Kaiju movies are a fan-favorite genre for a reason. As kids, most of us found ourselves enamored with dinosaurs (thank you, Jurassic Park, for coming out when so many of us were at a tender age). But as adults, while the appeal doesn’t shift entirely (giant monsters will always be awesome), we found ourselves drawn to other facets of the genre—the inherent tragedy, the otherness, the empathy humanity learns in the end. And this nearly 30-year-old creature feature is no exception to any of those rules. But Netflix is about to push it from the platform, so you’d better catch it while you can.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Godzilla debuted all the way back in 1998 and stars Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, and Maria Pitillo. And while it scored a dismal 20% with critics, it’s still one of the films that define the American kaiju genre. The film centers around the events following a nuclear test in which the French government inadvertently mutates a lizard nest. Now, years later, a giant, monstrous lizard finds itself in the center of New York City. Having no other choice, the government sends in Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Broderick), an expert on the effects of radiation on animals, to study the creature. When the monster finally reveals itself, a massive battle with the military begins. But that’s not the worst part: Niko soon discovers that Godzilla has laid a nest of 200 eggs beneath the city—which are now ready to hatch.
Godzilla Didn’t Get a Fair Shake
Critics and audiences alike were more than happy to tear Godzilla to shreds, claiming that its plot had no hopes of living up to its massive budget and the massive legend that surrounds the greatest monster of all time. Critic Gary Dretzka rated the film 2 out of 4 stars, saying, “How do you screw up ‘Squish’ and ‘Aargh’? By spending more than $100 million on marvelous special effects, another $50 million on a brilliant marketing campaign, and, then, forgetting to invest any money on a logical script. That’s how.” And while it’s true that the plot felt thin in places, that train of thought negates all of the fun that made it into the final product.
“You can’t have everything, especially in the cinematic summer season. And when Emmerich and Dean are at their gleefully destructive best, you really don’t want everything. Popcorn fun is more than enough,” said critic Allison Gillmor. And that’s what is at the heart of the film. Truly, the best way to approach Godzilla is with the mindset that there are no bad Godzilla movies. At its core, it’s entertaining and has a bit of something for everyone—plenty of reasons to catch it while it’s still on Netflix.
Did you enjoy Godzilla? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forums to keep the conversation going.
Most Viewed
-
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools.
