jephtha To emulate the great Roger Ebert, I'm going to start this off by making note of an exceptional moment in the middle of "Godzilla vs Destoroyah". After Miki objects to the idea of using Godzilla Junior as a decoy to lure Godzilla, she receives a stern remark from her colleague. Subsequently, both of them leave the room, and from everyone else we hear…silence. That this is a difficult decision is not lost on the group. It's moments of empathy like this one that make this a very unique type of monster movie: one that can actually appeal on an emotional level. This great quality is the primary reason the final installment of the Heisei series is one of the strongest of the Godzilla films.The story primarily concerns the efforts to prevent an impending catastrophe threatened by Godzilla's unstable increase in power. It is interesting, not only because of the gravity of the situation but also because it forces the human characters into a tough situation: they have to stop Godzilla without using conventional military weapons. Not only does a sense of urgency pervade the film, but the crisis is rarely relegated to the background. People are often shown actively dealing with it, as opposed to merely talking about it. The script does occasionally trip over itself because of the exposition. How exactly dd Ijuin reference Serizawa's papers if they were all destroyed? What makes up for this is that the scientific elements are actually quite neat and fun to hear about. Who wouldn't want to know about further applications for micro-oxygen? There are also welcome references and connections to the 1954 film that enable the audience to see the long term consequences thereof, and help bring a sense of "bringing things full circle".Most notably, every "larger" subplot has a pay-off. Ijuin's work with micro-oxygen sheds light on the new menace, Kenichi Yamane joining G-Force reveals some key information on Godzilla's condition, and the search for Godzilla Junior sets the stage for the end fight, all converging into an emotional wallop of an ending. Such a structure makes this one of the most focused stories from the kaiju genre in the 90's, even more so than the Gamers films. Only in the smaller matters do things feel incomplete, such as with Kenichi's crush on Miki and the relationship between Ijuin and Yukari. Perhaps increasing the running length would have allowed these matters to develop. But, the individual conversations manage to engage by contributing to the larger aspects of the story, even conveying exactly how several people feel about the situation. Emiko's comments, for example, help to remind us that using the original oxygen destroyer was not an easy choice, adding weight to some of the decisions at hand. Comments on the visuals and special effects have been given in abundancy. The suits and miniatures are all well above par (save for the unfortunate inclusion of Bandai action figures for one scene), and there is an overall sullen atmosphere that increases as the film approaches its climax. The monsters' place in the story is also worth mentioning. Rather than appearing out of necessity or convenience, the whole story seems to be framed around Godzilla's threat. He acts with real purpose and his own tale to tell by the end, with the glowing suit, steam effects and red ray fantastically giving the impression of a creature reaching critical mass. Beyond this, Godzilla is humanized more than ever before, mostly due to the situation that he finds himself in. He searches for the lost Godzilla Jr., oblivious to what is about to happen, and ends up only finding the pain of loss. Destoroyah, in my opinion, is one of the best villainous monsters ever to appear in a Toho film. He too has a story to tell, one that works because his origins and nature are specifically suited to this movie's crisis. No random monster could play his part. The suit is incredible and just emanates evil, while at the same time inspiring a sense of awe partially because of the unforgettable first appearance and partially because of the sheer size (he is quite a bit taller than Godzilla). Its multiple forms and gradual mutation over the course of the movie enable some creepy scenes, making this one of the few Godzilla films to successfully incorporate elements of horror. Consider how disturbing the sight of the fish in the aquarium is, or the ominous music that accompanies the image of a burning juvenile Destoroyah. All of this effectively builds the sense of threat and puts the audience in the right state of mind for the monster fights.The actual climax of the movie, Godzilla's meltdown, is one of the better accomplishments thereof. Not only is it surprisingly sad, bolstered by a unique theme that resembles nothing else from the series, but it also makes effective use of CGI work; how else would one be able to pull off such a scene? Additionally, in one of the finest examples of the human side of the story complementing the monster side, the human characters actually respond respectfully to Godzilla's suffering and death! We understand that his experience is a tragedy, but it's more than welcome for some people in the film to know that as well, with others showing reverence for the passing of such a creature. This was the perfect way to end the second series of the Godzilla franchise.In spite of a few shortcomings (a somewhat choppy script, underdeveloped human relationships and a running time that is arguably too short), "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" amounts to an admirable conclusion that, in my opinion, has had little competition in the years since. This is how a Godzilla film should be made.

gigan-92 Other than the original film, this movie is my all-time favorite Godzilla film and if you ask me one of the best Japanese monster films ever!! It is sad, yet dramatic, and still is one action-packed G-film. I love this movie first off because of its story. Kazuki Omori returns for the screenplay and he did a super job! I love how it references to "Gojira" by using a monster, Destroyah, as I prefer to call him. Although his actual Japanese name translated is Destroyer (after the Oxygen Destroyer). The story also tries to convey a nuclear message in mind with Burning Godzilla's meltdown, excellent! Takao Owara directs once more and he definitely knows what he's doing. So ironic he let us down with "Godzilla 2000". Akira Ifukbe does a compelling score, one of his best. 'Burning' Godzilla's terror theme sounded great and Destroyah's theme pounded terrifically. Godzilla Jr.'s theme returns from "Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II" but now it's sad and moving. The final climax piece for Godzilla's death is the saddest music you'll ever hear in a G-film. It's so tragic, it made my eyes practically water.Godzilla looks tight as Burning Godzilla and it was incredible effect, especially when CGI glows were added. Jr. looked great and brung a whole new design for infant Godzilla's. No more Minilla or Little Godzilla. Strangely, he's still pretty small compared to his adoptive father. Then comes Destroyah, one of my favorite monsters. He was incredibly original and probably one of the fiercest-looking foes Godzilla's ever met. Most of the forms looked great and moved realistically, except for the human-sized Destroyers. They looked good here and there, but overall were more than satisfying. The real weak pointto me was the soldier fighting them; the scene kind of holds back on the violence, which made it seem kiddy almost. But the scne with the reporter in the car was awesome!! They looked fearsome, and the flying and aggregate form still were A plus work. Thanks to Koichi Kawakita, we see the magnificent final form; a huge beast that delivered several unique attacks that were unexpected. I can't decide what's cooler: Destroyah's gripping tail claw or laser horn. One major reason this film is so great because of the graphic fight scenes. The monster bloodshed is fantastic and helped recover the film's darker tone.Another is the drama. All along you know Godzilla is going to die, possibly ruin the Earth for eternity and at the same time, despite the pain, he is trying to get to his son. Destroyah is battling Jr. at Tokyo and you wonder; will he make it in time? At first it seems so, the two sharing a brief reunion, just before the reborn of Destroyah ruins it by killing Jr. It's a heart breaking moment that made me cry when I first saw it ( in 2000. I was a precious 8). Jr.'s theme makes it a tragedy. We see Godzilla mourn his son, showing us the battle worn monster still has heart. Destroyah too gets his character moment, both when we killed Jr. and when he interrupts Godzilla's grieving, showing us he is a cruel and truly evil monster. It is these moments I find so thrilling about this film. The monsters do more than just shoot rays at each other put simply. Then Godzilla and Destroyah battle and it's pretty intense. All along, Megumi Odaka plays her role beautifully and other than "Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II", this is the only other G-film to make her a major part of the story. Although I have yet to see "Godzilla vs. Biollante", Odaka's first portrayal of Miki Saegusa (Besides, she's hot in this movie. I didn't like her hair in the last film). The battle is incredible and keeps on coming up with ways to surprise you.The Super-X III stars in the final battle and surprisingly, along with the JSDF, blast my Destroyah out of the sky like a duck. This makes him the only monster in the Godzilla franchise to be killed by the Japanese military and not by Godzilla himself. Just an interesting point I wanted to bring up. After that, Godzilla unfortunately melts down, a combination of spectacular special effects and tragedy. Godzilla literally melts away, seemingly taking Tokyo with him (all the nuclear fallout). The music really enhances the King of the Monster's death I really have to say. It also seems both Godzilla's have died. However, Jr. is revived by his father's massive radiation fall out, creating a tight but still sad ending. A silhouette Jr., now a nearly fully grown adolescent Godzilla, roars in sorrow over his now gone father.With both great SFX, a sad-ending, superb story line and Momoko Koichi even reprising her role from the first film, one of the best G films ever!! Despite its budget constraints, this film delivers in my opinion.

destoroyah98886 Godzilla vs Destoroyah is a great movie, although, they could have intensified Godzilla's hatred for Destoroyah times a hundred, Godzilla should have been more brutal and more determined to inflict some serious pain on him, I think that they should have made Destoroyah a difficult monster to face at first, but then as his temperature rises, make him torture Destoroyah, and kick him all across the city! as for the final battle, I felt like me and Godzilla both were cheated, meaning I watched Godzilla basically get flipped off in the face, when the JSDF finished Destoroyah, and he didn't get to kill Destoroyah! here's the version I came up with: Destoroyah tries to fly away, but Godzilla pulls him down, he gets up, tries to slice Godzilla with the laser horn, as he does this, Godzilla's heat ray sears across his face, Destoroyah screeches in pain, and falls. Godzilla starts kicking him in the head, then he nears the meltdown point, moments before the meltdown, he picks Destoroyah up, uses one more energy pulse, Destoroyah disintegrates. Godzilla roars in triumph, his meltdown commences with the JSDF firing away at him. That is the way that Godzilla's anger should have been portrayed, maybe not, like I said, that's just what I thought of. on the off-chance that toho remakes Godzilla vs Destoroyah, I hope they come across my comment before they do.

ultramatt2000-1 It was 1995, the big G died. I did not know that until 1998 when there was a lot of hoopla over the GODZILLA remake. I discovered this on the book THE Official GODZILLA COMPENDIUM and found out that this film was the one where he dies. I wanted to see this movie since it came out on video at the end of the 1990's. My chance came when it stomped on FearNet on Demand. I taped it. And now here is my review. The big G gets a nuclear meltdown. And the JSDF must find a way to stop it. Meanwhile an experiment with the Oxygen Destroyer released a terrible monster called Destroyah. But in the English dub he was referred to as Destroyer. Also in the film there is Godzilla Jr. He is not silly, cute and cuddly like Minya from the 60's or Little Godzilla from GODZILLA VS SPACEGODZILLA. He looks like a teenage Godzilla in my opinion. He is carrying characteristics of his father. Destroyah is an homage to Battra, Hedorah and Ebirah. I mean he can fly, he can change into many forms and he is part-crustacean. Speaking of homage, there are a lot of scenes that pay homage to the original 1954 GODZILLA. Such as the Oxygen Destroyer, the stegosaurus skeleton. It was kind of sad to see the Godzilla Jr. (or Teenzilla as I call him) this film was dark and serious and for the first time ever, has CGI effects. You heard me CGI, where can you see it, only at the part where Godzilla melts. Also there is stop-motion in this films where the animation is the standards of those monsters in one of those movies by Full Moon Entertainment, but no where close to Ray Harryhausen's. It at the part where the Destroyer crabs are walking in the foreground. The animation is pretty jerky. OK now pay attention to the ending. After Godzilla dies, the smoke comes. Then it clears up, and lo and behold, another Godzilla!! And you thought he was dead. Well if you pay attention, Godzilla gave his energy to Teenzilla so he can grow up to be like his father. So Godzilla is dead, but his spirit remains in the form of a fully grown Teenzilla. Confused? Watch the movie. Now originally they wanted to let Godzilla fight the Ghost of the 1954 version in the film GODZILLA VS. GHOSTGODZILLA, but it never got made because in the previous two Godzilla films GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA 2 (read my review) and GODZILLA VS SPACE GODZILLA, the two monsters were Godzilla-looking characters or may I say "Godzillesque". So he can't fight another monster that looks like him, so the cooked up an new one that looks like a monster from hell or some heavy metal poster named Destroyah. If you watch the credits, you see a montage of G-movies starting from the old 1954 version to the Heisei series. Now about the music it is not only Godzilla's theme from the 1954 film but it sounds like a mixture between the theme from MAJIN (Daiei's monster movie about a giant stone idol) mixed with the opening credits from DESTROY ALL MONSTERS and if you listen to the closing credits you hear the theme from 1962's KING KONG VS GODZILLA. So here are some facts before I go on talking about the bottom line and rating. This was the last film of Momoko Kochi who played Emiko Yamane in the 1954 film. It was Koichi Kawakita's idea to kill him off because people were getting tired of him. It ranked number 6 of the box-office grossing Godzilla films in Japan. KING KONG VS GODZILLA ranked number 1 followed by the original. Also at that year, another monster returned. This one from another studio: Gamera in GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE. Bottom line: A must for die-hard fans. This could give you a feeling of Godzilla films in the 1990's. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, monster violence, peril, some language and gore. Not for the entire family.