They have done everything they can to build awareness for this film.
The toys are ready to hit the stores, the film is hitting on the always
lucrative extended holiday weekend with little competition. What
more could one ask for? Well, I've come to the conclusion that yes
"Size does matter"... but only for the opening weekend. Without substance,
a film will see immense drops from the opening dollars, just ask Warner
Brothers about Batman and Robin. Whether this film cleans
house after the opening weekend is yet to be seen, but one thing is for
sure...there will be a great opening weekend.
The basic plot goes a little something like
this. French nuclear testing has created an enlarged amphibious creature
that is Godzilla. He first surfaces attacking a Japanese ship (unfortunately
the only connection with the Japanese culture that was so much a part of
the early Godzilla films) and moves his way over an island on the
way to New York. As he crosses the islands the US military is hot
on his trail as is a French insurance adjuster Philippe Roche (Jean Reno).
It seems the insurance adjuster has a lot of claims because of Godzilla
and is tracking his every move, or is he??? Godzilla finds his way
to New York city where he has decided to take up residence on Manhattan.
Only he's not the nicest house guest as he takes over the whole city and
kicks the New Yorkers out.
Matthew Broderick is Dr. Niko Tatopoulos
(don't worry every mispronounces it in the film too). He has been
studying the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear fallout on the earthworm.
He has learned that the size increased dramatically due to the contact
with the nuclear fallout. He works, however, for the US government
and they have determined that his knowledge could be beneficial in the
efforts of tracking and ridding the world of Godzilla. 
No
one fills him in at first on why he is going but they quickly whisk him
out of Russia and into the hunt for Godzilla. He has no idea what
awaits him until he stands in the monster's footprint. Only then
does he begin to realize what is in store for him. It isn't long
before the reports filter in, Godzilla is in New York and it's up to the
military to stop him.
Ok, now you're filled in on the background. Now you ask, "Hey I'm reading this!!! Tell me what you thought!!" Well first let me say that Godzilla is in the mold of all the typical summer films lots of action, thin on plot, but it attempts to take you on a thrill ride. Frankly, I like summer films. I like to escape and just go on that thrill ride and get away from it all knowing that dinosaurs or aliens or even Godzilla can destroy the city but I am still here at the end. Unfortunately for this film, I just wasn't impressed by the thrill ride they intended to take me on. I wanted to like Godzilla because I know that these wild and crazy summer film's are fun, but instead it left me empty. No, I didn't hate Godzilla, I've certainly seen much worse. The effects are impressive but the fun of the old Godzilla movies just wasn't there for me. Sure it's a film that needs to be seen on a big screen because of the monstrous effects but the film just kept going and going and going.
Why do people always feel when they make
an event movie they have to contrive the sequel within the original, which
Godzilla of course does.
And yes "Size does matter" but why can't substance matter too. Godzilla
is one of those movies that took about 20 minutes too long and just never
found a way to really grab me. A good action movie to me will grab
me and get me on the edge of my seat, unfortunately it was very seldom
that I felt that way when I watched this rendition of Godzilla.
This film's grade is based mainly on the effects, without them unfortunately
it would be almost nothing. The acting in the film is adequate but
it just seems like they don't have a lot to excel with. Godzilla
is fun, but only for a little while.
Grade: C-
Parents
Guide: Now the tough part, this film is definitely
targeted at a young audience. There are toys in the stores that will
go after youngsters under 10 years old. First off, language, nudity,
and sexual scenarios are hardly evident in this film. There is a
small amount of language but it seems to be quite tame for the enormous
amount of destruction that takes place in this film. It is mainly
rated PG-13 because of the carnage, destruction, and mayhem that Godzilla
causes. Not a whole lot in the line of graphic on screen killings
but there is the obligatory foot landing on people and munching on cars.
The military uses every weapon imaginable to shoot at Godzilla and in fact
is able to kill at least one of his babies. Older kids will have
no problem with this is they have seen Jurassic Park but younger
kids may be afraid, use discretion on kids under 10.