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Godzilla 2000
Directed by Takao Okawara
By Chris Gramlich
“Godzilla 2000” is either a long overdue return to form or a return to the cheesy Godzilla flicks of days gone by, depending on your interpretation and appreciation of such things. Actually, it’s a little bit of both. While almost certainly due to be championed for the simply fact that it isn’t Godzilla: The Movie, isn’t American made, doesn’t feature a computer generated monster; doesn’t star Matthew Broderick and, most importantly, has a guy in a rubber suit destroying Japan’s coastal cities, “Godzilla 2000” is by no means a well thought out, plot-driven, realistic-looking movie, and is in fact a step down from more recent Godzilla efforts, which featured better stories and effects.
Story wise, Godzilla (well, not actually the original Godzilla, he’s either the son of Godzilla or the great grandson, depending on your interpretation of such things), returns out of the sea to terrorise Japan, destroying any and all power facilities because, well, he’s Godzilla. Along the way he is attacked by the army, attacked by a giant rock that transforms into a spaceship/ jellyfish/ monster, which looks suspiciously like the American Godzilla, followed/harassed by the Godzilla Prediction Network (who want to study/help Godzilla) and vilified by the Crisis Control and Intelligence Agency, who want to kill Godzilla and all Japan destroying monsters. You know; just another day’s work for Godzilla.
The major flaws of Godzilla 2000, besides the laughable plot, are that it plays for the kitsch of years gone by, instead of building on the accomplishments of more recent Godzilla endeavours. The effects harken back to the early Godzilla movies - model tanks, cars, cities, really badly integrated computer effects and horrible dubbing, the dialogue is laughable (lines like, “why does Godzilla continue to protect us?,” while he destroys the surrounding city, defy logic) and the whole movie possesses a rushed feel to it, as if they were just trying to get a new Japanese Godzilla movie out to capitalise on the hatred of the American version. Still, Godzilla 2000 is an entertaining movie, filled with (unintentional?) hilarity (just try not to laugh at “there is a little Godzilla in all of us”) and, most importantly, features a guy in a rubber suit destroying Japan. After all, sometimes it’s best just to give the people what they want.
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"I've got a fever and the only cure is dead angels."
-Bayonetta
Ever since the Christmastime gaming deluge ended, I've been killing a lot of angels. Though God's messengers have been bad guys in other pop-cultural products ― His Dark Materials book trilogy, the pas...
Full Review
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