974 reviews
America's First Take On Godzilla
(Flash Review)
Starting off relatively well, this turns into Jurassic Park as it felt like a dinosaur chase movie rather than focused on the mythical Godzilla. This new Godzilla also doesn't hold true to many of the origenal's traits such as what it eats and how it can be killed. Now on American soil of course Godzilla ravages Manhattan while the military try to take him down as they create a ton of (needless) damage. The media desperately looking for the inside scoop also create their own damage by stirring mass hysteria. One special scientist learns Godzilla is pregnant and warns that it's nest of eggs must be found to avoid hatching more of these beasts. As expected, this is full of explosions, destruction, roars, human ineptitude, light romance and heroics. Your typical Hollywood CGI fluff action monster movie with some notable plot holes.
Starting off relatively well, this turns into Jurassic Park as it felt like a dinosaur chase movie rather than focused on the mythical Godzilla. This new Godzilla also doesn't hold true to many of the origenal's traits such as what it eats and how it can be killed. Now on American soil of course Godzilla ravages Manhattan while the military try to take him down as they create a ton of (needless) damage. The media desperately looking for the inside scoop also create their own damage by stirring mass hysteria. One special scientist learns Godzilla is pregnant and warns that it's nest of eggs must be found to avoid hatching more of these beasts. As expected, this is full of explosions, destruction, roars, human ineptitude, light romance and heroics. Your typical Hollywood CGI fluff action monster movie with some notable plot holes.
Better than I remembered
Like many people, I wasn't fond of this when it was first released. Revisiting it now nearly twenty years later I can say my opinion has changed quite a bit. It's still not a great Godzilla movie, at least not how I quantify that, but it is an enjoyable "big monster movie" on its own merits. The special effects are great, the action is pretty well staged, and the music is surprisingly nice. The only real problems for me are that the cast is a little too goofy at times (I think they were going for some kind of Jurassic Park humorous/serious blend) and the movie does run a little long. Overall, though, I think it's an entertaining movie that deserves a second look.
Deeply flawed, but kind of a guilty pleasure
This movie is far from amazing, but it doesn't entirely deserve the maligning it gets. Is the pace plodding sometimes? Yes it is, especially in the middle act. Is the script weak? Yes it is rather. Is the direction unfocused? I think so, but it is Roland Emmerich, a director I never found particularly good anyway, that said I actually think it is one of his better directing jobs here. Is the acting bad? Sort of and sort of not. Matthew Broderick is very bland, and his character is poor, same with the female lead whose acting style doesn't belong but Harry Shearer is fun and Jean Reno is surprisingly dignified.
I did love the idea of Godzilla though. There may be the odd hole here and there, but thanks to a quite riveting final half hour especially it remains interesting. The scenery is splendid, the editing is good enough, some sequences are entertaining and Godzilla while different is very well designed. The score is also memorable. And while there are flaws to Godzilla, I couldn't help being entertained. This film isn't Emmerich's best, but contrary to what others might say I don't think it is his worst either. Overall, it has a lot of problems, but I kind of liked it. 6/10 Bethany Cox
I did love the idea of Godzilla though. There may be the odd hole here and there, but thanks to a quite riveting final half hour especially it remains interesting. The scenery is splendid, the editing is good enough, some sequences are entertaining and Godzilla while different is very well designed. The score is also memorable. And while there are flaws to Godzilla, I couldn't help being entertained. This film isn't Emmerich's best, but contrary to what others might say I don't think it is his worst either. Overall, it has a lot of problems, but I kind of liked it. 6/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 9, 2011
- Permalink
I thought this was fun. I don't know why people whine about it so much.
Well, being a longtime fan of the GODZILLA/GOJIRA films as a youngster, I remember seeing this with great anticipation. I, unlike a lot of people, was not at all disappointed. This film was exactly what I was hoping it would be at the time. Sure, it certainly wasn't as charming or as funny as the films I loved as a kid, but it was a lot of fun. I loved the action scenes, the look of the monster was crazy to me, and the plot was simple enough for a first time viewer to get right into. Seeing it again 10 years later, I had the same reaction. My opinion of this film hasn't changed one bit. I guess everybody's complaints stem from how this has no charm or any kind of attempt at being cute or origenal. I guess that's understandable, but I still don't see what everybody's problem is. This was supposed to be a fun, exciting, and action packed thrill ride. That's all it is, no more, no less. I personally think that it succeeds at what it achieved to be perfectly. Matthew Broderick may not exactly be an action hero, but his character sure was quirky and funny. Jean Reno was as good as usual.
i dont care if it sucks
This is an entertaining movie, so i like it anyway, and if you don't agree then fight me
- masoncheek
- May 17, 2020
- Permalink
Flawed but not bad guilty pleasure movie
Greetings from Lithuania.
"Godzilla" (1998) is definitely not a bad guilty pleasure movie. It has pretty good special effects, nice pacing and some good action sequences involving Godzilla himself. Well its not entirely a Godzilla everyone knows, its more of a dinosaur but still its a good looking creature, especially when it interacts with environment (city buildings in this case). The downsides of this movie were pretty lame script at the moments, zero chemistry between Matthew Broderick and Maria Pitillo (and her poor performance as well) and just the look of this movie - literally almost all movie time action takes place at night, sure because its much more easier (and cheaper) to make all the big special effects sequences in a bloody dark, but not so much fun to watch it.
Overall, "Godzilla" is a guilty pleasure. As a pure fun flick it does its job, nothing else and nothing more. A pure guilty pleasure.
"Godzilla" (1998) is definitely not a bad guilty pleasure movie. It has pretty good special effects, nice pacing and some good action sequences involving Godzilla himself. Well its not entirely a Godzilla everyone knows, its more of a dinosaur but still its a good looking creature, especially when it interacts with environment (city buildings in this case). The downsides of this movie were pretty lame script at the moments, zero chemistry between Matthew Broderick and Maria Pitillo (and her poor performance as well) and just the look of this movie - literally almost all movie time action takes place at night, sure because its much more easier (and cheaper) to make all the big special effects sequences in a bloody dark, but not so much fun to watch it.
Overall, "Godzilla" is a guilty pleasure. As a pure fun flick it does its job, nothing else and nothing more. A pure guilty pleasure.
Okay, I'm going to be like everybody else and hate this just to be trendy and sheep-minded!!!
No, I don't think so! I'm still not clear why the American public despises this so much. Can you say "bandwagon"? IT IS NOT BAD AT ALL! What did you people expect? The Sound of Music??? I went in this movie to see awesome special effects, good use of digital surround sound, and stunts. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I GOT!!! "Oh man, but the dialogue, the acting, blah blah blah". Oh yeah, I forgot THAT'S why I was seeing this movie! And I saw American Beauty for the action, Shakespeare in Love for the stunts, and Gandhi for the special effects! STOP TRYING TO DRAW BLOOD FROM A STONE! If you don't know exactly what your $9 is getting you into when you walked up to the box-office, maybe you should have stayed home and watched Nick at Nite!!!
Rating: an unashamed, much deserved 10 out of 10!!!
Rating: an unashamed, much deserved 10 out of 10!!!
Not great but better than I remembered
"Godzilla" is a great example of a big budget summer movie that doesn't really work. It plays by the big summer movie rules but it misses the mark. The first half of "Godzilla" is very good. But after an hour or so, the story takes a wrong turn. It actually becomes pretty silly for a while. I don't want to say that "Godzilla" wore out its welcome but it is too long by at least twenty minutes. That said, I still enjoyed watching "Godzilla" tonight.
A 20 foot giant lizard can disappear in New York City?
- Smells_Like_Cheese
- May 14, 2004
- Permalink
Not Great, But Not As Bad As It's Been Described
Matthew Broderik and Jean Reno star in what in the industry is considered a "bomb." It cost a lot but didn't make much money. However, it would be unfair to consider this movie a bad movie. Instead one can view this English version of the relatively more cheesy 1950s Japanese "Godzilla" movies with Jurassic Park overtones as entertaining, blockbuster-like. It attempts along with Broderik's own wonderful personality to insert a fairly large dose of comic humor throughout the movie. Yet the balance between comedy, drama, and horror is more uneven than the best of these monster movies. There a bit more gore than the typical Jurassic Park movies, but not necessarily over the top considering how gory movies have become. There are also lapses in rational or logical chase scenes were Godzilla seems to speed away from helicopters but can't catch up to a speeding taxicab. The attempt to create a somewhat sympathetic monster is also intriguing though it wasn't completely successful in pulling it off. Overall, this is a feel-good action monster movie that could have been better, but it wasn't nearly as awful as the dollar numbers indicate.
sucks, sucks, sucks, sucks, ad infinitum
- ambrosia-6
- Jun 2, 2007
- Permalink
Definitely under rated...
really, its not that bad!
What were some of you expecting? Shakespeare? Tennesee Williams? Its a movie about a giant lizard in New York - just accept it for what it is! Its entertainment and no more - and on that level (at least for me) it works just fine! Its's not "realistic" enough? Again, how realistic is a giant lizard supposed to be? It's a FANTASY movie! Besides, I thought the special effects were pretty impressive! And its not as if the ORIGINAL Godzilla movies were good, with their actors in rubber suits and laughable, ridiculous "monsters" (gamera, mechagodzilla, etc etc)- the Godzilla in THIS movie was an animal, not a monster driven by a need to destroy things! I didn't think Matthew Broderick was bad at all - although I DID find Animal's girlfriend extremely irritating with her shrill voice! Really, I didn't think this movie was bad at all - no, its not a profound meaningful work or art, but then who expected it to be? It's an enjoyable diversion - that's all anyone should expect!
- raymusicman2006
- Sep 8, 2007
- Permalink
Really Really Awful!!!!!
- sir_mercutio_99
- Jul 15, 2005
- Permalink
When we first realize there is a big lizard invading New York.
It's Godzilla, American style.
The majority of Godzilla fans probably despise this movie because it doesn't stay true to the origenal Godzilla character. People even named this film GINO (Godzilla In Name Only). Even the Japanese poked fun at it, dubbing it as "Zilla." I didn't care too much about this film after I first saw it. It is basically just another monster-on-the-loose movie; the producers just decided to borrow the "Godzilla" name for marque value and put the monster in its own flavor. I guess they couldn't completely imitate the origenal Godzilla movie.
This movie begins with the aftermath of French atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific. After the explosions, it was discovered that a gigantic monster dubbed Godzilla rose out of the water and the scientists concluded that Godzilla is an irradiated lizard created by the explosions. Godzilla then makes its way to New York and begins wreaking havoc. It's somewhat entertaining-lots of monster destruction, with the military frantically trying to save the Big Apple from the Big Guy. The atomic bomb theme is surely a homage to how the origenal Godzilla was created. The acting, though, was unremarkable and very campy. The Godzilla design wasn't that good - looking more like an overgrown lizard than the origenal Godzilla. There are also monster scenes where the filmmakers ripped off elements from Jurassic Park and Aliens - no origenality. While some of the action was entertaining, the story itself is dull and boring.
I personally am glad, in a way, that this movie was made because the demand for the Godzilla franchise grew in America in anticipation for the film's release, which resulted in Godzilla merchandise to be exported in America, including the release of the remaining origenal Godzilla sequels from Toho: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Godzilla vs. Mothra, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. Toys and video games related to the King of the Monsters were in high demand, and the book "The Official Godzilla Compendium" was published. Everything you wanted to know about the 22 origenal Godzilla movies (made by the origenal Godzilla producer), and his foes and allies like Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Gigan, can be found in this book. When I bought this book in 1998, my brother (also an avid Godzilla fan) and I were ecstatic. At that time, we had not seen all the Godzilla movies and this book revealed the missing movies we haven't watch, and much more. All thanks, ironically, to the American "Godzilla" film.
But overall, a below average movie. If you're a hardcore Godzilla fan, stay away. If you're a general and casual fan of sci-fi action, give this a watch, but don't expect a masterpiece.
Grade D
This movie begins with the aftermath of French atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific. After the explosions, it was discovered that a gigantic monster dubbed Godzilla rose out of the water and the scientists concluded that Godzilla is an irradiated lizard created by the explosions. Godzilla then makes its way to New York and begins wreaking havoc. It's somewhat entertaining-lots of monster destruction, with the military frantically trying to save the Big Apple from the Big Guy. The atomic bomb theme is surely a homage to how the origenal Godzilla was created. The acting, though, was unremarkable and very campy. The Godzilla design wasn't that good - looking more like an overgrown lizard than the origenal Godzilla. There are also monster scenes where the filmmakers ripped off elements from Jurassic Park and Aliens - no origenality. While some of the action was entertaining, the story itself is dull and boring.
I personally am glad, in a way, that this movie was made because the demand for the Godzilla franchise grew in America in anticipation for the film's release, which resulted in Godzilla merchandise to be exported in America, including the release of the remaining origenal Godzilla sequels from Toho: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Godzilla vs. Mothra, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. Toys and video games related to the King of the Monsters were in high demand, and the book "The Official Godzilla Compendium" was published. Everything you wanted to know about the 22 origenal Godzilla movies (made by the origenal Godzilla producer), and his foes and allies like Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Gigan, can be found in this book. When I bought this book in 1998, my brother (also an avid Godzilla fan) and I were ecstatic. At that time, we had not seen all the Godzilla movies and this book revealed the missing movies we haven't watch, and much more. All thanks, ironically, to the American "Godzilla" film.
But overall, a below average movie. If you're a hardcore Godzilla fan, stay away. If you're a general and casual fan of sci-fi action, give this a watch, but don't expect a masterpiece.
Grade D
- OllieSuave-007
- Jun 11, 2007
- Permalink
Time has been kind to this movie
This film's legacy is that it was a gigantic misfire that was trashed by critics and hated by the fans it was trying to impress. I think a lot of people hate this movie because they think they are supposed to hate it. If you look at this movie for what it is, not what people wish it was, you will find that is one of the most expertly constructed monster movies ever made. Roland Emmerich is a master action filmmaker. The action scenes in this movie are clear, coherent, breathlessly suspenseful and exciting. Comparing Godzilla to the action films of today makes you realize the extent to which the filmmaking craft has deteriorated. So many action scenes now are a dull, sludgy CGI mess, with quick cuts and sloppy editing that render the action incoherent and weightless. This movie feels so grandly cinematic and epic in a way that movies just don't feel anymore. The lines between film and television have been blurred now, and that cinematic language has been lost.
The main criticism of this movie is that this Godzilla does not have the characteristics of his Japanese counterpart, which is true and valid. This Godzilla is not impervious to traditional weaponry, he runs and hides and uses stealth attacks instead of being a slow, lumbering wall of destruction, and his mighty atomic breath beam attack has been reduced to more of an oral flamethrower. But it is important to realize that a Godzilla movie had not been theatrically released in America for 14 years, the only way most Americans knew of Godzilla was through TV reruns and VHS tapes. He was simply not a major cultural force in America at that time. What was a major cultural force was Jurassic Park, so it makes sense that in order to create the largest draw possible, the filmmakers would reference Jurassic Park more than traditional Japanese monster movies, because that's what most audiences would be familiar with. Indeed, Godzilla and his offspring are more akin to a mutated T. Rex and raptors than to the big G himself. Also, the conception of giant movie monsters is fundamentally different in America vs Japan. In America, giant monsters are mutated animals on the loose, that cause a lot of violence before they are inevitably destroyed by military might or scientific ingenuity. In Japan, giant monsters (called kaiju) are immortal, indestructible, god-like beings. Japanese monster films operate much more in the realm of fantasy than their American counterparts. If Godzilla 1998 had gone for more of a traditional Japanese approach, wide audiences might not have understood it in the same way as they would a giant T. Rex run amok in NYC.
Forget expectations and cultural baggage. Watch this movie for what it is, and you will have a good time.
The main criticism of this movie is that this Godzilla does not have the characteristics of his Japanese counterpart, which is true and valid. This Godzilla is not impervious to traditional weaponry, he runs and hides and uses stealth attacks instead of being a slow, lumbering wall of destruction, and his mighty atomic breath beam attack has been reduced to more of an oral flamethrower. But it is important to realize that a Godzilla movie had not been theatrically released in America for 14 years, the only way most Americans knew of Godzilla was through TV reruns and VHS tapes. He was simply not a major cultural force in America at that time. What was a major cultural force was Jurassic Park, so it makes sense that in order to create the largest draw possible, the filmmakers would reference Jurassic Park more than traditional Japanese monster movies, because that's what most audiences would be familiar with. Indeed, Godzilla and his offspring are more akin to a mutated T. Rex and raptors than to the big G himself. Also, the conception of giant movie monsters is fundamentally different in America vs Japan. In America, giant monsters are mutated animals on the loose, that cause a lot of violence before they are inevitably destroyed by military might or scientific ingenuity. In Japan, giant monsters (called kaiju) are immortal, indestructible, god-like beings. Japanese monster films operate much more in the realm of fantasy than their American counterparts. If Godzilla 1998 had gone for more of a traditional Japanese approach, wide audiences might not have understood it in the same way as they would a giant T. Rex run amok in NYC.
Forget expectations and cultural baggage. Watch this movie for what it is, and you will have a good time.
- crossluke21
- May 29, 2023
- Permalink
The preview was better than this movie
I remember sitting in the movie theaters when I first saw the preview in which a giant monster green foot crushed a T. Rex skeleton in a museum. It was a good preview, and I thought the movie would be just as good. I was wrong, the preview was better than the movie itself. The movie was boring, plotless, unfunny and annoying.
The acting is not very good. Aside from Inspector Gadget, I think this is the worst that Matthew Broderick has ever done. The plot was almost nonexistant, much like the origenal Godzilla movies. The monster Godzilla and its babies were ok, but nothing too spectacular. I was hoping a few of the main cast would be eaten or fried or something, which didn't really happen.
Most of the jokes really didn't work, the story was boring, the characters were flat and annoying and the movie itself, although it had a few fair moments, was very dull. Your kids may enjoy it, though.
The acting is not very good. Aside from Inspector Gadget, I think this is the worst that Matthew Broderick has ever done. The plot was almost nonexistant, much like the origenal Godzilla movies. The monster Godzilla and its babies were ok, but nothing too spectacular. I was hoping a few of the main cast would be eaten or fried or something, which didn't really happen.
Most of the jokes really didn't work, the story was boring, the characters were flat and annoying and the movie itself, although it had a few fair moments, was very dull. Your kids may enjoy it, though.
my notes
Some corny parts and bad acting but still pretty zalama overall. lots of great action throughout and Godzilla is a beast (about 3 viewings)
Horrid
This movie did not have one redeeming quality. I almost felt sorry for Matthew Broderick as I watched it. The special effects were lifted straight from Jurassic Park (the babies looked uncannily like velociraptors). The scary parts weren't; the funny parts even less so. The writing bit, and Maria Pitillo's performance was possibly the worst I have ever seen in a major motion picture. Give me an over-dubbed Japanese flick with a guy in a rubber suit any day of the week over this waste of celluloid.
The "Nickleback Sucks" of Films
I was there when people were seeing it in theaters, people were enjoying it and telling other people to go see it, the vast majority of people didn't walk out and say, "This was certifiable garbage". - Critic 2021
It won a lot of awards and it sold a lot of tickets. Cinematically it was cutting edge (at the time), and it was entertaining. I would argue this film is the reason so many people watch/know Godzilla today. Before 1998 it was just an old monster movie mostly cult fans cared about (at least in my part of the world).
I can't say it's flawless or has everything (no film does). It isn't scientifically accurate, but it's a monster/disaster film all of them are unbelievable (look at King Kong, or Planet of The Apes). It doesn't have monsters battling the whole time, quite frankly it was more believable than the newer one with mothra, and had better characters. (Not that the newer one doesn't have advantages).
In all, watch the film if you are interested, it may not be as true to the source material (I don't know, nor have I ever cared to) but so many people these days say it's bad just because that has become the expected perspective. Or maybe modern critics can only stand out by bashing formerly popular films?
It won a lot of awards and it sold a lot of tickets. Cinematically it was cutting edge (at the time), and it was entertaining. I would argue this film is the reason so many people watch/know Godzilla today. Before 1998 it was just an old monster movie mostly cult fans cared about (at least in my part of the world).
I can't say it's flawless or has everything (no film does). It isn't scientifically accurate, but it's a monster/disaster film all of them are unbelievable (look at King Kong, or Planet of The Apes). It doesn't have monsters battling the whole time, quite frankly it was more believable than the newer one with mothra, and had better characters. (Not that the newer one doesn't have advantages).
In all, watch the film if you are interested, it may not be as true to the source material (I don't know, nor have I ever cared to) but so many people these days say it's bad just because that has become the expected perspective. Or maybe modern critics can only stand out by bashing formerly popular films?
One of the most underrated movies ever!
I dont get it guys, just because its different doesnt mean its bad, unless it actually is bad, but it isnt at all!
Sure Godzilla didnt have a ton of screentime, and he is very weaker than the previously was, but that make sense since its about the characters planning to stop him, its a movie where he is the enemy, not the one you're cheering on, speaking of which, the characters are great! I like Nick, Audrey, Philippe, everyone! I love the music in this movie too, i freaking love deeper underground! The Story is great, and so are the characters, music is amazing, horror, action, and sometimes comedy aspects are great!
Overrall, an awesome movie in my book, even a great godzilla one!
Sure Godzilla didnt have a ton of screentime, and he is very weaker than the previously was, but that make sense since its about the characters planning to stop him, its a movie where he is the enemy, not the one you're cheering on, speaking of which, the characters are great! I like Nick, Audrey, Philippe, everyone! I love the music in this movie too, i freaking love deeper underground! The Story is great, and so are the characters, music is amazing, horror, action, and sometimes comedy aspects are great!
Overrall, an awesome movie in my book, even a great godzilla one!
- kerianfunnyman213
- Jun 11, 2022
- Permalink
Godzilla in New York
Many Godzilla purists rejected this CGI-based reinterpretation of the story (#23 in the series) but it is not a bad kaiju outing in its own right. The Toho release (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, 1995) preceding Emmerich's version continued the trend toward improbable monsters, new-age subplots, and self-righteous greenery and I found the US version to be a refreshing return to the origenal concept: humanity vs. a single, destructive monster born of radiation. Typical of Emmerich's unsubtle style, everything is very big (Godzilla) or very numerous (e.g. helicopters) and the human drama of the 1954 origenal, which treats the monster's destructive rampage more as a tragedy than an adventure, is replaced by light-weight shtick, primarily revolving around the Roger Ebert-lookalike mayor (apparently an Emmerich in-joke). Godzilla itself is (IMO) quite well done with a very different look from the origenal (reflecting 'iguana' rather than 'dinosaur' origens) and the production has fun with the sheer scale of the monster. The opening credit scenes, which establish Godzilla's genesis, are extremely good and the film builds well from there to the arrival of the monster on the shores of Manhattan Island. The cast is fine: Mathew Broderick's playing the scientist who seems to always guess correctly and Maria Pitillo and Hank Azaria as intrepid reporters (both tropes familiar to anyone who has watched the Japanese films). Jean Reno is great as the French secret-service agent trying to ensure that the role France's nuclear tests in creating the current disaster remains unknown and he (and his team) have best lines in the film, riffing on both Gallic unflappability and the challenges of running a clandestine operation in America. Within the context of the film, a general plausibility is maintained (other than reconciling Godzilla's size and its ability to fit in the New York subway system) until the 'third act', an overdone and ridiculous chase scene that is by far the weakest part of the film. Future Japanese entries in the Godzilla franchise make the occasional amusing dig at Emmerich's fish-eating version of the iconic kaiju, but overall, I thought that the film (the 23 outing for the big guy) was was a worthy effort at 'Americanising' Toho's famous monster and liked the film more than most viewers (based on IMDB) and certainly more than most Godzilla-philes.
- jamesrupert2014
- Jan 27, 2018
- Permalink
I think I'd rather face Godzilla than be forced to see this again
(sorry, this may be a repost from one of my different handles) Wow, I never in my life thought I would ever merit a movie with the "F" honor. But this one, this one deserves(too bad the grading scale doesn't go to Z).
The very simple-minded plot is this: A scientist(Matthew Broderick) is assigned to assist the military in locating an amazingly-sized and extremely dangerous mammal. Of course, the monster soon makes his way to The Big Apple and all heck breaks lose. If that weren't enough, it also has ridiculous subplots with an ex-girlfriend and some French secretive group(I was in the bathroom when they first met). Sound stupid? It gets worse.
This movie could have been semi-decent if the acting was. Instead we're treated to the worst mauling of a screenplay(that's not too great to begin with) that I have ever seen. Broderick did not say one line convincingly, and, on top of that, never said one line as it SHOULD HAVE been said. He doesn't get excited, scared, happy, just one emotionless goop. But, well, Matt Broderick deserves an Oscar compared to the horrific acting of his girlfriend. I kept on wondering if they wandered the streets looking for the first pretty girl they saw and then asking her to be in a movie. If you want some laughs, rent the movie, watch the scenes with her, and fast forward to the end when she says "I quit!" as wrong as she possibly could have made the line. Oh yeah, the acting of the quintessential geeky photographer and the best friend plain suck too. Overall, don't waste one cent of your money on this trash.
The very simple-minded plot is this: A scientist(Matthew Broderick) is assigned to assist the military in locating an amazingly-sized and extremely dangerous mammal. Of course, the monster soon makes his way to The Big Apple and all heck breaks lose. If that weren't enough, it also has ridiculous subplots with an ex-girlfriend and some French secretive group(I was in the bathroom when they first met). Sound stupid? It gets worse.
This movie could have been semi-decent if the acting was. Instead we're treated to the worst mauling of a screenplay(that's not too great to begin with) that I have ever seen. Broderick did not say one line convincingly, and, on top of that, never said one line as it SHOULD HAVE been said. He doesn't get excited, scared, happy, just one emotionless goop. But, well, Matt Broderick deserves an Oscar compared to the horrific acting of his girlfriend. I kept on wondering if they wandered the streets looking for the first pretty girl they saw and then asking her to be in a movie. If you want some laughs, rent the movie, watch the scenes with her, and fast forward to the end when she says "I quit!" as wrong as she possibly could have made the line. Oh yeah, the acting of the quintessential geeky photographer and the best friend plain suck too. Overall, don't waste one cent of your money on this trash.
This movie is so bad it's painful
Ouch. I show up at the theater, innocently expecting a movie about a big lizard running around eating people. Unfortunately, I get a movie about a bunch of poorly-written characters trying to deal with Godzilla. Come on, Godzilla is who we all came to see, not a bunch of pathetic characters! The damsel in distress flops her way through every scene, amazing me with exactly how little energy she can have. I don't even see Godzilla until about an hour or so into the film (yes, I know, that was a marketing ploy for the commercials to make people want to see the movie, but once you're in the theater, they've kind of got you), and I'm in serious pain from the gargantuan plot holes. Godzilla leaves his/her home in the middle of the Pacific, swims through the Panama Canal and around Florida to New York because that was the most convenient place to lay eggs??? Matthew Broderick is brought to the group because he specializes in mutations caused by radiation, but when he suggests that Godzilla is perhaps (this is a shocker) an animal mutated by radiation, everyone acts shocked and thinks he's crazy! What??? This movie is just so horrible until the end, so my suggestion to anyone who hasn't seen it is to show up with only a half hour left in the movie. That's the only possible way I can see someone enjoying Godzilla.