Godzilla, Mothra et King Ghidorah

GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH - GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK

Granted I haven't seen many of them but I should think this 2001 feature is the best Godzilla movie I've seen.

50 years after the last Godzilla attack, Japan's coast again begins to feel the tremors of its favorite monster. There have been rumors of Godzilla sightings in other countries (a clever reference to the '98 Hollywood version when two naval cadets whisper to each other, "The New York attack was Godzilla?" "The Americans say so but our experts have their doubts"), but now it appears old Gojira, after a health-giving dose of radiation from a nuclear sub, is heading back to the Sushi bars.

The early parts are somewhat slow, time spent in introducing us to the various characters, with Godzilla sightings mostly restricted to brief glimpses amidst shaky cameras and falling debris. But soon our rubber-suited gargoyle, who is no more the lovable muppet monster of previous entries in the series, decides its time to come out of the closet for some major ass-kicking.

Fortunately, help is at hand in the form of the Guardian Monsters who are fated to protect Japan from Godzilla - Baragon, Mothra and Ghidora. Godzilla v/s Baragon is okay but not very good...there are no real special moves depicted and the rubber suits look too goofy in the day. But considering that Baragon's name doesn't even come up in the title, even the makers obviously considered him only a warm-up before the big battle.

And when the big battle starts...man!!! I wish I had been watching it in IMAX format with really loud surround sound, because this is one awesome battle. Sure, the rubber suits never get believable but I was having too much fun to worry about that. There's a good combination of scale models and CGI to depict the battle of the monsters and the wholesale destruction of Tokyo City. Caught in the crossfire are Japanese civilians and the Army, which is making its own (pathetic) maneuvers to combat Godzilla.

The acting of the human characters in this movie is corny but never annoying. The actor playing the military commander who is also the father of the reporter heroine is quite good in his role. The special FX may lack the polish of Hollywood extravaganzas but work perfectly well in the accepted formula. And unlike most Hollywood disaster movies, this is not one that leaves all the people except the evil lawyer miraculously unscathed. People here die. The brave soldiers die, the bumbling TV cameramen die, the schoolchildren die...even the cripple dies. That's what genuine monster movies are about. This film is a welcome return to the bad old days for Godzilla.

I am an avid Gojira and Kaiju fan for over 30 years now. I totally disagree with the other review that is posted for this film. "GMK", as it is known, is one of the best Gojira films in years thanks to the prolific director Shusuke Kaneko ("Gamera" 90's trilogy, the "Death Note" films, "Pyrokinesis"). What makes this film so special is Gojira's haunting hatred for mankind. His all-white eyes make this film even more sinister. Gojira purposely takes human life and has a deep-rooted grudge towards humanity. Look for a scene with a girl in the hospital looking out the window as Gojira approaches. The film has a modern day feel to it with the added elements of destruction and mankind's struggle to survive an "atomic age" type of disaster. The monster battles are fun to watch as well. Also in this film, Gojira has no interest in beating up the other monsters. It wants to kill them. One of the best Gojira films ever made.

Japanese filmmakers know how to make Godzilla films. Nearly 50 years after giving us the original "Godzilla," Japan films present "Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack." The technical, special effects, CGI, and all aspects are superb. This film launched a renewal in Godzilla lore on film. It completely outdoes the lame 1998 American "Godzilla" by TriStar.

As with the original black and white, Godzilla looks the part of the monster it is - a unique hybrid not a dinosaur-age imitation or look-alike. The other monsters in this one, especially Mothra and the Red Monster look more cartoonish. The battle scenes, rampage and destruction around Tokyo again has a real feel to it.

This plot has an interesting twist. The original Godzilla was conceived as an aberration that resulted from nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific Ocean. But, in this film, a question surfaces more than once, after a reference to Godzilla having been in New York (the 1998 American film). "Why Tokyo again?" a couple of Japanese officials ask rhetorically. And the female lead, Yuri Tachibana (played by Chiharu Niiyama) says that it may be because Japan has to acknowledge its inhumane actions in the Pacific war. That's how the reference is stated regarding World War II and Japan's inhumane aspects in its conduct of the war.

Even though it doesn't specify any of the bad deeds, this is an acknowledgement that the Japanese did some heinous things during the war. That's interesting coming in a film 55 years after the end of WW II.

Dear Godzilla,

Only two aspects of Daikaijû sôkôgeki bothered me. First, you were asked, again, to play a 'bad guy'. Second, your make-up was so awful that it was at times, impossible to see that it was actually you in this film. Even this however, could not prevent me from noticing that this script was a great big leap ahead of most of the rubbish you've recently chosen for your roles. All of your true fans know that your Tokyo destructive rampages are inspired by a single desire - to locate and destroy once and for all the Toho Productions studio, and that once you've destroyed it, your final purpose will be fulfilled. Yet, in this film, you had to pretend that you symbolize the collective guilt of the Japanses people. While this is certainly an interesting and philosophical not to mention political spin and it certainly made your unpleasant behavior tolerable for some people, I am wondering if you will ever get a great role showing your true colors - as a protector of all living things (Japanese and otherwise) - again.

Your acting, and your supporting cast, even the very small hairless apes, were positively stellar in this film, and the production values were good enough to inspire me to plead with you to spare Toho from the revenge you certainly deserve for their occasional attempts to ruin your career, your public image, and your family life. Despite your bad facial makeup, you, Mosura and Kingu Gidorâ were all shot beautifully with some of the best split screen and blue screen work I have ever seen. Although it bothered me that Gidorâ was cast in the role of saving japan, and that he even joined that overgrown spray-painted house fly Mothra in this effort, I am certainly glad that, despite the Americanized title - something like "Giant Monsters All Out Attack" - was not really what this film was about. I'm glad the director allowed the characters some time to develop and to construct an interesting set of subplots between scenes of mass devastation.

I don't blame you for avoiding Hollywood, especially after that film they claimed to be about you which they they hired one of your stunt doubles to do a few years ago. And this film gives reason to think there is hope for the Toho production company after all. But, the offer still stands. Retirement in Hollywood could really be a good time for you, and again, I can think of at least a few states with habits of electing famous middle-aged and older thespians of grand stature and size to public office. Besides, if you got cast in a bad role here in the USA, just imagine the popularity with which your first rampage through southern California would be received! So the prospects are unlimited here. Give it some thought!

Even if you haven't seen any other Godzilla movie, this is worth a watch. The human and the monster scenes are both great, and I love this movies spiritual themes. The music is some of my favorite in the series, Godzilla looks EPIC with his white eyes. Mothra, king ghidorah, and baragon are all great, especially mothra, she's my favorite. The only problem is I wish we could have gotten anguirus in this instead of baragon but that really just a nit pick, Rodan would have been cool to. But this is one of the best in the series and I would recommend it to anyone