Talkback: Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

[Biollante]

The Major wasn't memorable to you?

[Arrow]

Not really. I couldn't really invest in anybody.

[Goji]

I'm going to have to agree with Arrow. The film is nearly 2 hours, which is entirely too long. The SPX are very inconsistent, much like the 70's films..but this film doesn't have anywhere near the charm that those do (IMO, and don't even get me started on the characters. Some good things are the music, and Megaguirus herself, who is pretty BA in her own right.Who ever would have thought Toho would bring back the Meganulon, much less the queen of the species. She's a cool monster stuck in a bad movie. Ironically, Battra suffers from the same problem.

[Biollante]

I'm going to have to agree with Arrow. The film is nearly 2 hours, which is entirely too long.

Uh, the film is 1 hour and 46 minutes long which is a minute less than G2K and only four minutes longer than most of the Heisei series. The running series at the time was always near the 2 hour mark till Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla and SOS, then we moved on to an excruciating actual two hours of Final Wars.

[Goji]

"Uh", I'm well aware how long the Heisei films are, which is just one of the many issue with them. GODZILLA 2000 is a little too long as well, but it's actually better than MEGAGUIRUS in some respects, and has more interesting characters.

85-95 minutes is a perfectly acceptable length of time for a Godzilla film. Most of the Showa films have that running time. RETURN OF GODZILLA and BIOLLANTE are the only two that I don't mind being the length they are because they're actual good, quality entries in the franchise.

[Biollante]

"Uh", I'm well aware how long the Heisei films are, which is just one of the many issue with them.

Oh sorry, I thought you were implying it's a specific issue for Megaguirus. As for your second part I agree

[edgaguirus]

The only character I found interesting was the inventor. He's a flat character, but was memorable.

[tymon]

GODZILLA 2000 is a little too long as well, but it's actually better than MEGAGUIRUS in some respects, and has more interesting characters.

I'd say Godzilla 2000 exceeds Godzilla vs. Megaguirus in just about every respect (Megaguirus is arguably a cooler monster than Orga, though). Not only in story, characters and effects, but atmosphere as well - Godzilla 2000 was beautifully shot, the cinematography and directing in this film is the best of the Millennium series IMO, and one of the few Godzilla films to feature red lighting and fog. Gone was the soundstage look and feel of the 90's, replaced with much more convincing environments (with a few exceptions, of course). Godzilla vs. Megaguirus took a huge step back in that regard, it looks cheap and awful - it even managed to make my favorite Godzilla suit look unappealing, which I still find odd.

I'm no fan of the score either, it sounds way too triumphant and superhero-ish most of the time.

Definitely a bad movie. Not the worst, and not nearly as bad as the epic POS that is Final Wars, but still in my bottom five.

[Gigan X3]

The only character I found interesting was the inventor. He's a flat character, but was memorable.

Yeah, he was at least funny on purpose.

[Kubo]

The only person I remember is the kid...him and his stupid bug collection

[omgitsgodzilla]

Yeah, this movie was a bit too long, for sure. All through the Heisei series and up to this one, the movies were just too long. It's true GMK was about the same running time, but that time they had a director who could make it work. Kaneko beats Tezuka easily. I'm really just glad Tezuka realized these movies work best with relatively simple plots and 90-minute running times by Godzilla X Mechagodzilla. Too bad Kitamura didn't know that...

[Gigan X3]

Yeah, this movie was a bit too long, for sure. All through the Heisei series and up to this one, the movies were just too long. It's true GMK was about the same running time, but that time they had a director who could make it work. Kaneko beats Tezuka easily. I'm really just glad Tezuka realized these movies work best with relatively simple plots and 90-minute running times by Godzilla X Mechagodzilla. Too bad Kitamura didn't know that...

GMK could certainly be shorter too, that'd make it more viewable. I like it but sometimes I just feel sleepy when thinking about watching it, it's not the kind of film you would watch the fight scenes only.

[edgaguirus]

GMK's length is fine as is. The middle parts stand up well and don't get too slow. With a 90 minute film, the middle parts have to be short and to the point, which keeps it interesting. When you get to two hours or more, you really need scenes that build the plot and lead into the fights and dramatic parts. G2K didn't do a good job of that, but GMK did.

[Gigan X3]

GMK's length is fine as is. The middle parts stand up well and don't get too slow. With a 90 minute film, the middle parts have to be short and to the point, which keeps it interesting. When you get to two hours or more, you really need scenes that build the plot and lead into the fights and dramatic parts. G2K didn't do a good job of that, but GMK did.

I disagree, the last scene is a bit too slow for my taste and not done as well as the rest of the movie.

[Tohosaurus]

I still enjoy watching the movie even if it's not one of my high-ranking Godzilla flicks and is in the bottom half of the Millennium series. It mixes a bit of campiness with a bit of seriousness/horror (the scene where Meganulon attacks the couple or the very aggressive, near-scary apperance of Megaguirus, for two) and I think that rubs many (including me) the wrong way. I'm not attached to the lead character and Hajime Kudo is just an annoying character, not to mention I wasn't taken with the acting. That's the kind of stuff -even in a G movie- that heavily dampens its appeal. But what irks me most of all is just the wasted potential. I really liked Megaguirus and her origin story, but the rest of the movie was mediocre.

So it's still fun, but it's a definite "meh" in the franchise as a whole.

[Gojira21]

There where parts of this movie that i enjoyed. As Cimmerian Dragon stated, i liked Godzilla facing the Mega Swarms, and i actually liked the flooding of the city which brough about Megaguirus, and i also like the majority of the fight scenes. But i did not like the bland, one dimensional characters that has been stated already.

[Giga Kaiju]

This movie is kind of ok, not better than the other Millenium ones but enyoyable, The monster scenes and Fight scenes
are great to watch, but the characters just didnt convince me or feel any worries about them, Overall a Ok
movie not horrible but it couldve been better.

[omgitsgodzilla]

I think the picture is just aggressively...bland.

You sir. You have summed it up. I don't think I could have summed up my overall opinion of the film. There are fun aspects, but overall it doesn't do much for me.

[Irys X]

I liked it. DIdnt really think it was bland. The characters werent anything special, but Megaguirus was a cool monster and the fight scene between her and Godzilla was great. I thought the black hole idea was pretty unique too. It may not be better than any of the other Millenium Godzilla movies, but its still pretty good and definitely has its moments.

[Showa Gyaos]

It was an okay movie. I'd give it a C.