Product Description: Fifty years ago the Japanese Defense Forces killed Godzilla® or so they thought. When a series of terrifying natural disasters begin to plague Japan including the inexplicable offshore sinking of a U.S. submarine a mystic old man warns his nation that Godzilla® has come back to destroy Japan as revenge for all the souls lost in the Pacific War. When mere military might can not squash the monster the mystic man awakens the Holy Beasts of Yamato - King GhidorahTM Mothra® and BaragonTM sleeping giants that protected Japan in ancient times. These untamed mammoth beasts take on Godzilla® with frightening supernatural brute power that has been 2000 years in the making. Tradition and technology collide in this chilling high-tech cutting-edge fable.System Requirements: Running Time 105 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: NR UPC: 043396100145 Manufacturer No: 10014
Amazon.com: This 2001 Godzilla feature from Japan's Toho Studios, released as part of the mighty monster's 50th anniversary, is a visually impressive and action-packed entry in the long-running franchise, but also one with a fast and loose re-interpretation of its history that may displease some stalwart fans. Writer-director Shusuke Kaneko (who previously revitalized the Gamera series) erases everything that occurred after 1954's Godzilla and re-imagines the beast as a mythical creature harboring the souls of the Japanese victims of World War II; its attack is challenged by three "Guardian Monsters": Mothra, perennial villain King Ghidorah (here reinvented as hero) and B-list player Baragon (from Frankenstein Challenges the World). The retooling, while imaginative, is supported by spectacular special effects, but the monsters' brawls (a core reason for enjoying these films) seem abbreviated, and Kaneko's script experiences awkward seismic shifts from comedy to grim drama that may befuddle longtime G-fans. Columbia-Tri-Star's DVD is widescreen and offers Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and a Japanese language track (with English subtitles) that should please viewers with an aversion to dubbing. Trailers for other Sony/Columbia sci-fi titles like the American Godzilla feature are also included. --Paul Gaita
5 STARS ALL THE WAY! Everything about this movie was totally incredible! By far one of the best godzilla's movie ever. You are not a G-fan if you don't own this movie! BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why can't the other G-movies be this good? This is by far the best of the Millennial series. The director has an eye for the dramatic, like when Godzilla stops as the woman screams and then starts charging up for an atomic blast-then the camera cuts away to a school and all of a sudden it's like a training film for nuclear war from the 50's. Some don't like how this Godzilla movie has a mystical plot with Godzilla being a manifestation of the people that Japan killed in WWII. This may at first seem a discrepancy, but for me it's closer to the original than any previous Godzilla film because like the original, this Godzilla means something. Japan has a bad habit of forgetting the bad things they did and this Godzilla is about revenge. That is why this Godzilla is all bad, it's pure rage. Now for me, that makes it second only to "Gojira." (not the lame chopped up American cut)
Baragon! How does one rate this film? It was good, but it was bad.
Good first: Baragon! The most underplayed, greatest monster that Toho never bothers to put in their movies... Baragon! It's always sad to get him stomped, but I was very happy that they included him in this. His color's changed a bit since the '60s, but I can't express how good it was to see him biting Godzilla's arm.
King Ghidorah was very visually impressive, even though he's a good guy (how strange) and he's got pretty limited screen time (more on that later). Likewise, Mothra is also very good looking.
That just leaves us with the big G-man. Not my favorite costume by any means, but he looks fearsome. His breath effects are particularly great in this movie.
The audio is good. You may choose between subtitles or dubbing, which is great, because I'm very tired of folks completely berating a movie for being dubbed or subtitled. So, the option is there. The music, despite its weird, electronic feel, is very good.
This movie also brings into it some interesting scenes. The man trying to use the bathroom with Godzilla stomping outside, and the woman in the hospital-bed meeting Godzilla are particularly memorable.
The bad:
The graphics are bearable, but, like many of the other millennium Godzilla movies, the CG takes away from the heart of the movie and makes it feel like a Sci-Fi Channel original series. (Folks who have seen one will instantly know what I'm talking about). It seems to lack the heart and imagination that some of the Shõwa and Heisei offerings had. Also like others from the Millennium ("X") series, the title sequence is greyed over so you can barely see the -really- cool looking title effect and are greeted with a grey-and-white very drab English title card.
The story is a complete miss. It gets interesting at some points, but, at others, it falls short. Some mystic man says that Godzilla is controlled by souls of the pacific conflict. It's a good idea. But then they ignore it for the rest of the movie. Nothing backs it up except just some crazy old disappearing man and a wonky obscure book that every character seems to have read from their local library. Also, if Godzilla is angry about some conflict that happened sixty years ago, the movie should have a darker tone, and perhaps take a more human approach. Even Godzilla vs. Hedorah managed to show some gore and injuries.
The monster's viewing time is, sadly, minimal. Baragon dies way to early and none of the monsters are given their proper treatment. Mothra looks strange. It's the only movie where the markings on her wing have changed. Her legs are more insect like, which is enjoyable, but the rest of her alterations are jarring. Also, she is missing her fairies.
The true crime is how many times this Godzilla film breaks away from canon and makes stuff up. As with all but three of the Millennium Godzilla movies, the movie is meant to stand alone. No prior knowledge of Godzilla is required. With this in mind, as a standalone movie, it's pretty solid. However, for a Godzilla fan, this is annoying more than all the pathetic CGI, ho-hum story, and written-over title sequence combined.
With the Godzilla canon in mind, the original film called for Baragon, Anguirus, and Varan. This would have been MUCH better than Mothra and King Ghidorah. The latter didn't make any sense here, and Anguirus (beside Final Wars) and Varan haven't gotten ANY screen time since the 60's. They're also all quadrupeds and make more sense as guardians of the Earth. I might even swap out Anguirus (Godzilla's old friend) for Gorosaurus, who we haven't seen for quite a while.
***SPOILER*** Close your eyes.
The three guardian monsters all die (rather quickly, as a matter of fact), in a fiery CG flame. All of them, even Mothra and King Ghidorah together, can't beat Godzilla. But one lone man in his crappy sub can blast a whole through his hide from the inside causing him to kill himself. It's rather upsetting.
*** End spoiler ***
So, it's an alright Godzilla movie that left me with very mixed feelings. I enjoyed seeing Baragon again, and [King] Ghidorah looked great with all his CG beauty. However, Mothra and King Ghidorah shouldn't have really been there in the first place.
Fatzilla, not Godzilla.................. Out of all the g-films. This one could be forgetton. Godzilla is made of dead soldiers, he's not his own monster. One of the worst suits ever made. The actors are people you could careless about. This movie was directed by the guy who did the 90's Gamera films. That's way this mvie sucks. It's more like a Gamera film, not a Godzilla film. Final Wars is more of a Godzilla film, and alot better.
Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah...Should have been Godzilla, Varan, Anguirus or Godzilla, Manda Varan! This is one Godzilla movie I don't really care for. The Godzilla design is terrible, King Ghidorah's design is even worse, and Mothra appears more wasp than moth. Kaneko can direct a Gamera film, but he can't do a Godzilla film. None of the Millenium films are as good as the Heisei series.
Personally it doesn't make sense to me. Manda is more fitting for god of the sea than Mothra and Varan is more fitting of the title of god of the sky than King Ghidorah. However Baragon is perfect! His design is great and he is realistic (the only one in the film that is done right)! But even then he is stripped of his heat beam and vicious attitude that was given to him when he was created with in 1965.
Mothra has been stripped as well and Ghidorah is just pathetic. With their powers stripped they are easily killed by a fat gutted, fat throat sacked Godzilla! The Heisei Godzilla would of killed this smaller 60 meter tall Godzilla with ease. Ghosts possessing Godzilla...come on! Can't they think of something better than that?!
The acting is good but the monsters (except Baragon) are poorly created and done. What happened with continuing after Godzilla vs. Destroyah?! In my opinion, when Godzilla returns in 2014, they should continue after the events of Godzilla vs. Destroyah. There is so many characters, monsters and humans, that can be incorporated into a continuation of that series.
Well that is my opinion. Whether you like it or not, i don't really care for GMK. It's an ok movie, but not one I could watch over and over again.
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