminded that it could have been a lot worse. It could have had Godzooky in it.

 

[Flunk]

I was a teenager when I first saw this movie. I had never seen any Godzilla movies, unless you count skipping past old ones on TV. I thought it was a passable monster/action movie. Not bad to watch once and fairly forgettable. I honestly agree with Jim, this movie is only considered "bad" by a certain vocal section of the population (Godzilla fans) because it's totally and completely unrelated to or even stylistically similar to the common Godzilla films. I know how that feels to have some idiots adapt and destroy material that you love into something that's a twisted shell that's nearly unrecognizable.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

You know, this movie would probably have sucked a lot less, if it was set in Paris and Jean Reno and his guys are like French GIGN or other special forces trying to stop him.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

Godzilla

That's a lot of fish!

But why do we need any more "monster movies" in the first place? This seems kind of like defending Sharknado.

 

[gorfias]

You know you have nothing to watch but the monster when, dramatically, this movie is Charlies Angels. For Renau to think Mathew Broderick's idea of leaving bait for the monster is "very clever" you have a huge problem. There is nothing to do but watch the monster. And damnit, that aint enough. This movie is still not worth defending.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

So what, is Zilla Godzilla's brother in law or something?

He's just a dude who hangs out in Godzilla's apartment, and always orders 'za deliveries, but makes Godzilla pay for it.

 

[Lovely Mixture]

Well Jim. I'm impressed, you defended this quite well.

I always liked this film and never understood the hate, but then, I'm not really a Godzilla fan. It is a bit long, but at least it's not Peter Jackson's King Kong long.

Yeah, I even like the Peter Jackson film, but goddamn that film needed some editing.

 

[LackofCertainty]

The 98 Godzilla movie was the first Godzilla movie I'd ever seen. It didn't get blasted just because of the difference between it and the source material. It's some hot garbage and does not deserve defending.

P.S.
The end of the review, where Jim basically admits that it's way too long, not as good as he remembered and he just put out this video because he didn't have any other vids prepared as backup was glorious. XD

 

[MonkeyPunch]

Yeah this movie ain't half bad. I mean, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love movies where things get destroyed in a pleasing fashion and that does happen with this movie. I actually think the CGi holds up pretty well considering.
The parts in between the action are sometimes mind-numbingly boring though.

 

[MailOrderClone]

I'm delighted to see so many mentions of the fantastic animated series based on this film. It was a bit on the dark side and leans somewhat heavily on the monster of the day format, but Godzilla: The Series was a great show and worth watching even today. And why wouldn't it be, having been made by the same people that made the Men In Black cartoon series, the shockingly good Extreme Ghostbusters (which is still the best "extreme" relaunch of any series to date), and later on made The Big Guy and Rusty. As a matter of fact that animation company, Adelaide Productions, is still around. They're currently working on The Boondocks.

 

[thetruemelmoth]

I think this perfectly illustrates the problem with slapping a franchise/name on everything out of fear of new IPs not selling. Another such example is Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which is a fairly playable game that just isn't a Final Fantasy. If it were just called Crystal Chronicles it would have propably been a lot better recieved and remebered.

 

[spoonybard.hahs]

If you tell me I can skip the first twenty minutes of a film and not miss anything, that's not a good sign. And even for a monster film, my god, was it oppressively shitty. If not for the terrible script and the director's failed attempt to get back at Siskel and Ebert [http://youtu.be/f-iqrA-vGK4?t=6m55s], then definitely for Matthew Broderik.