Final Wars is just bizarre. It's a fun movie, but it is just bizarre. It didn't seem like the end of an era, as it was supposed to be (final movie, 50th anniversary); it seemed more like a reboot to start the series over again in a "bold new direction."

It was like the 70's movies in style, except that it isn't really kid friendly - too much harsh language and (human) violence for kids under 10. The score, by Keith Emerson, was out of place as well - it intruded in many parts, and the musical styles didn't always fit either.

I loved the monster battles, and I loved the M Squad's battle against Ebirah - but too many of the monster battles were too short. I loved that Godzilla kicked GINO's ass, but it was a little too quick. You don't even get to see GINO gasping for breath at the end or anything. I would have liked to see GINO take more of a beating (and maybe even get in a shot or two).

Still, it wasn't horrible - just, well... bizarre.

I think GINO (or 'Zilla, as I read the director called her) got just as much screen time as she deserved. If anything, Godzilla 98 showed how badly New York would be prepared for a real Godzilla attack, and I still think Toho should have followed it up with one of the hatchlings growing up to terrorize NY and real G coming in to save the day.

And it was the comment by the alien guy afterward that really made the scene.

Does the R1 edition have the feature that the R2 does, where you can select a monster and have it play the scene(s) where he (it?) appears and fights Godzilla?

-goro-

This film was lame, and I'm glad they're bringing the series to an end. It definately needs a rest, or a new creative team to breathe some life into it. The fights were too quick, the subplot juvenile, and Godzilla was barely a feature player in his suposedly last film!. All the fight sequences looked choppy and hastily staged. And can we please, please, please, stop referencing The Matrix? Please?

It was like an expensive Power Rangers episode as opposed to a Godzilla film.

I went to Best Buy today to pick mine up and they said they only got 3 and couldn't order anymore. Something about a recall, so I ordered it off the net.


By the way, all box sets are 15% off today!

This is just to confirm Wal-mart's pricing of $9.86 for Final Wars. I bought a copy at my local Wal-Mart about a week ago.

Bob

Well, I finally saw "Final Wars" and all I can say is "WHAT THE FUCK?!!?!"

TOHO YOU SUCK AND THANK GAWD YOU'RE PUTTING "G" TO REST FOR A FEW YEARS. DO US A FAVOR AND SELL THE PROPERTY TO ANOTHER STUDIO.

Don't get me wrong, It was kinda neat to see all the monsters. I especially loved seeing my favorites GIGAN and King Shisa/Seesaur. To be honest though, I hated seeing . BTW, I thought a more monsters would be in this film but I guess I was wrong. Let me say that it was also cool to see the nod to Planet X, the Aliens from Planet X, and actors from G-films fromt eh 60's. But this movie was written for 4 years olds. The acting was the usual laughable overblown crap we get in this genre(don't they have acting schools in Japan? ) and although I understand that Japanese audiences like it this way, the characters were cookie cutter. And dont' get me started on the CORNY AS HELL ending....

Sigh--- I hope 10 years will be enough to get "G" back to form.

I watched this one tonight and on the whole thought it was tons of fun. The Big G was in top form and the people story wasn't so bad either. My feeling is, even a cheesy Godzilla movies is ten times better than no Godzilla movies at all. Great job as far as I'm concerned with the R1 audio track, my surrounds stayed busy the whole movie, very dynamic for a Godzilla pic. Could it have been better? Sure, but I've watched FAR worse Godzilla entries.

Another thumbs up here.Soundtrack was what made it so different from any other Godzilla flick.

The DVDTalk review (penned by yours truly) is up:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=19530