This was my most recent random pull (just watched it). I wish I could go back to when I first saw it...or at least, my opinion of it could go back to then. I thought it was the best Godzilla film, hands-down, in YEARS...
I suppose that maybe it still is (though I dunno, I've warmed CONSIDERABLY towards G2K and have always enjoyed GxMG...and I actually am one of those annoying people who like GFW), but my enjoyment of this film has softened a great deal.
The plot is just an absolute MESS...I really find it to be all the worst bits of the Kaneko Gamera films, hamfisted mysticism, points that make little to no sense, characters who serve as avatars or something of some sort who aren't fully developed enough for me to care (the computer dude in G3, the old man here)...it's just ridiculous and borderline nonsensical. Stuff just happens. There's an under-developed plot about some statues containing the souls of world war ii victims ("Just like a CD-ROM!!!"
), something with magic fairy dust sprinkling monsters to life...or making them retreat into the ocean and do nothing to change their actions whatsoever.
When the story is at its most straight-forward is when it works best: A wannabe journalist trying to break from her stigma as a cheap "mockumentarian" and become a real journalist to make her dad proud while he struggles with his own pride and becomes powerless in the face of these unstoppable kaiju. Strip away all the garbage about souls of WWII, because it doesn't make a lick of sense, and just give me the straightforward monster movie and I'd enjoy this SO much more...
also, plastic Mothra no es bueno.
btw, I realize it looks like I kind of just took a dump all over this movie, but let me emphasize that it only amounts to maybe 15-20 minutes of the movie that I find to be ridiculous nonsense while the rest of it works rather well, and of course the monsters are executed better in this film than in any post-80s film save MAYBE GvsKG. let me stress EXECUTED though...because design-wise it's all rather middle of the road to me.