The Return of Godzilla

One of the best out there.

Does it get any better than this?? Great movie!! Damn! Godzilla was mean!! Love it!!

These are some thoughts regarding the Japanese version of the film titled "The Return of Godzilla" or "Gojira (1984)" or something equally confusing.

It was great to see Godzilla as a ruthless punisher of Man again. Godzilla rises from a volcanic eruption looking for some nuclear munchies and no one will stand in his way. It's simply Humans vs. Godzilla in this one.

Japan, the Soviet Union, and the U.S. all get involved in trying to halt Big G's assault on Tokyo. Well, the Soviets nearly screw up the intricate Japanese plan to neutralize the monster, but the U.S. ends up bailing everyone out.

The Godzilla of this movie is much more expressive thanks to some early robotics. Without researching anything too much, I'll state that there must have been several different mechanical models used. The beast makes some pretty scary faces and teeth-bearing growls, complete with quivering upper lip. There are moments when the camera focuses on Godzilla, with no accompanying music or sounds, when he's actually frightening.

You can see evidence of an increased budget from earlier films. The miniature city is impressive. Godzilla stands near several skyscrapers and plays a game of cat and mouse with the rather cool "Super X" aircraft. There are lots of matte paintings and even some animation, so if you're a fan of practical effects, you owe it to yourself to watch this.

There is a lot of Godzilla action in this. He first appears about 30 minutes in and is on camera most of the time. The ending could be a slightly moist-eyed affair for those prone to a lump in the throat.

I did see the Americanized version called "Godzilla 1985" starring Raymond Burr in the theater during its original run in 1985. I should probably rewatch it because I remember liking it quite a bit. I'm betting my satisfaction will sink in comparison to Japan's pretty remarkable effort.

A reboot that stuck to what made Godzilla great in the first place.

Godzilla is a threat once again and not only that, he is represented in the style of putting the blame on ourselves. We are the cause for Godzilla and we are to pay.

As it stands, it's a good reboot for new audiences to enjoy, even if you have not seen the classic 1954 original which this movie is a new-branching sequel to.

Action is great and the bump in the budget is very noticeable. While Godzilla's size is dwarfed by the now-massive skyscrapers he is surrounded by in his concrete jungle; he gets a larger playground to wreak havoc in.

But our favourite titan isn't the only one who gets an updated look and new toys, the human element also adds more to the table. With new advanced technology, Godzilla won't be swatting planes away for the entire time. He has an actually competent opponent in that of the human side of things this time around.

As for the rest of the human stuff, it's okay. Again still haven't gotten around to fixing this issue yet, and they'd play it overly serious too much for the silly things it adds. Trying to recreate the feel of the horror of the original, but taking away from that when you add sci-fi goofiness.

Overall, a good attempt to bring back Toho's beloved kaiju to the masses after his well-deserved rest.

**7/10**

Solid reboot of Godzilla that returns him to the monster he once was.

The Godzilla franchise was in desperate need of a fresh start after the 1970s, and I would say that the 1984 reboot attempt was successful in many areas. In "The Return of Godzilla," the eponymous monster is finally back as an almost unopposable force of nature. Godzilla is bigger, meaner, and more brutal here than in the previous films. In terms of content, the film disregards everything that has occurred since the 1954 film, paving the way for a new continuity.

I wouldn't necessarily say that the human characters are particularly interesting, but they are a million times better than in the worst parts of the series. Overall, "The Return of Godzilla" excels at laying the groundwork for future films as a decidedly gritty film. In that regard, it's a complete success in my eyes, even if the beginning and end of the movie are better executed than the entire middle section.

Not what I thought it was.. I was thinking it was the one with Raymond Burr in it, but have since learned that one is the Americanized version of Godzilla 1984 called Godzilla 1985. And of course 1985 isn't available on video at all.

Torrrrpedo one, fire. Torrrrpedo two, fire. I'm having to watch the dubbed version. I hate dubbed movies but they haven't released a proper subbed one where I live. The voices are horrible.