I was really hoping that the decade in between Godzilla movies would mean that this might be a half decent flick.But it's not.I have accepted that this series has no continuity.I hate it but I have accepted it.This one pushes the limit by acting like Godzilla hasn't been seen since the first movie.People who like these movies always say things like "they were re-inventing the brand" blah blah blah.Why re-invent something that didn't work?Fifiteen times?They had the nerve to bring back Raymond Burr as the same character he played in the original(well, the American version).Not only does it not make any sense but the character is different now.Different in a bad way.He's an expert on Godzilla from seeing him one day thirty years ago,ugh.So Godzilla attacks and they do so much stupid stuff to try to kill him.I fear this may be the biggest lack of a plot Godzilla has seen so far and that's saying a lot.This is my last Godzilla movie, I have seen enough........

While I was never alive until the 1990s, I do get a kick out of the Godzilla movies of old. Sure, they look awful cheesy nowadays as they're either polystyrene monsters or a man in a rubber suit, but I'm able to empathize with the audiences of that age and realize that back then they were the real deal. Ultimately the most highly regarded among fans is the 1984 movie entitled "The Return of Godzilla" (though in Japan originally called Gojira, but later re titled to avoid confusion with the 1954 movie). The film is also set in Japan during the Cold War and attempts to return Godzilla back to his more horrific roots, as a reminder of why nuclear weapons are bad. There's a lot to love about this movie but there's also just a tad too much to hate about it, which is why I find myself split down the middle on this one. It is no secret that the 1970s/1960s Godzilla movies were truly bad at times but were guilty pleasures- but to see this film try to make Godzilla a terrifying natural disaster again is very refreshing. With the dark atmosphere enhanced by its Cold War setting and obvious allusions to the tensions between the US and Russia, sadly what really squanders this film's potential is the horrible direction. The plot is simple and effective, but there's too much of a dissonance between the writers' script and engaging storyline (the government discovers that Godzilla is attracted to birds calling and sets up a sound signal to lure him to a volcano for him to fall into), and that's a problem. In fact, it's almost as if the director thought he was directing a different filmThe attack scenes have tons of potential to be terrifying and sadly they're ruined by threadbare and lazy direction. When Godzilla takes his stroll through Tokyo, we don't get the impression that this event is terrifying mostly because while it's obvious that so much detail went into the suit and the miniature sets, the scene as a whole feels static. In fact, there's also an animatronic Godzilla used for setups and it's easy to tell which scenes use the animatronic Godzilla. Those scenes look oddly too mechanical. And while the finale will jerk some tears from the audience, it's really the only scene that has any impact. Which is a shame because the film could be terrifying. In fact, luckily the goal of making us scared of Godzilla was achieved five years later with Godzilla Vs. Biollante, which is a truly exceptional film.

Synopsis: This movie like the title says Godzilla returns. This time they bring in American and Russian military to the scene. A Russian submarine gets attacked and they blame the Americans for the happening. When they figure out that this is Godzilla returning back they want to use atomic warfare on it. But like the original Godzilla movie from 1954 the Japanese still have not forgotten the Hiroshima bombing and refuse to let the Russians and Americans use atomic bombs on Godzilla. They want to find another way to stop him.Actors: These actors are not the best I have seen but did a fairly good job in this movie. Ken Tanaka have not been playing in any big things that I think people outside of Asia would know of. Yasuko Sawaguchi have acted in a bit more known works, like Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), she have also been in another Toho Company monster movie called Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon (1994). Yosuke Natsuki on the other hand may be the one who have played in most notable movies of these actors. The most well known movie he have starred in may be the Akira Kurosawa movie Yojimbo (1961), He have also been in other monster movies like Beauty and the Liquid Man (1958), Dagora the Space Monster (1964), Gihdorah the Three-Headed Monster (1964). Keiju Kobayashi have also been starring in a lot of movies but most of them not very well known outside of Asia. Maybe most known for his role in Kurosawa movie Sanjuro (1962). I actually think he did the best performance of the actors in this movie as the prime minister. Cinematography: The sets here are all good like you expect from the Toho Studios when creating monster movies. The charming fact of the movies they make is what I mean is good cinema when you keep away from CGI at most. Like rockets from military wagons and planes they have created it themselves and it does not look very real but it looks cool. When you see they fire on Godzilla it is very cool scenes. The only CGI in most Godzilla movies are the radioactive breath that comes out of the mouth of Godzilla. I don't know if we should call it CGI actually but it is the closest to it you get in these movies. They create miniature versions of the cities and then the monster can go rampage there and it looks cool. And take note of what I say, it is not very good looking like wow but it looks cool and charming effect. Outside of all these bad CGI effects we get from Hollywood movies. One cool thing to take in mind before seeing this movie is a scene where a helicopter gets blasted down you see a billboard in the background of the Ghostbusters logo.Music/Sound: The music is nothing very special in this one but the sound in Godzilla movies is always a treat. The roar of Godzilla is the best monster sound ever. The only thing that comes near may be the sound of the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, and that sound was inspired by the sound of the original Godzilla movie. Costume/Make-up: In costumes I guess the only thing that can be mentioned is always the costume of Godzilla. It is a man inside that monster and that is what I love so much about the monsters in Asian monster movies. Not a computer generated monster but as close to the real thing that you can get and the costume is very good and detailed. The only other costumes to mention might be the ones that the military uses and well they are as they should be.Summary: This is the first real sequel since the original Godzilla movie from Toho. And the first Godzilla movies since the original where he do not meet another monster to fight. The directors of this movie Koji Hashimoto and R.J. Kizer have not done much in main directing but many other movie related jobs. This movie is very good in the way that they wanted to take Godzilla to where he started if they succeeded or not is for each and everyone to decide. It may be a better watch for those loving the concept then the normal viewer. If you want the typical Hollywood way of movies stay away. If you like monster movies and foreign movies go for it. I liked it very much so this review may give you a bit of what to expect. Or point you in direction of other movies in the same genre.

I love it when artists refer to their other work. In the 'Masters of Horror' sequence 'Deer Woman' directed by John Landis one of the characters mentions the "...giant mutant wolf they shot in Piccadilly Circus back in 1980..." an obvious reference to 'American werewolf in London' also directed by Landis.The best line in the Americanized release of Godzilla 1985 (or Gojira 1984) goes to Raymond Burr, reprising his role of Steve Martin from the original Godzilla movie. After the American general orders planes to attack the monster one of the observers wonders aloud "Do you think it will work?" And Burr deadpans "It didn't last time..."Now THAT's Theater!