Godzilla

B- Directed by Roland Emmerich Running Time: 2:17

Godzilla is reborn for the 90's, full of special effects, characters you don't care about, and lots and lots of eggs. The set-up is very short. It seems the French were conducting nuclear tests where they think no one lives, and Godzilla is created as a genetic mutation due to the nuclear explosions. Nick (Matthew Broderick) is brought in because he's been doing some tests on worms that have also been exposed to nuclear radiation. And along with the usual cast of characters (a love interest, a gung-ho news cameraman, the U.S. Military, and a guy from the French Secret Service), Nick goes out to destroy Godzilla and save humanity. Godzilla takes place in New York mostly, so you know some cultural icons will be destroyed along the way (and the way the Knicks and Rangers have been playing in recent years, it may not be a bad thing).

The plot is weak, but I suppose you don't go to see movies like these for their plot. There is a twist, and that is that Godzilla is pregnant, so even if you kill him, there are more waiting. The special effects are amazing, but to be honest, after all these special effects dominated movies, it just didn't feel that special anymore. The huge lizard thing was done to perfection in Jurassic Park, and the blowing up of buildings in New York was done in Independence Day. Some of the chase scenes were done very well, and all the baby Godzilla's in their nesting area were quite good. There just wasn't that awe that you felt the first time a dinosaur walked across the screen in Jurassic Park. You can predict everything that is going to happen, there are no more surprises. The scenes of the helicopters chasing Godzilla through the streets of New York were exciting, but the scenery didn't look anything like New York, unless you consider the King Kong ride at Universal Studios. The acting was just acting, nothing all that special. I do love Jean Reno as an actor though, I haven't seen him do a bad role yet.

Overall, I'd go see Godzilla if only for the hype surrounding it, but don't go in expecting anything new, because you've seen it all before.