Year: 1995
Director: Takao Okawara
Country: Japan
Language: English
After going from the financial successes of Godzilla vs Mothra (1992) and Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II (1993) to the awful Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994) Toho Studios realized their mistake in hiring a "teen idol" film director and brought back the team of Okawara and Omori for the next movie. Fatigue on the series was setting in however, and as Toho was negotiating a deal with American studios they announced that the beloved Godzilla was going to die.
The aftermath of the Oxygen Destroyer brings forth Destoroyah, a beast intent on killing Godzilla, who is on the verge of a nuclear meltdown.
The Japanese poster for the film shouts: GODZILLA DIES! It was an effective lure for audiences to see Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. It concludes with the legendary monster disintegrating from a radioactive meltdown in its own body. Of all the Heisei movies, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah connects the closest to the 1954 original. Although not as serious as the original, it does maintain a similar tone.
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is mostly worthy of its position as the final Heisei installment and the movie that killed off Godzilla. The legendary monster’s death evokes Ishiro Honda's original vision regarding the theme of humanity bringing about its own destruction.
Godzilla vs. Destroyah is certainly in my top ten of the series. While it's not as entertaining as Destroy All Monsters (1968) it definitely is engaging and quite memorable. This picture is a must-see for fans of the series.
No comments:
Post a Comment