GFW Reviews Thread & Discussion (Spoilers)

[UltraGodzillaX]

[kiryugoji04]

[Dr Kain]

Hey, I just watched the R1 today, and is it just me, or does a few scenes of the movie seem different than the Jp version? I swear, it seems like there was some audio changed just slightly, and a scene or to sped up a bit.

[lhb412]

[Kaijufan]

I got the DVD for Christmas and watched GFW for a second time. The first time I saw it was at G-Fest with 1300+ other fans and I really enjoyed it then, but I knew that could have been because I was seeing it for the first time with so many other fans.
However, I enjoyed my second viewing just as much as the first.
It may not be the best G film, but when viewing it both times I knew exactly what it was: a fun rip-off of the American action films with a little bit of Godzilla thrown in. I didn't expect any more or any less, and because of that I love the film.
Plus it's so funny (intentionally or not) that I can't help but love it.

[Gothic_Blue]

[Moonlight SY-3]

[MireGoji]

I finally watched Godzilla Final Wars earlier tonight, and having read just about all the reviews here, I went into it knowing not to take it seriously. To that end, I thought GFW was a complete riot from start to finish, and I grinned from the opening at the South Pole to the final fight with Keizer Ghidorah.

Sure, I was disappointed by the short monster fights and Gigan - who has probably the best redesign of all the monsters - was criminally underused (Hey, TOHO, keep the suit and put it to some good use by doing a new (serious) version Godzilla vs. Gigan!), but the movie kept going at such a hyper pace that I didn't have much time to think and complain.

The monster rampages were neat, and Kazuki Kitamura and Don Frye were respectively awesome as the X-Seijin and Captain Gordon respectively.

Y'know, I don't think there's much I can really say that hasn't already been said by the positive reviews. Though should Final Wars have been the 50th anniversary movie? Well... no, not really. But I still like Final Wars for what it is - a mad, crazy, completely daft movie.

[Gfan54]

[Dr. Tongue]

[Elliot Gay]

[Gfan54]

[briizilla]

[Spinzilla]

[Joseph Goodman]

[The Shadow]

I was finally able to watch GFW over the weekend. Curiously it seems to only recently have been available in my area [I had it on my Christmas list but it was not to be found] - though I never checked places like Suncoast since they're usually way overpriced.

Lot's of folks have done big in-depth reviews so I'll just make this short...

Overall I liked the movie, it was great fun to watch. Now for a few specific thoughts...

There were a few things I would've been nice to see or improved the film.

A. More kaiju battle scenes. It would've been nice to see Godzilla battle a few more classic Toho kaiju on his journey from the Antartic to Tokyo - say Titanosaurus, Megalon, and Baragon [maybe even Gabara].

B. Longer kaiju battle scenes. Just two battles in particular needed some lengthening. First, Godzilla's battle with King Caesar, Rodan, and Anguirus ended far too quickly for my tastes - it could've used at least a couple more minutes of Showa style Kaiju Fu action. Second, Godzilla's battle with Keizer Ghidorah [not the Monster X part]. This part of Godzilla's final battle was unsatisfying, the movie spent the previous several minutes on the 'human' half of the story and once we're back to Godzilla it was almost a case of 'blink and you'll miss it'.

I guess what I'm trying to say is the film could've used more kaiju combat all around, be it adding a few battles and/or lengthening a couple - so points A and B can be taken seperately on in concert.

C. Concerning Keizer Ghidorah, he was definitely a mixed bag for me. I liked the new 'development' of the Gravity Beam [Keizer's ability to 'move' it] and the 'energy drain' attack was interesting. I'm not all that keen on the 4-legged design, but from the short time you see him in the movie he looks impressive enough and he seems generally improved over Desghidorah. However, I find myself wishing that King Ghidorah himself was there fighting Godzilla... Perhaps it's for the best though, I wouldn't have liked seeing KG fall as easily as Keizer. And maybe we'll get to see KG again whenever Toho decides that time is ripe for another Godzilla film

[Andrew Nguyen]

After watching it for several times, I feel that now I will attempt to review this movie.


First I will admit it was a fun kooky crazy type movie in the style of the late 60-early 70s Godzilla films.


Some of the special effects work was pretty good (the X-seijin ship, the GINO, the transformation of Monster X into Keizer Ghidorah).

Some of the monster designs were well done (Gigan's was really nice , followed by Monster X, and to a lesser extent Godzilla, Angilas, Rodan, and Mothra).

It was nice seeing many of the old gang from the previous Godzilla movies (especially Akira Takarda). Their presence helped make the human scenes a bit more bearable.

Most of the music is alright, a bit ctachy (espcially during the begining battle in the Arctic (it inspired me with an idea for another Godzilla fanfic) and when Godzilla is wiping the floor with his foes).

However there are a lot more bad than good in this movie and the fact that it was styled after the late showa style movies may have also hurt it even more (especially since this was made on the 50th anniversay of the series).

There were some very ugly special effects work (examples include the attack on Paris, the oil refinery where several tanks are destroyed, the minature work especially in the Antarctica scenes, at least two of the battles Godzilla wages with some of the other monsters).

Definitely could have trimmed down the human battles and put more emphasis on the monster battles (first make them longer). Also it would have been better if monsters like Hedorah had been trimmed altogether.

Most of the human cast proved to be unbearable. Although I admit they were funny, most of the time, it was in the ugly fashion (the X-seijin leader and Gordon (especially with the way he speaks his lines) fall into the category especially). Also to have the idea of some humans having mutant powers and all was also a very dumb idea.


That is all I can really say and well if I were to have given this a rating (I would have given this between a two to three stars and that is streching it a lot considing that this movie was supposed to be the 50th annivesary one and with that fact in mine, I would have given this a one star).

To rank the finishes here is how I would have ranked them.

1. Godzilla vs Destroyah.
2. Terror of Mecha-Godzilla.
3. Godzilla: Final Wars.

Best advice: Imagine this more of a madhouse comedy and imagine them as if on set and the monster are bloody drunk and having way too much fun (and for further effect, imagine the monsters chibi sized). But make sure to never repeat such a stunt like this again for it is antics like this that help perpetuate the stereotypes of the Godzilla movies (it can't be helped but if they had made more serious types of movies, the effects could have been lessened a bit).

[ebirahsmeg1]

[The Shadow]

[lhb412]

[Andrew Nguyen]

[Irish Gfan]

[X Goji]

[godzillamaster66]

[Dr. Tongue]