Godzilla (DVD 1999)

After bizarre attacks on a Japanese freighter, first the French then the U.S. learn of the existence of an apparent modern "dinosaur". When it's suspected that radiation from nuclear weapons testing in French Polynesia may have instead produced the monster, biological radiation specialist Dr. Nick Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) is called to the scene. While investigating the monster's path of destruction, a new sighting arrives--just off the coast of New York City!

It's no secret that Godzilla has been much maligned. Even Fangoria editor Tony Timpone stated in an editorial that he thought it sucked, and he's usually willing to give movies the benefit of the doubt. The reasons why director Roland Emmerich's version of Godzilla is hated are as varied as people stating opinions. But I tend to think that there is also a strong bandwagon effect with this film that will be tempered by time. There are already signs of a number of people giving it a second look and lessening the severity of their criticism.

The chief complaint seems to come from a very vocal but relatively small crowd of fanboy purists--they dislike that Godzilla is different here. In the Japanese films, made by the Toho production company, Godzilla is a guy in a rubber suit who stomps on models of buildings and such. He tends to lumber, as irrelevant military attacks on him provide pretty fireworks. Most Godzilla films feature him fighting some other monster, "professional wrestling" style, and Godzilla arbitrarily falls down and gets back up as he is attacked and attacks with various "death rays" from his mouth, eyes, etc. Now that might sound like I don't like the typical Godzilla film, but that's not true. I like them quite a bit, but a big part of the reason why is that most of them are very cheesy. I'm a fan of bizarre cheese/camp, and you get tons of that in Godzilla films.

But I'm not a purist. To me, there's no good reason why Emmerich's Godzilla needs to be similar to the Toho incarnations, which in fact are often quite different from and inconsistent with each other, too. At this point, I see Godzilla more as a recurring character type--think of the various instantiations of Dracula or Frankenstein throughout the 20th Century. The Toho films can't really be seen as chapters in a single, long story. But whether their arguments are wrong or not, the fanboy purists are at least noisy and prolific, and too many people are followers.

If Emmerich would have given us a guy in a rubber suit, acting just like the Toho Godzillas (not "Godzilla"), with the typical gobbledy-gook of a Toho script, this film would have bombed even worse (if we can call a 100 million dollar film that made a profit a "bomb") and the fanboys would have still found something to complain about. Even though I love the Toho Godzilla films, too, we can't deny that they do not tend to be bestsellers on video in the U.S., despite the fact that they're readily available for purchase.

So what Emmerich gives us instead is an epic, expensive-looking film that spans a number of genres, features more coherent dialogue and subplots than a typical Toho Godzilla film, and showcases a redesigned, mostly cgi cast of monsters, where Godzilla looks and behaves much more like a "real" giant, mutant lizard. For those of us who are not purists, who do not care if our opinions match the majority, and who evaluate films on all or their technical and artistic levels.

My son loves this film. In my opinion it is an average film with weak acting and story line to go with it. But for a Sunday afternoon it isn't too bad. The effects are good but apart from that there really isn't much else to say. I think i was expecting it to be as good as Jurassic Park, but it is no way near. However my son has just read this and totally disagrees! He loves the film and prefers it to Jurassic Park as it is not as scary or violent. So there you go, hope we have helped you?!

I bought dvd for my son
We was at my sisters, and he saw bits of the film that was on.
He liked what he saw and asked if i would get it for him.
Looked for the film on ebay found one bought it.
From the moment i purchased it to the time i recieved it.
5***** first class.(just like the film).
Special effects was just brilliant.

bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

Godzilla is back, bigger and much better than ever... its size defies comprehension... an expertly designed theme park ride of a movie that packs nonstop thrills... one jaw-dropping scene after another, the film never loses either momentum or its human scale.

This movie also stars a few of the cast from the TV show "The Simpsons", Hank Azaira, Harry Shearer, and Nancy Cartwright.

brilliant movie, great action included.

9/10

Godzilla is the ultimate culmination of the "who cares about plot" summer movie. A loose remake of the 1954 "classic" Japanese monster movie, Godzilla, King of the Monsters (which is itself pretty thin in the story department),Presumably, the primary target group for this film is teenage boys.Godzilla isn't completely without merit, although it is close. There's a certain visceral thrill inherent in watching the giant lizard rip his way through Manhattan, but it wears off quickly. Frankly, while the special effects are competent, they're not all that stunning. But who cares switch on press play and sit back with Beer and popcorn and enjoy New York taking another beating.

This film is action packed with great special affects. If i told you what i didnt like about this film it would give the story away. Its funny and serious at the same time. I would give this film 10/10.

Let me start of by saying this films story lines is acceptable, however the choice of some of the actors in this film had completed ruined the film. 1st time watching you may find alright but its not the kind of film you would like to watch again and again and if you do decide to re-watch again its the kind of film that would really start to annoy you.

Sorry but it is Jene Reno that makes this film for me as well as the special effects i have this on VHS as most do and wanted it on DVD as it is a brilliant well made film. Jene Reno with his chewing gum scene and his Elvis Presley gesture Well Thank you Very Much was funny!!
Mathew Broderick sorry not into this guy really as far as i am concerned there were onlyt two stars in this film which i love and that is Godzilla and Jene Reno. I hated all those Japenese Godzilla films which were very badly acted and made on a shoestring budget and looked pretty silly unless you were a four or five year old kid.
This Godzilla certainly packed a good punch.

I bought it because I needed to replace a faulty Video. My son loves the film and it keeps him quite for hours!! The effects are much better on the disc and it was a good buy - even though the film is not that great.

the description was accurate, there wa snothing to dislike about the item it was perfect. i bought it because it was the mose resonably priced on ebay

I bought this film on DVD because I already had a copy of the film on VHS but I wanted on DVD. There`s not a lot I can say about this film but that it is good but then I have not seen any of the other Godzilla movie`s but for the clip`s I have seen of the Japanese Godzilla`s which just looks like a bloke running around in a lizards costume. But it`s Jean Reno that makes the American version of the movie good. Without him in it, the story line would be a lot of ####. Mind you I suppose it still is but what the hell I still like it. The computer graphic are good aswell.