User reviews

After nearly a decade of silence, the Godzilla series makes a return with a film that sought to resurrect the thematic potential seen at it's inception. While Terror of Mechagodzilla was never intended to end the series, it would serve as a send off as the series succumbed to a struggling film industry. Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka sought to revive the series in the modern era with a more thoughtful and politically driven film that attempts to harken back to the original. With this film I'd say that Toho was overall successful.

The moody tone is were the strength of the film lies as it attempts to bring back the horror element of Godzilla. Th slower pace gives the monster a more grandiose entrance and makes his rampage feel like an actual disaster. The characters express disbelief that Godzilla has returned, showing that despite all the economic prosperity Japan has achieve, the shadow of Godzilla and what the monster represents still looms. This is emphasized by the first half of the film with a strong focus on the response of the Japanese government as well as the involvement of the United States and Soviet Union. It's very much a tactical film that allows for build up. The side-effect however is that this takes away some of the development for our main characters. There are some interesting ideas given to them, but they aren't full explored as deep as they should be. Still, there are some stand out performance such as Keiju Kobayashi as the Prime Minster. Despite his limited role, he gives the film some much needed pathos. Some of the foreign actors aren't that good but I don't hold it against film aimed first and foremost to a Japanese audience.

Special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano is finally given a budget to showcase his talents. The towering landscape of the Tokyo skyline is recreated in wonderful miniaturized detail. There are so many small details to appreciate like signs, billboards and the lights inside windows. Another thing to note is the scale as the modern skyscrapers of Tokyo manage to tower over Godzilla in size. The design is also quite nice, with Godzilla having large expressive eyes and sharp dragone-sque fangs. There are a few hiccups such as the use the giant animatronic that doesn't match the suit, as well as the giant life-size Godzilla foot. Sill it doesn't detract from all the effort and hard work shown on screen. Another issue is that there are moments where Godzilla feels rather aimless. Still, he does have a great presence and the musical score from Reijiro Koroku really helps accentuate the tone the film is going for. It is menacing as well as tragic.

While it is often cited as the birth of the Heisei era, it just as easily could be viewed as a final hurrah for the Showa era. It was technically made in the Showa era, and much of the crew were holdovers from the prior films. It really serves as a transitional point caught between two eras as the Godzilla series would be taken on by a new generation of filmmakers. While it may be slow at times, for anyone who enjoys the tone and artistry of these films, they will find plenty to appreciate here.

After an extended break, Godzilla as a movie force made its comeback with this the 16th Godzilla film and the first of what would be the Heisei series. It's a reboot that basically follows on from the original Gojira film of 1954. Plot has Godzilla back as a destroyer of mankind, setting its eyes on stomping Tokyo into oblivion. As Zilla goes about its destructive way, and Tokyo attempts to repel the onslaught, there's a backdrop of a diplomatic crisis reaching boiling point as the Soviets and the Americans get ready for nuclear war. Thankfully the Japanese are able to convince the sane politicians that it is in fact Godzilla at the crux of things. Can the world powers join together to defeat the mightiest of lizards?

If a Godzilla fan you could be forgiven for going into this one fearing the worst, and yet it ticks many of the boxes for those who prefer Zilla as the destroyer of mankind as opposed to the saviour of mankind that the Showa period ended up as. There's the standard amount of miniatures and sets destruction, splendidly constructed as usual, nifty effects work and a whole bunch of iconic images to take from the experience (Zilla atomic breath destruction, stomping through the city, nuclear reinvigoration, back from the dead with awesome carnage following). There's good sci-fi within as well, such as the Japanese scientists having created a super fortress known as Super X, while sometimes all you need is to hear that brilliant roar followed by lizard devastation.

This was a return to the dark roots of Godzilla, complete with anti-nuclear sentiments. It didn't reinvent the wheel, but it did restart it successfully. 7/10

Was very excited today to realise that there was a Japanese Godzilla film I TECHNICALLY hadn't seen.

When I was churning my way through the franchise in 2017-2020, I came across Godzilla 1985, and I guess I thought it was just a dubbed version of The Return of Godzilla. At the time it was the only version I could find, and so I thought it was good enough (even though I much prefer subtitles over dubs) and watched it, ultimately finding it decent but definitely not great.

Recently I learnt Godzilla 1985 and The Return of Godzilla were actually quite different, and today when I realised they were both listed separately on IMDB and had quite different runtimes, I figured I needed to watch Return ASAP.

Long story short, it's definitely not the best Japanese Godzilla film, but it's also far from the worst. I liked the political focus for the most part (though this approach was ultimately handled better - and in a more satisfying/satirical way - in 2016's highly acclaimed Shin Godzilla) and a lot of the monster action is highly satisfying, despite some inconsistencies in the special effects.

Pacing isn't always great, and the human characters are typically thin (it's a Godzilla movie; the human characters are like that 80-90% of the time) but I still enjoyed it a lot.

I've missed watching the adventures of my scaly boi, and I think I will rewatch the entire series soon. Picked up that glorious Criterion set on Bluray a couple of months ago, so am looking forward to seeing those older ones in better than DVD quality.

It's pretty much a sequel to the original. Much darker in tone and that's the way I always envisioned it. I think there are a bunch of versions of this with some scenes added and product placement. Try and find the english dubbed version of it with no alteration to the plot.

This and the 89(Biollante) film are the best in the series. They actually had a budget and you can see what happens when you invest in the film the product is amazing

The highlight of the movie has to be the Godzilla costume. Compared to the first 15 Godzilla movies, this movie is an improvement in the special effects department.

The story, however, is nothing special. It's not bad, but it's not something you will remember after watching this movie.

The characters are ok, but I think I prefer the characters from the original movie. Also, it lacks the classic Godzilla theme song.

Overall, with the exception of some moments, it's a pretty entertaining movie. I just wish it had something more to it, to make it more memorable.

Almost after a decade of no Godzilla films comes a legacy sequel/reboot to the original with all the seriousness that was missing all those years between this and the original. Starts off as an 80s horror movie and then gets into the political landscape of the Cold War. The original was about the fear and the public consciousness surrounding the nuclear threat that was something the people witnessed. This is the next generation for whom nuclear threats are more of accidents or the egos of America and Russia in the Cold War. The various political conferences between experts and representatives of different countries are deliberately included to remind the threat is real and to highlight the policies and principles that should be upheld during such times. Of course, more ground-level characters to relate to are also there and those characters represent fear, hope and tenacity of the people to overcome this by relying and believing in each other. The last shot of Godzilla with just the music speaks a lot more than what could've been said. This is definitely the best one since the original one.

Here Toho tried to go back to the roots of the origina; 1954 Gojira film and make Godzilla more serious again, not as serious as Gojira but more serious than All Monsters Attack, its also just a good movie

The first installment for the Heisei Era and it was ... alright.

The Return of Godzilla introduced us to a brand new, amazing looking Godzilla, the return of a more darker and serious tone, and some of the best miniatures and sets we've seen yet.

Even though this film does have some stuff going for it, the majority of it didn't hook me, from the characters to the score it all felt pretty lifeless and dull. And the ending is just ... underwhelming.

Overall I was disappointed by this film, it's far from the worst Godzilla film i've seen, I just feel like it's lacking substance.

Also, what was really the purpose of those Sea Louses in the beginning?

The Return of Godzilla." Marketed as a return to the franchise's roots, promised a grittier Godzilla alongside Cold War tensions. What I got was a curious mix - a lumbering near-docudrama that felt closer to the original 1954 film, complete with vintage effects and a dash of cheese.

"The Return" acts as a direct sequel to the 1954 film, conveniently forgetting everything in between (alien invasions, time travel, you name it). This could have been a fascinating exploration of the lingering trauma from the original Godzilla's attack. However, the film fails to capitalize on this. We encounter characters who seem completely oblivious to Godzilla's past rampage, which stretches believability.

The attempt at political intrigue also falls flat. The Soviet and American representatives are caricatures, demanding Godzilla's nuclear annihilation. The Japanese Prime Minister's counter-arguments, while somewhat justified, lack depth. The whole debate feels like a missed opportunity for a thought-provoking exploration of Cold War anxieties.

Visually, the film is a mixed bag. The practical effects and miniatures hold up well, and the pyrotechnics are impressive. However, the human scenes lack visual flair, relying on static shots and uninspired framing. The pacing is equally uneven, with stretches of exposition punctuated by Godzilla's attacks.

Speaking of Godzilla, our atomic leviathan looks a bit...off. The half-lidded eyes and goofy demeanor don't inspire awe. His battles, while featuring the awesome maser tanks and the Super X, lack the dynamism seen in later films.

Ultimately, "The Return of Godzilla" is a film stuck between eras. It jettisons the camp of the Showa era in favor of a more serious tone, but fails to deliver a truly compelling narrative or characters. The nostalgia factor is undeniable, but the film itself feels hesitant and unsure of its own direction. It's a decent monster mash, but one unlikely to leave a lasting impression. The beautiful score, however, deserves mention.

5.15/10.

This reboot of the Godzilla franchise is not outstanding, but it's solid enough. The Cold War fears of nuclear proliferation are played out by the Americans and Soviets both advocating the use of nuclear weapons to destroy Godzilla and promising that it would be "contained to a small area," while the Japanese prime minister expresses grave concerns about that, and his forces focus on more controlled, scientific methods. Privately, they express worry that the superpowers are only offering to do it because they want to test and practice with their nuclear arsenal, and wonder if they would use them on their own soil, which were nice bits of cynicism. Both sides also have nuclear space weapons, the control of which becomes as big a threat as Godzilla itself. The only thing I rolled my eyes over was how poor the actor who played the American envoy was, though mercifully it's a small part.

As for Godzilla's foot-stomping, tail-swinging, atomic energy-breathing mayhem, the special effects are hit and miss even accounting for the film being 40 years old, but there are some cool moments, like when he lifts up a train and looks inside. Otherwise it's as if he's walking through Tokyo like a drunken sailor, wreaking havoc. I always think he should be tilted forward, like modern representations of theropods, but this is of course the original kaiju. The film has him representing nuclear weaponry, forever loose in the world after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, immortal and always a threat to destroy blindly, which certainly resonates, as does the view one character expresses that the monsters are an indication of imbalance in the world and a sign of the "end times for humanity."

This is far from my favorite Goji film but it is a decent remake of the first film and it does have some very cool practical effects and a memorable Goji design that still makes this recommended to genre fans.

I do like how it back to the more serious Godzilla movies just like the first movie. The plot is pretty standard with people start to notice that Godzilla has return and try to figured out how to stop him. I do like the build up with Godzilla appearing. Also, it has a plotline with the Cold War which fits pretty well in this movie during the time it was released. The characters themselves are pretty forgettable and aren't that interesting to learn about. As for Godzilla himself, I like how it's back with his more threatening version of him and shows how indestructible he is. I do like the body suit of him with the updated look, but his face can look sometimes goofy. I also like the miniature effects that Godzilla destroyed throughout the movie. There's also the Super X which is a interesting type of weapon that was made to go against Godzilla.

The Return of Godzilla is a great movie for the franchise and is enjoyable to watch.

In watching as many films as I have, it's been my experience at no few points that a fine film will keep me awake even if I'm feeling drowsy, while a bad or middling film might put me to sleep even if I was wide awake to start. I freely admit that my consciousness drifted while I watched this. However, in this case, it didn't matter. For neither the first time nor the last time in the franchise, the pacing is so incredibly soft, crawling along, that my focus was able to wander and I subsequently found that, nevertheless, I genuinely missed nothing. (I double-checked a plot synopsis and confirmed with my friend who watched it before. I truly missed nothing.) That soft pacing has the unfortunate effect of killing the dark and dramatic tone that pervades the movie, and the equally downtrodden course of events. 'The return of Godzilla' kicks off with distinct airs of horror, elsewhere latches onto robust thriller vibes, and broadly boasts a tenor equivalent to other 80s flicks where grim and terrible events loom overhead and select characters endeavor to navigate the harrowing circumstances; as one example, I think of Fukasaku Kinji's 'Virus,' which hasn't once left my mind since I watched it. And unfortunately, this stark atmosphere has difficulty digging in its claws as the story moves about as fast as a snail.

Further bogging down the viewing experience, the narrative is fumbled. Tanaka Tomoyuki penned what is on paper a grabbing, compelling story, hearkening back to 1954's progenitor in accentuating the horrible power of the atom while moreover leaning into contemporary Cold War dread in the one country that has directly experienced the trauma of nuclear devastation. Somewhere between Nagahara Shuichi's adaptation, however, and Hashimoto Koji's realization, the forest gets lost in the trees. The feature struggles to connect its disparate characters, scenes, and ideas; one of the first impressions to cross my mind as the end credits rolled was quite wry: "There are characters here, yes there are. And they sure are doing things." Kuroiwa Yoshitami's sometimes aimless sequencing and curt editing add to these troubles, chopping up even individual moments - and again with the pacing that stretches out scenes, beats, and ideas until they wear thin and have a hard time supporting the intended weight of the saga. We as an audience should care about the figures we meet, and the gravity of the scenario, but as it exists 'The return of Godzilla' fails to keep us invested. The impact just isn't there.

It's hardly that the title is bad. I actually did enjoy it. I like the plot, the ideas herein, and the dour ambience it all carries. I like the practical effects, from models and miniatures, to fire and explosions, and so on; Godzilla himself has looked better, but he's looked worse, too. Instances of post-production visuals aren't the top of the line, but they do their job. The cast give commendable performances befitting the material; Koroku Reijiro's sullen score is apt complement for the proceedings. From production design and art direction, to sound, to cinematography, this is fairly well made. It's good. But it's not great. Now, true, there's no rule that says every flick should be a revelation, and I've watched plenty that have happily and capably occupied a certain space and their chosen level. But 'The return of Godzilla' aspired to a higher echelon, and while I admire the effort, it stumbled before it crossed the finish line. Over now seventy years the series has had many ups and downs, and I see in this glimmers of the same hearty storytelling that would gel and shine brilliantly in, for example, Anno Hideaki and Higuchi Shinji's 'Shin Godzilla,' or in Yamazaki Takashi's 'Godzilla -1.0.' For various reasons, Hashimoto's own endeavor just couldn't attain that grandeur, try as it did. I think this is worth watching on its own merits, and among all the Godzilla entries, this surely sits somewhere in the middle of the pack. Maybe that's all it needed to be. I just recognize the issues that plague 'The return of Godzilla' as much as the strengths that propel it, and there's the rub.

This has a much more modern feel compared to the earlier ones but it's still dated. The special effects are substantially better, so is the cinematography, Godzilla actually looks huge now! The nuclear power plant scene is amazing and so is the city smashing. The opening is really gross, no way it should be a PG rating! This does have a serious tone. Sadly it suffers from a very boring middle section of endless political chatter. The story follows Godzilla (1954) and ignores all other sequels but also ignores that he died in the first film so to me it would have been better as a remake. I loved the life size Godzilla foot prop and the animatronic head. The music is mostly good music. Shame about the middle but easily the best Godzilla action so far.

The first film of the Heisei era was meant to be a Godzilla film that returns to it's roots but sadly, It is not a return to form. The incredibly unoriginal plot is something we have seen nearly half a dozen times before this. The primary focus of the plot is Godzilla's return (duh...) and the humans attempt to stop him from his destructive rampage.

It is essentially a rehash of everything we have seen before, a reintroduction of a classic character and that was their biggest mistake making this film. There was no risk and no real reward. They played it safe and ultimately delivered a bland movie that failed to live up to expectations.