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Godzilla 2000

Godzilla 2000

List Price: $9.95
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: blowback to the original
Review: This movie is somewhat a nostalgic trip. It looks like it was filmed for the same budget as the old Godzilla movies. The acting is bad, the special effects are bad, the plot is barely there. But then the plot always was Godzilla gets up and tears up Japan. The problem is that this isn't the 50s, 60s, or 70s. The nostalgia isn't enough to carry you through this film. No, the revamped Godzilla wasn't any good, nor is this throwback. Your best bet is to go and get the original movies.

At least Mothra wasn't in this one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Tongue in Cheek Genius Made Only In Japan
Review: "A mysterious foreign object is awakened like a Sleeping Giant powered to life by the Rising Sun." Hmmm, sounds like the factual account of what lay ahead following the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. To continue, this unknown foreign intruder has plans to take over the Earth, well at least Japan, by "swallowing" all of Tokyo's computer data. As one scientist concludes "It could end our civilization as we know it."

Surprisingly this foreign intruder has a more than curious interest in Godzilla. The reason? An unknown discovery until now, Godzilla's genetic structure allows it to regenerate itself at the drop of a hat. No wonder the Japanese can never seem to be rid of him! And there's good reason not to be! "Regenerator G-1" as this gene is named is the source of this Foreigner's acquisition and eventual take-over attempt! For once it gets it hands, paws, claws? on the secret of Godzilla this "Independent" believes it will have its "Day!" You must have figured out by now where I am going with this! Yes, that's right Godzilla 2000 is a more than deserved slap at that Tri-star version starring Mathew Broderick that should have been called 'JurasSick Park goes to New York.'

Hasn't anyone who has seen "G-2000" noticed how that Foreign Intruder bears a striking resemblance to that overgrown American ...? Needless to say, I've already said too much. "G-2000" certainly holds its own to that ... imitator. The Godzilla costume is much more elaborate, with a more frightening toothy look and more Spikey Spine fins. The special effects at Toho are getting better and better with better fire breath effects and Godzilla swimming underwater looked really nice!

In conclusion, despite that Foreigner's attempt at usurping the King of the Monsters throne they never really learned Godzilla's secret... Yea, we know it's a guy in a costume, yea we know it's cheesy, but we don't care! Once Godzilla's theme starts rolling, we know its time for him to rock!

Whether you believe Godzilla is a metaphor for what happens when Man tinkers with Science or a metaphor for the horrible devastation when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were laid to waste, Godzilla will always and forever belong to Japan and Toho. Always imitated, but never duplicated!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: flargh Florg
Review: Flargh glargh
this movie makes me say
Narg!

this movie is GREAT!
yourg yourg yorg this movie makes you say Norg

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: First rate Giant monster mayhem!!
Review: It is difficult to say just which Godzilla film is the "best", since the Japanese film industry keeps making them. However, "Godzilla 2000" is arguably the best effort released in the United States to date. Upon release it was the first to see a major theatrical release in America in about 15 years, and after seeing it again on DVD, it is clear that this is deservedly so. It may be considered a landmark "G" film, set in a "more realistic Japan", while avoiding some of the "comic book" like quality of it's predecessors.
I find it necessary to make some brief asides before going further:

1) "Godzilla 2000" did not recycle any effects/audio, including the monster's roar, from the 1998 U.S. picture. This is obvious from listening to the soundtrack, even more so from the director's commentary, which states the fact outright.

2) As a "classic" Godzilla fan, I prefer the Japanese version, but do not think the U.S. version entirely stunk... What would have been the point of an American version if they had simply copied the Japanese one? However, the U.S. version will NEVER replace the original

3) High-tech Special Effects alone do not make a movie, just ask the producers of "2001, A Space Odyssey". Many cite "2001" as a landmark film, fewer would be willing to sit through the entire "masterpiece".

That said, I'd have to recommend this film to anyone who loves Godzilla and/or action/adventure/Sci-Fi.
-To those in the West who complain about the dubbing, no offense, but: get a life! :)
No matter how much many of us hardcore film fans would prefer the original films with sub-tittles, the majority of film-goers (the ones who "pay the bills" as far as Hollywood is concerned) do not, and the industry knows this. And with the advent of DVD regional coding, even getting the genuine foreign version of a film DVD like this will apparently soon be a thing of the past, unless you want to own two or three different "illegal" DVD players. The dubbing really is not that bad in Godzilla 2000(perhaps the best yet), and as long as the dubbed versions continue to try and make a concerted effort, as was done like never before with Godzilla 2000, I think fans/filmgoers can live with it.

-The special effects in this film were great, not as "perfect" as pure CGI films, but also not as "sterile", and much more life-like in many ways.
The Japanese have found a great niche in combining traditional miniature effects (the trademark of the Japanese "Giant Monster" genre) with CGI to polish up the overall look of the film.
Many will complain that these films aren't "realistic" enough.
I consider the source, the same American public that found "Diehard", "Speed", and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" to be "realistic" films.
One reviewer put it best when they said Americans (/Western audiences in general) have lost the ability to "suspend their disbelief", and enjoy a great Sc-Fi/Fantasy Film without having to have tons of Hollywood slick, and "Zillions" of $ worth of CGI. (If you've never had the experience of sharing one of these movies with a kid, and watching their eyes light up as they discover a whole new world, like Disney meets the Marvel universe, you're missing something. Don't forget how to be a kid, no matter how old you get).
Anyone who rates a fantasy film by the same standards they would apply to a serious subject needs therapy, anyway, so lets move on.

Big monsters, Big explosions, people running for their lives. The plot is more than enough for a Godzilla film, more appealing and easier to follow than past Godzilla flicks, and the whole experience is good clean fun. Well, off to watch "Reptilian", lots of folks have slammed this film, too, so it must be good.

Summary:
In a nutshell, this film has more of what's likeable about Godzilla films, and less of what isn't, than any of its predecessors.
If you like Godzilla/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action-Adventure films, get it!!
If you don't, ignore it, and save those of us who do the trouble of hearing how much you hated it (and how little imagination you have).

theHammer

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good DVD. Good Godzilla Film.
Review: After seeing all the Hesi era Godzilla films and often wondering how bad they all were. Godzilla 2000 was a good return to the "original era of Godzilla films" from 1962 to 1978 when Ishrio Honda made them. This is a bigger budget Godzilla film and the effects are much improved. Godzilla's fire ray is now colored orange and his dorsal plates on his back are longer. The DVD also showcases a director's commentery, the film trailers and `is presented in "widescreen format" the way a movie should be seen. I would not mind seeing new Godzilla films that Toho is making right now and plans to make for the next few years.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This is the REAL Godzilla!
Review: Forget Matthew Broderick! This Japanese movie has the REAL Godzilla that those of us who were kids in the 60s grew up with and love, as well as the familiar Godzilla music and themes. In the spirit, presumably, of "Independence Day" this movie spoofs a number of famous scf-fi classics such as: Independence Day, War of the Worlds, Superman, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Alien, and especially, Twister. A disillusioned young Japanese scientist has resigned from his academic career to found the "Godzilla Prediction Network", which he runs with the help of his smart as a whip (approximately) 10 year old daughter. They are joined by a young, ambitious, Japanese woman journalist who believes that they can help her advance her career with a scoop about Godzilla. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has discovered a giant meteor at the bottom of the sea and attempts to raise it. Well, you can well imagine what's gonna happen. I predict that traditional Godzilla fans will enjoy this movie.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Accidentaly rented the wrong movie.
Review: I made a huge mistake when I rented this pathetic movie at the video store. I meant to order Godzilla with Matthew Broderick. But instead rented this terrible Japanese film. To be honest with you it's hard for me to review this terrible movie because it just didn't make much sense to me. The dialog was so bad it seemed like it was written by a kid in grade school. Actually i'm giving the dialog too much credit, I don't want to insult any grade schoolers out there. Truthfully I believe a kindergartener could have written better dialog. This film was in the fantasy section in the video store, but it should have been in the comedy section because all I did throughout the whole movie was laugh. The special effects were pretty cool in a corny kind of way, but unless you can appreciate a movie with good special effects and not much of a storyline this movie isn't for you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Better than north american godzilla
Review: Esta versiĆ³n es mucho pero mucho mejor que la version americana de godzilla (broderick), pienso que es mejor ya que muestra un godzilla como la mayoria de la gente lo recuerda un poderoso monstruo que es indestructible, pero que siempre termina defendiendo a la humanidad de grandes peligros.
En bastante impresionante ver lo efectos especiales sobre todo los referidos la pelea enter el alien y godzilla y como godzilla destruye al alien, la recomiendo tanyto como las versiones viejas en blanco y negro de las peliculas japonesas de monstruos y extraterrestres.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Godzilla For the New Millennium
Review: This was the first DVD I bought and it's great. It trashes the pale American flick of the same name but not the same game.
Godzilla is back and bigger, better and badder than ever.

I recommend this flick absolutely.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Two Words: BOO...YAH!
Review: Kaiju fans rejoice, our prayers for a theatrically released Godzilla film (since 1985) have been answered...and how! Purists like myself who have always felt that the magic of Godzilla has always been found in the comic operatics of a guy in a big rubber suit running through model cities, and who were so offended at the very appearance of a CG Godzilla (I am of course referring to that stupid Hollywood Re-Make by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, who should have stopped at Stargate!) will find solace in this lovely piece of cinema.
Let me explain some things: I am a film major. As one, I have seen innumerable films from almost equally innumerable countries, and I have found the cinema of Japan to be the best of the best! Why? Well, for starters, they know how to use special effects. See, in America, when we want to make a movie, we immediately decide that computer animation is the only way to go on any and all shots (even though frankly, CGI really isn't all that impressive once you've seen at least a thousand different films that all seem to use the same program!) But, in Japan, (where animators were actually experimenting with computers as far back as the early 70s before Disney ever got the idea to make a movie that took place inside one) computers are seen as secondary to good old-fashioned production values. Yes, Godzilla is still a guy in a suit (except for a brief shot where he is seen swimming), but it is not as though we are seeing Fisher Price model trains pulled fishing wire as he runs into buildings made out of cardboard. The wonderful people at Toho took their time on this one, and managed to make something far more enjoyable than anything those hacks Emmerich and Devlin could have ripped off and made uniquely their own (Why didn't they just call it "War of the Worlds" instead of "Independence Day" when "W.O.T.W." carries so much more prestige?).
The story of the film centers around an aging researcher and his young daughter, both founders of a study group devoting themselves to detecting and observing Godzilla. At the same time, the corporation the researcher used to work for (which has devoted itself to destroying Godzilla) finds a U.F.O. Which actually becomes a rather obnoxious opponent for Godzilla.
It's a typcial Godzilla story, but that doesn't mean it's still not worth seeing. On the contrary, This is one of the best Japanese films I have ever seen outside of the Anime and the Kurosawa Mythos.
Oh, and about that re-make, I should also like to add that it holds the distinct honor of being the first movie I have ever walked out of! ...


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