In a lot of ways this is the regular formulaic kaiju movie. There is a monster, there is Godzilla. They spend most of the movie slowly moving towards each other like an inevitable accident that can't be prevented. Monsters fight a few times, then there is a big fight at the end of course.
This movie departs from a lot of other kaiju films in a few ways.
First there is the title monster Destroyah. It just looks unusual and different from every other kaiju you have seen. I'm not sure if there is even an actor inside a suit. Or if these are all just puppets and models. Its a great design and kind of visceral. Though it steals a bit from the xenomorph in Alien.
The effects are pretty good for a kaiju film from the 90s. It easily stands above the SFX from the 70s and 80s in a lot of places. In every place except the water scenes. There are a few really good scenes in the water. But most of them have the same jelly look where the water looks too thick, and the boats look like toys. Not sure how they could improve that without resorting to CGI. Which was probably too expensive in 1995. Though we do see some CGI effects in Destroyah's attacks.
The art direction and set design is very over the top in this production. I was surprised at how much the G force headquarters looked like something out of Doctor Who. And overall a lot of objects they interact with and even costumes get a rare attention to detail. But again there is that low budget unevenness. But it's a Kaiju, not Star Wars. You expect this to be kind of pulpy cheap pleasure.
Not to give anything away, but I disliked the ending. It really goes out on a down note. Not the usual Hulk like ending. With the mournful music and the antihero monster going away from the destruction they wrought. But also leaving behind the people that care about them. Yes really, has nobody ever noticed how the Hulk TV series and Godzilla movies are the same exact story?
The movie comes close to passing the Bechdel test. So long as you don't count Godzilla as a man. At least until the end of the one scene where the younger of the two women complains she cant wait til this is all resolved and she can just be a housewife and raise kids. (rolling eyes audibly) Overall I really enjoyed the movie. Despite a few flaws and the typical visible gaps in production.
This is inherent to the genre. The worst Godzilla films have no rubber suits, state of the art special effects and a B plot where the boy gets the girl.
The good ones put that classic soundtrack right up front. Godzilla smashing miniatures. And a plotline that would be at home in professional wrestling. This scores 10/10 on those points.
On a side note. I'm pretty sure Aqua Teen Hunger Force stole the Destroyah monster for a few episodes. Or maybe I'm imagining things.
This movie departs from a lot of other kaiju films in a few ways.
First there is the title monster Destroyah. It just looks unusual and different from every other kaiju you have seen. I'm not sure if there is even an actor inside a suit. Or if these are all just puppets and models. Its a great design and kind of visceral. Though it steals a bit from the xenomorph in Alien.
The effects are pretty good for a kaiju film from the 90s. It easily stands above the SFX from the 70s and 80s in a lot of places. In every place except the water scenes. There are a few really good scenes in the water. But most of them have the same jelly look where the water looks too thick, and the boats look like toys. Not sure how they could improve that without resorting to CGI. Which was probably too expensive in 1995. Though we do see some CGI effects in Destroyah's attacks.
The art direction and set design is very over the top in this production. I was surprised at how much the G force headquarters looked like something out of Doctor Who. And overall a lot of objects they interact with and even costumes get a rare attention to detail. But again there is that low budget unevenness. But it's a Kaiju, not Star Wars. You expect this to be kind of pulpy cheap pleasure.
Not to give anything away, but I disliked the ending. It really goes out on a down note. Not the usual Hulk like ending. With the mournful music and the antihero monster going away from the destruction they wrought. But also leaving behind the people that care about them. Yes really, has nobody ever noticed how the Hulk TV series and Godzilla movies are the same exact story?
The movie comes close to passing the Bechdel test. So long as you don't count Godzilla as a man. At least until the end of the one scene where the younger of the two women complains she cant wait til this is all resolved and she can just be a housewife and raise kids. (rolling eyes audibly) Overall I really enjoyed the movie. Despite a few flaws and the typical visible gaps in production.
This is inherent to the genre. The worst Godzilla films have no rubber suits, state of the art special effects and a B plot where the boy gets the girl.
The good ones put that classic soundtrack right up front. Godzilla smashing miniatures. And a plotline that would be at home in professional wrestling. This scores 10/10 on those points.
On a side note. I'm pretty sure Aqua Teen Hunger Force stole the Destroyah monster for a few episodes. Or maybe I'm imagining things.
