I review a Kaiju film a day leading up to the new Godzilla film
- Thread starter GalacticPetey
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GalacticPetey
Donkey Kong
- Thread starter
- #77
That was one of the first ones I did.Super Smash Misty said:
Dr. Javelin
Nathan Latsk
i still say you should do pacific rim, if only so i can compare our reviewing styles
i don't know any of these films well enough to decide how well you're reviewing them
i don't know any of these films well enough to decide how well you're reviewing them
GalacticPetey
Donkey Kong
- Thread starter
- #81
We're in a bit of the low point right now.No-Face said:
I gave the original, KKvG, MvG, GTTHM, SoG, GvMG, ToM, GvB all very good reviews. As for the others, three out of five is still good.
GalacticPetey
Donkey Kong
- Thread starter
- #83
Intro: And now we come to the last film in the Heisei saga, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. How do you end it with a bang? With one of the greatest Godzilla movies. And yes Nabber, this one's good.
Plot: Via helicopter, Miki Saegusa discovers that Birth Island has been completely destroyed with no sign of Godzilla or Little Godzilla. However, Godzilla shows up in Hong Kong, glowing red and spitting out his spiral ray in place of his normal beam. G-Force is puzzled by this event and hires a college student who has been studying Godzilla for years. This student, Kenichi Yamane, is the grandson of Dr. Yamane from the first film. He, Dr. Fukuzawa from Godzilla vs. Mothra, General Aso, as well as a psychic named Meru and several other government officials decide what should be done. Kenichi theorizes that Godzilla is on the verge of explosion due to be overloaded with radiation. This explosion has enough power to destroy the planet.
Kenichi's sister, Yukari, is a TV news reporter. She interviews Dr. Ijuin about his new invention, Micro Oxygen, a subject that hits too close to home for a certain Emiko Yamane (Momoko Kōchi). Emiko summons her niece Yukari and tells her that Ijuin's micro oxygen is eerily similar to Dr. Serizawa's oxygen destroyer weapon. The situation is worsened when an accident occurs in the same area in Tokyo Bay where the oxygen destroyer was used back in 1954. Ijuin takes samples of the soil, and one of them begins showing signs of life. Whatever was in there escapes the lab and ends up in the aquarium. In the tanks, fish are stripped of their flesh and turned to bones. Kenichi and Yukari go to Ijuin and ask if he can create another oxygen destroyer, as it is the only way to stop Godzilla now. Any physical attack could trigger the explosion. However, the conversation is interrupted when Ijuin receives a phone call from the aquarium.
After analyzing the footage of the fish dying, he finds a small, microscopic lifeform eating away at the fish. It is a creature from the Precambrian era that was abnormally mutated by the oxygen destroyer. The next day, reports come in of strange, ten feet tall creatures in and around a Japanese warehouse. Special forces go in and they are ambushed by monstrous creatures that look like nothing else on the planet. They spit a strange micro oxygen beam that rips people apart as well as having spiked limbs that tear the soldiers to pieces. One manages to escape and nearly kill Yukari, but Ijuin saves her and the soldiers kill it with flamethrowers. Soon, the burning Godzilla emerges off the cost and heads towards the power plant. The Super X-III is sent in. This latest model is equipped with cadmium and freezer weapons. It manages to freeze Godzilla and lower his temperature for six hours. After those hours are up,, Godzilla begins to move again and he shifts his course eastwards. The nuclear power seems to have come under control.
On a peaceful beach, another monster appears, though this one is harmless. The little Godzilla, mutated to half of Godzilla's height and now looks much more like his father. Miki is overwhelmed with joy to see the little one alive, who has been renamed Godzilla Jr. However, news on Godzilla is not as good. His temperature is rising and is now at 900 degrees Celsius. A new theory is developed. When Godzilla's temperature reaches 1200 degrees Celsius, he will meltdown and destroy the planet. Due to the rate of temperature increasing, Godzilla will meltdown in about a week. Back in Tokyo, it is discovered that the odd creatures' weaknesses are low temperatures. As the strange beasts appear again, the freezer weapons are used. Everything seems to be going well until all the creatures merge into one large one. A living oxygen destroyer. Destoroyah.
It is decided that the only way to stop the meltdown is to have Destoroyah kill Godzilla. Much to Miki's dismay, Godzilla Jr. is used as bait to lure Godzilla to Tokyo. Junior battles Destoroyah, who is shown to also have a flying form. Junior manages to have the upper hand until Destroyah injects Junior with micro oxygen, nearly killing him. However, Junior is able to incapacitate Destroyah with his own atomic ray. Godzilla arrives in Tokyo to reunite with Junior. However, Destoroyah returns in his monstrous final form. It knocks Godzilla down and picks up Junior. The creature flies up high and drops Junior into a building from extreme height. Destoroyah blasts him apart with his micro oxygen ray and knocks Miki's and Meru's helicopter out of the air. The two barely survive and run over to the dying Godzilla Junior. Miki breaks down in tears. Godzilla too, begins crying over the loss of his son. However, Destoroyah allows no time for grieving as it attacks Godzilla. Enraged, Godzilla battle his hardest against Destoroyah. Both monsters are extremely powerful and are even blow for blow. The enraged Godzilla manages to blow Destoroyah's chest apart in a gruesome display. However, Destoryah's laser horn manages to cut Godzilla up badly.
Destoroyah splits up into several smaller aggregates, but Godzilla manages to fend them off. Godzilla walks over to his son. He tries to breath radioactive life into him, but Junior is too weakened and dies in front of Godzilla. Godzilla is consumed by rage and grief. His temperature begins reaching dangerous levels. The Super X-III is sent in to deal with Godzilla when he melts down to minimize the damage. Destoroyah reassembles in his final form to fight his last battle with Godzilla. The two monsters battle it out once again. Godzilla's temperature reaches 1190 degrees and his spines begin to melt. Godzilla's atomic ray and nuclear pulse are boosted to extraordinary levels and Destoroyah is hurt just by being near the monster. It tries to flee, but the Super X-III shoots it down with its freezer weapons. This assault, combined with its earlier injuries called by Godzilla, cause the monster to fall to the ground and explode into nothing.
The victory is short lived as the meltdown begins. The freezer tanks and the Super X-III bombard the melting monster with their freezing weapons. Godzilla dies as the military watch in silence and even sadness. as the fog settles, the destruction was minimized, but Tokyo is uninhabitable. However, the radiation levels begin falling rapidly and something stirs in the fog. A shadow is seen. An adult Godzilla Junior, revived by the nuclear energy, lets out a mighty roar...
Reflection: To end the Heisei series, Toho really went out with a bang. Several reoccurring hesei characters appear for one final time like Miki, Aso, and Fukazawa. The actors all do a good job here. Miki is great in her last appearance. her character arc ends here as Godzilla dies. But it's not just callbacks to the Heisei series. There are several tie ins with the first film. This sense of continuity is really cool and well done. It;s great to see Emiko back and the flashbacks with Serizawa really capture that sense of torment he had in the first film. The connections to the oxygen destroyer are a fitting way to create Godzilla's final enemy.
The monsters are all great this time around. Godzilla has a new look for this film. Burning Godzilla is one of the most badass things ever. A super charged, pissed off Godziilla that could destroy a planet? Awesome. But one thing that really makes Godzilla stand out in this movie is his character. unlike other giant monsters, Godzilla is a character. He has a personality, he can feel emotions. We actually see Godzilla shed a tear in this movie. Godzilla Junior looks fantastic. He finally resembles his father! This adolescent Godzilla also has an atomic ray. Junior's suit is really good and could easily be used as a Godzilla suit if the spines were bigger. His death scene is quite tragic and you feel yourself becoming sad along with Miki and Godzilla.
Then there's Destoroyah. It has a a lot of similarities to Hedorah in terms of powers and form changing. The juvenile Destoroyahs attacking the soldiers is a very creepy scene. The suits look good here, though there are a couple shots that stick out like a sore thumb. The final form is where Destoroyah really shines. The suit's a little bulky, but goddamn is he intimidating. Just the whole concept of a living oxygen destroyer is awesome and thematically fitting. It also has some cool powers like his oxygen destroyer beam and its laser horn (the most OP attack in the Godzilla Unleashed video game). Destoroyah is easily one of Godzilla's most powerful foes, yet its death is anti-climactic. This is one big problem I have with the movie. I feel like Godzilla should've been the one to kill Destoroyah. Having the freezer weapons be the thing that ultimately takes it down really robs Godzilla of his revenge. It's a small thing but it really bothers me.
Godzilla's death is one of the most well done scenes in the series. As a kid, everyone has that really emotional film moment. For some, it was Bambi's Mom. For others, it was Mufasa falling into the stampede. For me, it was this scene. Godzilla's death really upset me as a kid. Watching it again for the review, I got a little misty eyed. You're watching a huge part of your childhood die right in front of you. Ifukube's music also contributes greatly.
Ifukube returns for his final score and by God, it's some of his best. The Godzilla theme has never sounded better. Destroyah's theme is hectic and menacing though isn;t too memorable. The track "Hong Kong destruction" is a great bombastic theme that perfectly fits with Godzilla destroying the city. Godzilla Junior's theme returns from Mechagodzilla II. Remember how I said it sounded sad in that review? Well it comes back here and plays as Junior is dying. It's a very emotional scene. Then there's the track "Requiem". This is some of Ifukube's finest music. It's sad and powerful and is the perfect music for Godzilla's death. This may be one of my favorite Ifukube scores. He really hit it out of the park for this last one.
Maybe it's just because I'm sentimental, but I greatly enjoy this film. It's the perfect way to bring an end to the Heisei series. I recommend it, but only if you've seen the Heisei series and are a fan. Even without that, it's still a damn good kaiju movie.
Final Score: 4/5
Dr. Javelin
Nathan Latsk
and gp wonders why people have such a negative opinion of godzilla moviesNo-Face said:
GalacticPetey
Donkey Kong
- Thread starter
- #85
Guys, a three out of five is still a good score. You act like anything that's not a four or five is bad.
Dr. Javelin
Nathan Latsk
we live in a day and age where "average" is the new bad, because we're swamped with so many good movies
like, look at stuff like man of steel, thor, and star wars episode one. all of these are at worst decent movies in their own right, but they're constantly reviled because people like other stuff in the same genre way, way more. average movies, by today's standards, are bad, and movies that are just "good" are the new average.
it's a weird consequence of us having so many awesome movies today
like, look at stuff like man of steel, thor, and star wars episode one. all of these are at worst decent movies in their own right, but they're constantly reviled because people like other stuff in the same genre way, way more. average movies, by today's standards, are bad, and movies that are just "good" are the new average.
it's a weird consequence of us having so many awesome movies today