TALKBACK #23: Godzilla 2000

[lhb412]

[Xenorama]

I sure enjoyed seeing the movie in the theater, twice, even, but that long middle part with NO Godzilla or even much action was not the smartest move they could have made.

I also think they should have kept the aliens called "Millenians" or whatever there name was, as well as keeping it "organizer G-1".

still, it's a lot more fun than all of the VS (second) series movies, and I'm glad it got released in the theaters.

David

[Andrew Nguyen]

For me, this is one of the really weaker Godzilla films. This is also part of the result of the wreckage that we all got from the American Godzilla movie.

The VS series may have had its problems (and I am not blind to them as well) but well IMHO they pale with the unease I felt with watching this movie.

Many of the special effects in this movie seem really off, Orga is mostly uninspired and I really didn't like the redesign for Godzilla 2000.

I don't know but from what I got of the movie in relation to its director was that Okawara was probably saying that he had it and didn't really want to be part of the project.

[Destroysall]

I remember seeing the trailer for G2K in theaters when I was a kid, and my mouth literally dropped! I was like, GODZILLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to go see it so badly! My cousins were going to the theater the premiere night, and I asked them what they were gonna see, and they told me "We are going to see What Lies Beneath and you and your brother are going with us!" I was so disappointed, I didn't care to go. When we got there my cousin bought tickets, when he gave me my ticket, it read GODZILLA 2000! I was filled with excitement, it was such an amazing experience.[/i]

[metal_bryan]

[king_ghidorah]

[jellydonut25]

[king_ghidorah]

[H-Man]

I saw this twice in theaters (the American version) as a young kid, so I loved it, especially after the disappointment of GINO.

However, my opinion of it keeps going downhill every time I watch it. I agree with everyone who's said that the American version is better. The Japanese version is such a wreck.

For anyone that's interested, I recently reviewed the Japanese version for .

[Tyler E. Martin]

This is a special one for me, since it was the first (and to date only) real Godzilla film I've seen in theaters. It was a wonderful experience to see it on the big screen at age 13. Truly a highlight of my life as a fan.

But while thinking of it brings back fond memories, I honestly find this one kind of dull. Not terrible, but it could have been better. Others have mentioned the wonderfully done opening section, which I enjoy very much, but most of the movie just doesn't "do it" for me. The biggest offender here is the effects work, which, aside from a few nice shots, just feels lazy, much like the Heisei films. Though they manage to pull off a somewhat different kind of look (presumably since we've got Suzuki at the helm instead of Kawakita), it still just falls flat for the most part. Most of the suit work, especially Orga, looks stiff and the CGI is nothing short of wretched.

The original maquette for the Godzilla design is one of the coolest things I've ever seen, but the final suit is tragically disproportionate--the head/neck are HUGE in comparison with the body. The drawbacks of the suit are helped somewhat by a good performance by Mr. Kitagawa. Orga isn't too memorable, either in character or design.

Hattori's score is very uneven, with some tracks working wonderfully with the film and making for great listening, while others are just... :goofy: The big, "epic" choral pieces are ridiculous both in conception and execution. The a cappella piece at the end is beautiful, though the choir ends up more than a little out of tune. J. Peter Robinson's additions for the U.S. version are great and really add a lot to the picture.

We do have a shot at a more original kind of plot, which deserves a little credit, even though it doesn't work out in spots. Possibly the strongest aspect of the movie for me is the characters, who manage to have personality and carry the story competently, even when the story itself fails to impress.

I haven't seen the Japanese version, and from what I've heard I'm not in any great hurry to see it. The dubbing here is hit-and-miss, but it certainly has more character than most other dubs, and the main characters are brought to life rather nicely for the most part.

"Don't just stand there, move the boat!"

[jellydonut25]

yeah, i should add that this film has some of the only really MEMORABLE characters in any Godzilla movie...it's just too bad they couldn't think of anything worthwhile to do with
the good characters/actors
a good godzilla design/performance
solid special effects
an audience HUNGRY for some REAL Godzilla action...

instead, it's like a very half-baked type of thing, like i was saying before, it was like a knee-jerk reaction type of thing almost "hey man, we could put Godzilla, the REAL Godzilla up against just some random alien and have a better movie than GINO"

[Legion]

Second only to Final Wars this is one of my absolute least favorite Godzilla films. I remember seeing this for the first time in theaters on opening day when it was released here and being so utterly bored out of my mind that I was embarrassed to be sitting in the practically empty theater watching it.

I just personally think there was very little thought or effort put into the movie. Hattori's score outright sucks (I'll give the US version points for the score at least), the Godzilla suit is decent, but stiff and insanely overrated, Orga is a complete waste of a monster, the CGI is poor, the composites suck, Godzilla disappears from the movie for far too long and I completely echo Ed Godziszewski's feelings from his review of the film in G-Fan: out of all the Godzilla movies that had gone without a theatrical release since G85, this was the last one I would have picked.

This one seems to be popular simply for having the distinction of being the only recent Godzilla movie to get a widespread theatrical release. People seem to like it just because it was the first (and possibly) only Godzilla movie they saw in theaters. This was my first theatrical Godzilla movie too, but I ain't going easy on it just for that reason.

[king_ghidorah]

[Legion]

[king_ghidorah]

[canofhumdingers]

[lhb412]

[walshiam]

[canofhumdingers]

ooh, that reminds me of more things i like about this movie!

The fights, as you mentioned, were quite a nice change of pace. You mean Godzilla can fight with more than just his nuclear breath? he can use his claws & teeth & tail? What a breath of fresh air after the later "vs" films!

And speaking of that nuclear breath, I thought it was great! No, not the new color (that i could take or leave), but the way it's animated. I always prefer the versions of Godzilla's breath that look like a mist or fog or cloud as opposed to the fire or (worse) beam type. After all, it's supposed to be intense radioactivity, right? Here his breath looks like a very forceful shot of radioactive mist or fog. It's perfect. & i like the way he "flings" it out too.

[zekend01]

[INVINCIBLE HASTUR]

[zekend01]

[INVINCIBLE HASTUR]

That's correct. I never saw the U.S. version of it and there's no reason to see it. To this day friends of mine make fun of the dubbing and dialogue that was put in that U.S. release. I am content with the Japanese original version. Why would I want to cheapen the film by watching the other one?

[MouthForWar]

It was great seeing this in theaters. I probably saw it about 10 times. Still, its not a very good movie. Its more fun and more creative than most of the films that followed, but the plot is still a mess (in both the US and Japanese cuts). Also, I think Orga is a pretty boring monster. It gets some points for originality and having a more fun and care free spirit than most of the later movies.

[Rodanex]