Unpopular Godzilla Opinions

[StardustGenius]

I think they're kinda uneven. Of the last 3 Heisei films, vs MGII is the best. There are actually a handful of Godzilla movies I actually hate and refuse to watch, and three of them are from Polygon.

[Dv-218]

Despite never being a huge fan of the post 89 Heisei films I can’t say I really hate or harbor any strong feelings towards them. At the very least some of them are entertaining in spite of the lackluster vibe, and introduced some cool elements to the franchise. The only one I genuinely cannot stand in any way, shape or form is Godzilla vs Mothra. Objectively I’d say vs Spacegodzilla is worse but even it doesn’t feel as bloated with tedious and burdening plot elements.

[Legion1979]

Here’s one: I actually LIKE the later Heisei Godzilla films. They’re not my absolute favorites, but I do look upon them with good regard.

THANK YOU! Some of my fav Godzilla films are later Heisei ones. This idea that they are considered "objective" bottom tier along with say Attack All Monsters around here really upsets me.

No one says that.

[JAGzilla]

^ Of course not. If godjacob had been paying attention, he'd know that All Monsters Attack isn't considered "objective" bottom tier around here. Unlike certain of the later Heisei films. GvSG, at the very least, is widely considered one of the all-time worst.

[Dv-218]

It speaks volumes when even Ifukube just outright refused to have his name attached to it lol.

[CyberZilla]

Despite never being a huge fan of the post 89 Heisei films I can’t say I really hate or harbor any strong feelings towards them. At the very least some of them are entertaining in spite of the lackluster vibe, and introduced some cool elements to the franchise. The only one I genuinely cannot stand in any way, shape or form is Godzilla vs Mothra. Objectively I’d say vs Spacegodzilla is worse but even it doesn’t feel as bloated with tedious and burdening plot elements.

Weirdly, I did enjoy vs Mothra. Despite all its weird issues, I still do like it. I get it, though— as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to see more of the issues people have expressed about later Heisei films.

[godjacob]

^ Of course not. If godjacob had been paying attention, he'd know that All Monsters Attack isn't considered "objective" bottom tier around here. Unlike certain of the later Heisei films. GvSG, at the very least, is widely considered one of the all-time worst.

Oh believe me, I am aware of All Monsters Attack and the weird love it gets here. I was more speaking in general comparisons.

[JAGzilla]

Oh believe me, I am aware of All Monsters Attack and the weird love it gets here. I was more speaking in general comparisons.

Yep, I know you know. We've had the same tired debate about that movie how many times?

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

I'm by no means an All Monsters Attack fan but, at the very least, it has the decency to be short. Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla is perhaps the most boring tokusatsu film ever made and it feels twice as long as it is. However, I do like Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. Not an absolute favorite of mine but better than some give it credit for.

Added in 2 minutes 44 seconds:

There are actually a handful of Godzilla movies I actually hate and refuse to watch, and three of them are from Polygon.

I agree, and the fourth is directed by Roland Emmerich! Even GvSG has some mildly redeeming qualities that put it above those four turds.

[godjacob]

Oh believe me, I am aware of All Monsters Attack and the weird love it gets here. I was more speaking in general comparisons.

Yep, I know you know. We've had the same tired debate about that movie how many times?

Hey I enjoyed those debates, just cause I don't consider Ebirah to be some hidden classic you just don't get it (TM) does not mean I can't enjoy a good discussion XD

Far as Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla goes. I dislike SpaceGodzilla being made overly bulky and thus the fights being reduced to beam spamming, I also wished the anti-Godzilla bullet actually factored to the plot. But I did find the ethical stuff about Godzilla interesting, Moguera was a awesome update to his Showa self and I found it entertaining.

[Spuro]

Going back to the Monster Zero vs GTTHM debate... honestly I think Monster Zero has the better monster action of the two as well. If I wanted to watch a Godzilla movie just for the monsters and had those two to choose between, I'd choose Monster Zero every time.

Sure, the monsters aren't the focus, but it's a matter of quality over quantity. GTTHM is pretty obviously walking a tightrope on its budget with anything not involving Ghidorah. The Godzilla vs Rodan fight is just pitiful.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

Going back to the Monster Zero vs GTTHM debate... honestly I think Monster Zero has the better monster action of the two as well. If I wanted to watch a Godzilla movie just for the monsters and had those two to choose between, I'd choose Monster Zero every time.

Sure, the monsters aren't the focus, but it's a matter of quality over quantity. GTTHM is pretty obviously walking a tightrope on its budget with anything not involving Ghidorah. The Godzilla vs Rodan fight is just pitiful.

Gotta disagree with you on this one. Monster Zero only has two kaiju fights, neither of which is particularly impressive. The battle on Planet X is memorable for being the only Godzilla fight on another planet and... that's about it. The battle's over in about 30 seconds, and Godzilla's victory dance is far more memorable than the actual fight.

The final battle in MZ isn't bad, but Ghidorah still tops it by a mile. The climactic fight in Ghidorah is very well-structured in terms of both pacing and choreography, with lots of memorable moments. MZ's final battle feels like it's just there because they wanted to include one proper kaiju throwdown. Narratively, it's not really needed, and only the end of the fight, where Rodan smacks Godzilla into Ghidorah, stands out in my mind.

The Godzilla vs. Rodan fight in Ghidorah has some good moments too, especially when Rodan air-drops Godzilla on the power lines (unintentionally saving Princess Salno in the process). I'll admit that the parts with the puppets are mediocre but I still like this fight better than either fight in MZ.

[edgaguirus]

G3HM and MZ are two different animals IMO. G3HM is a kaiju film. It has an entertaining and thrilling human story line, plus a few funny moments, but it's mostly a kaiju film. MZ is a sci fi film. Like G vs TSM, it's about the people first, and the kaiju are the spectacle to draw the audience in.

I like both films, but MZ has the tighter and more engaging story.

[Legion1979]

What also hurts MZ is just how weak some of the city destruction sequence is. Ghidorah gets all the best scenes. Meanwhile Rodan is just jumping around awkwardly, with the majority of his destruction being stock footage from "Rodan" and "Mothra". Godzilla's destruction footage tries so hard to disguise the fact that they didn't build a big miniature set for any of it, so it's just various closeups of Godzilla's big fake foot dropping down on houses.

There isn't a lot of destruction in the sequence of Godzilla and Rodan coming ashore in Yokohama in the previous film but it's a much better sequence thanks to the dramatic music and shots of people panicking and evacuating. Then of course later the effects of Ghidorah blowing away the same set are absolutely incredible.

[miguelnuva]

I also have to disagree about the monster action in MZ vs. Gtthm. Godzilla vs. Rodan is a good fight even though it turns into comedy, I still like it.

Mothra choosing to go after Ghidorah alone is also a cool moment for her even though she knows it's a losing effort and really gets the audiance on her said and makes Ghidorah out to be a bully.

Finally then Godzilla and Rodan hit the scene and it's a monster brawl from their on out.

[JAGzilla]

The Godzilla vs Rodan fight is just pitiful.

Spuro outs himself as a heretic with no taste! Details at 11.

I feel like they did what they could with the awkward Rodan suit. It isn't really built for elaborate fight sequences. Anyway, whatever the fight lacks in effects quality, it more than makes up for with its goofy slapstick tone. This wasn't some dramatic duel for the fate of the world, it was just two jerks whaling on each other for no good reason. With that in mind, it does its job well enough.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I like the Rodan fight a lot, but it's very clear how unorthodox it is. Unlike a majority of fights, it's spread out over a long section of the film, and is like 4 cutaways of the monsters fighting. A lot of it is Rodan just smacking Godzilla around, but there's some standout moments like when Rodan drops Godzilla. The arrival of Godzilla and Rodan, and their ongoing fight is a decent enough event for the first half, before Ghidorah shows up and starts wrecking things.

[JVM]

It's interesting how our perspectives on these movies can change so much with subsequent viewings. I find my opinion on both Ghidorah and Monster Zero changes from viewing to viewing. There was a time when I would've been the first to say that Ghidorah was weaker than most of the films released around the same time but on my most recent viewing, I liked everything about it. On some past viewings, I felt that the human storyline wasn't that good. On the other hand, I used to find all aspects of MZ really engaging but, on my last two viewings, I was underwhelmed by everything but the effects. Right now, I'd call Monster Zero one of the most overrated Godzilla movies but that's subject to change in two years when I decide to watch it again

Yeah, it's an aspect of film that I think is criminally overlooked. Thee is a fluidity to films as the world around us changes -- things resonate that once did not, elements that felt cliche can feel fresh or vice versa, and of course experiences and personal taste can change as well. It is part of why I've always found arguing the objective value of film rather boring and at times an interference to substantive discussion. I tend to feel first impressions aren't always the best way to evaluate a movie - and in a franchise with a sixty year history, a lot of these films have seen an ebb in reception based on changing trends. Speaking for me personally, my decisions to re-watch movies are often based on wanting to re-examine a certain, specific element, and whether that focus element succeeds or not can make or break the experience a little bit, and have a cumulative effect. I definitely feel like some kaiju films work better on a human drama level or a monster level, for example, but if I go to a movie with one strength looking for the other, it might under-serve it.

EDIT: Agreed on GTTHM having better kaiju action. MZ is very unsatisfying in that regard. Watch it for Glenn, Fuji and Namikawa, not for Godzilla, Rodan and King Ghidorah, who could be literally any three kaiju for how important they are to that film.

[edgaguirus]

I like the Rodan fight a lot, but it's very clear how unorthodox it is. Unlike a majority of fights, it's spread out over a long section of the film, and is like 4 cutaways of the monsters fighting. A lot of it is Rodan just smacking Godzilla around, but there's some standout moments like when Rodan drops Godzilla. The arrival of Godzilla and Rodan, and their ongoing fight is a decent enough event for the first half, before Ghidorah shows up and starts wrecking things.

The movie has a nice sense of escalating the kaiju situation. We first have the predictions, and then Rodan and Godzilla make their appearances. The two kaiju cause fear among the population, and the military starts planning what to do about them. Then we have the titular kaiju emerge to destroy all life on Earth. It's a perfect storm.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Not going to throw names around since I actively like a lot of the artists in this community (minus one), but when influencers in this fandom banner themselves as extremely liberal and left wing, and make it a point for years to not objectify and exploit women in media and art... And then simp for puppet female Gigans with obvious sexual undertones. To the point the art they do for said characters is even more so than the puppets themselves.

That shit is even worse than flat out embracing sex appeal. Either stick to your guns or don't.