Badmovies.org Forum

What does everyone think about this U.S reboot? Personally I think its disgraceful and its not just because of the laughable 'Zilla' design but more so the story, the ridiculous amount of plot holes, the acting, the inconsistencies, the crappy CGI and the clear disrespect of the source material. I can't even enjoy it as a B-Movie much like a lot of the Japanese Godzilla films because it takes itself so damn seriously and has 'big dumb action blockbuster with no substance' written all over it.

Its funny though because whist my hate for Zilla or GINO looms large, it did help set up one of the most satisfying action sequences in any Godzilla film to date. I am of course talking about that famous fight in 2004's Final Wars when the actual Godzilla rips Zilla a new one in about 10 seconds. I'm happy to state that the location was set on my home turf.

Now this is a bad movie, all right.  One of the worst.

My only favourite parts of this movie involve Jean Reno:

JR [reaches into a paper bag, pulls out a doughnut] "No croissant?'
JP: "No, monsieur."
JR: [takes a sip of coffee] "Urrrggghh...... you call this coffee?"
JP: [shrugs, smiles] "I call this America."

 :teddyr: :teddyr:

Never seen this one.  Will have to watch out for it.

Later,

John

If it's not a guy in a rubber suit it's not Godzilla.

I did a review on this thing a while back.  I think it is okay for a popcorn film.  Plenty of mindless action and violence, silly dialogue, forgettable to hammy acting, and decent for its time effects.  For a Godzilla movie, I'm not sure.  I've not watch one before (Cue incoming commentors), so I can't compare it or judge it on that fact.  Though from what I hear, it's not even close to a true Godzilla experience.

The subplots alone are bad, never mind the main plot.

 :thumbup:

I thoroughly enjoyed this one.  Godzilla actually looked and moved like a REAL reptile, NOT like  a guy in a rubber suit smashing a bunch of models.

But that IS Godzilla, a guy in a rubber suit smashing models. I'm with Hammock Rider on this one.

Thoroughly unwatchable.

But . . . but - it's got Matthew Broderick!!!

And his character is even known as "the worm guy"!!!

How can anyone NOT love that? :question: :buggedout: :bouncegiggle: :teddyr:

Completely negated by Roland Emmerich.

If it was "Giant CGI monster Movie" it would have been excellent B FAre.  As a Godzilla is a disgrace.  
Though it did make this gorgeous piece of cinema possible
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIcExdpsEcQ

-Ed-Zilla

I partially agree with this, its a critical part of Godzilla's charm. Although with that said, I wouldn't mind seeing a new big budget reboot done right where instead of re-structuring the big G from head to toe (case in point the 1998 attempt)  that the design stays faithful, only updated embracing the technology we have available.  

When I first saw it, I was disappointed.  The creature disappears for large chucks of the movie, only to be replaced by Jurassic Park extras. And GINO was vulnerable to modern firepower.  The original would walk through a hail storm of artillery and not blink.  This is actually a point where many Japanese and American monster movies differ.  In American movies, the firepower works.  Science wins the day by inventing a new weapon or effectively deploying ones we have.    In most Japanese kaiju movies, it takes an act of nature to end the monster, like a volcano or earthquake. (Although the original Godzilla was taken out by a new super weapon.)  Not saying one is necessarily better, just different approaches.

 I agree that if this was called something else besides Godzilla, my reaction might have been better.  Time and a surprisingly good animated spin-off has probably cooled my initial apathy towards it. (I don't want to say I hated it, just really underwhelmed by it)

Maybe I need to see it again to find out.

The movie has nothing to do with Godzilla. It's a shame that there is so little creativity left in Hollywood that they thought they had to name the movie and the monster Godzilla to get people to go and see it.

Not to mention that the beginning of this so-called Godzilla completely ripped off the Japanese movie Gamera from the 90's starring the exquisite Shinobu Nakayama (Jet Li's girlfriend in Fist of Legend).  Did I just abundantly abuse the opportunity to tangent to Shinobu?  Oh, so I did.

Sure it's a big dumb popcorn movie from Roland Emmerich and it'd be passable enough as a cheesy monster movie if as others have said it hadn't been paraded as a "Godzilla" film which it clearly isn't. It's much closer to the Beast From 20,000 Fathoms although that film is still miles and miles better than Frogzilla.

The real Godzilla don't run from anybody. This thing has to. Nuff said...
Actually, this guy says a lot of what I think too...just with a lot more swearing than I'd use.

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/2685-godzilla-1998

I rewatched the end of this with my daughter yesterday - I still like it, no matter what you purists say!!! :tongueout:

I hated it. It's a slap in the face to  Godzilla fans.
And I am a Godzilla fan.
The new Godzilla movie better look like f**king Godzilla.

Don't worry!  We can be the odd 5% who liked the film buddies!   :teddyr:

This was a movie I actually worked on when I was doing practical effects work for a short time.  There were rubber suits made *spoiler* for the baby zillas and a huge animatronic head covered with a rubber skin.  The time they actually take up in the film is a matter of mere seconds though.  Hard to imagine the waste of having the crew working on it for about a year and the millions involved for less than a minute of screen time.  When Tatopoulos revealed the concept artwork for the Godzilla design I saw some sidewards glances and knew the general consensus.  I hated it, but warmed to the design somewhat after being around it for a while.

The movie is horrible though.  Stupid, illogical, meandering, physics-defying, etc., etc.

The opening credit sequence is interesting and really is the best part of the movie.  Too bad the whole thing didn't look like that.

Most of those reasons apply to the majority of the Japanese movies as well.

Sure there are a few exceptions here and there, but Godzilla movies have never been known for their story telling or acting.

I guess I'm one of the few people who liked the Zilla design. It almost looked like a creature that could work. As for the rest of the movie, yeah, it's pretty bland. But it led to a fairly decent Saturday morning cartoon (yeah, I was a kid when this came out so my standards were lower, but it's still a decent kaiju cartoon).

Personally, I don't think it was a bad movie, but it wasn't a good Godzilla.

Look, it was a bad movie in most of the ways that a movie can be bad. This is a bad movie site, so it stands to reason that some people are going to like it. Ultimately, who gives a s**t? I would watch it if somebody paid me for my time, but that's about it. If you enjoy it, heck, watch it as many times as you like. I do believe that there is a certain amount of objectivity in considering it a bad movie, however.

Yeah, but those movies had giant monsters fighting with beam weapons, gorilla aliens, mad science, robots, and entire cities getting destroyed.  Plus, they were all rather short.  The '98 movie was extremely long and had but a single monster who got comparatively little action.

What akiratubo said. I will also add that a lot of the Japanese Godzilla movies kinda knew they were silly and over the top, so they played up that angle which is part of the reason why they are so entertaining. On top of that, the fact that the productions were tight budgeted meaning they stuck with the traditional old fashion method of a man in a suit smashing constructed sets in the age of CGI, further increases charm. Although it must be said that the Japanese have attempted some CG in the later installments for certain scenes like the Zilla/GINO reenactment & Godzilla swimming under water both in Final Wars.

I re-visited the Emmerich "Godzilla" last night for the first time since its theatrical run... and I kinda wish I hadn't.

Mind you, I'm far from a hardcore "Godzilla" fan. I've seen my share of the Big G's films but I couldn't tell you the difference between the "Showa era" or the "Millennium era" or whatever. All I knew was that the.. thing on screen in Emmerich's version was NOT Godzilla. It was an iguana with a thyroid problem.

I was unaware that the "real" Godzilla kicks the crap out of the Emmerich version in "Godzilla: Final Wars." I'm gonna have to track down a copy of that one just to see that!!!

I think the best moment of this movie is when "Godzilla" picks up the "heroes'" cab in his mouth, including the section of road that it was driving on. Then one of the "heroes" gets the idea to shock "Godzilla" into dropping the cab by jamming a power line into its gums: a power line that is sticking out of the section of road that is no longer connected to the ground.

That was laugh-out-loud stupid.

No way, that's terrible.  I will have to dig out this forgotten and obviously misunderstood masterpiece of modern cinema and rewatch it.  I don't think I've seen it since the theatrical run, but the one thing that I do remember is that it featured the cute Maria Pitillo.  She was a honey.

Obviously it was a very long cable . . . .

Ya know, I loved this movie in the theaters and I have rewatched it several times since and liked it each time.  Yes, it has  its goofy moments, but I rather liked the fact that Godzilla moved and acted like a REAL lizard, not like a guy in a big rubber suit.

Is that blasphemy?

Naw, just a difference of a opinion.  Mine happens to be opposite.  :wink:

Actually, I don't hate Godzilla '98, at least not as much as I used to.  It's a passable kaiju movie, but calling it Godzilla didn't feel quite right.  I didn't feel like I was watching a Godzilla movie, but a Godzilla knock off.  Then again, I've seen plenty of those and enjoyed them just the same. 

If they had called it something else, I'd be more forgiving.
Calling this...thing, Godzilla...not happening.

What made them think it could pass as a Godzilla movie when the monster doesn't even breathe radioactive fire onto its enemies?

Now Godzilla 2000! That was a good Godzilla movie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhkHcinSFAY

And after he toasts Gino, he goes "(Pifft) Poser..."

I have seen this and actually liked it.  This was more realistic than a rubber suit.  Still a B movie but still good.  I bought it on DVD.  I would recommend it to any one.

Thanks,

John

GLORIOUS!!  :teddyr: :cheers: