Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Toho Pictures decided that Godzilla vs Destroyah, the 22nd film of the series, would put the King of the Monsters to bed once and for all. Sony pictures was looking to start the franchise in America, and the Japanese box office returns were slumping. And so, they decided to go out with a bang, tying events into the first Gojira film from 1954 and book ending the series. Was it a worthy end to the saga? Lets find out.

We open our movie with a bang - a jumbo jet takes off almost directly into the mouth of Godzilla as he bursts up from the waters of Hong Kong. However something's not right - he's glowing red, with an orange atomic beam rather than his bluish-white one he normal has. Very odd. Anyway, after flattening some buildings, Godzilla stomps back into the ocean.

The Japanese Godzilla Experts notice this strange behavior too, and turn to the only logical Godzilla expert: a kid! In this case, the kid in question actually IS named Kenny - well, Kenichi Yamane, grandson of the original Dr. Yamane who saw Godzilla's very first rampage back in 1954. Since then Ken has been studying Godzilla and formulated a theory.

When we last saw Godzilla in Godzilla vs Space Godzilla, he was swimming back to his native island. However, Godzilla's timing was poor, since the island - sitting on a huge uranium deposit - blew up on arrival. This massive atomic explosion has supercharged Godzilla, sending him into overload. If Godzilla's condition is not reverse - and soon - the monster will explode and take most of Japan with him.

As you can see, science has never been this series' strong point.

Anyway, G-Force (the Japanese Anti-Godzilla Task Force) scrambles to intercept Godzilla with the new Super X-3, a flying attack vehicle upgraded from the Super X in Godzilla 1984. Fortunately the X-3 can freeze Godzilla and prevent his meltdown by deploying it's anti-nuclear Supercold Lasers.

I told you - science and Godzilla don’t mix.

Meanwhile Another one of Yamane's descendents - Yukari Yamane (played by Yoko Ishino) is conducting a television interview with Doctor Ijuin (Tatsumi Takuro), who has invented "micro-oxygen," a substance related to the oxygen destroyer that Dr Serizawa used in the original Gojira.

Meanwhile, we cut to a subway expansion construction site running right through the heart of Tokyo Bay where the original Godzilla died forty years previous. It would seem that there was a pre-Cambrian era microscopic organism that was exposed to the oxygen destroyer and mutated - and now it's loose. Dubbed Destroyah (who comes up with these names, anyway?) the Japanese military struggle to contain the 10 foot tall creatures, with the usual results. And that's BEFORE the swarm of Destroyahs merge into one really big Destroyah.

Attempting to solve two problems at once, the G-Force attempts to get Godzilla to fight Destroyah by luring Godzookie into the combat zone. Godzookie is mortally wounded, but pappa Godzilla shows up to deliver a first class beatdown on Destroyah. Created from the weapon that first defeated Godzilla, Destroyah packs quite the punch - but as Godzilla's atomic reaction continues to run out of control (and soon into total meltdown), his power has been increased beyond anything previously seen.

Godzilla managed to obliterate Destroyah moments before going total China Syndrome. As the monster begins to liquefy from the heat, the Super X-3 bombards him with the freeze lasers and shells, successfully neutralizing the full effect and preventing Godzilla from destroying the earth. As the Godzilla vaporizes, the immense radiation revives Godzookie - now grown into a Godzilla proper, and the cycle begins for the next generation. The End and roll credits.

*excuse me while I dry my eyes*

Anyway - as you can see, it’s quite a blowout. I rebuke the reasoning behind Toho resting Godzilla as being worn out with no new ideas left to explore. Godzilla vs Destroyah was chocker block full of interesting and ideas - sadly none of them are really explored fully or used to their potential. Interesting characters fade into the background in the second act in favor of weaker ones. The moral dilemma of re-creating the Oxygen Destroyer is brought up before falling to the wayside. Several scenes look like they could be edited into Aliens without missing a beat.

However, I've always contended that Godzilla movies aren’t ablout plotting or moral dilemmas and introspection. Theyre about men in rubber suits beating the stuffing out of each other while wracking up lots collateral damage along the way. Juding by that criteria, Godzilla vs Destroyah delivers the goods.

While it may not work on a logical level, it fires on all pistons on other fronts. Toho brings back Akira Ifukube one last time to score the final hurrah, and it's great stuff. Toho took several nods to the Godzilla legacy, bringing back Sho Kuroki (Masashiro Takashima) from Godzilla vs Biollante as it’s the Super X-3 pilot or the cameo by Momoko Kouchi from Gojira as Emiko. Sadly no Raymond Burr anywhere to be found. While the plot is standard issue Kiaju fair, it's respectful of what has come before. It's refreshing to see a film studio actually care about their property, getting the details just right. Pity they took all that goodwill and squandered it all away by letting Devlin and Emmerich helm the American remake.

Ah well, everyone makes mistakes.

Godzilla vs Destroyah is a good if not outstanding Godzilla film, which is a shame because a monster this big needs a HUGE blowout to wrap up his run on. Still, we had six more films after this one to get it right.

AND THE WINNER IS:
Godzilla triumphs over his enemy, but dies - so that’s not a total victory. The SDF can only divert Godzilla, not destroy him, so that’s not a clean victory for them.

AND NOW YOU KNOW:
The morality of soulless, relentless science is addressed again, but it's not nearly as effective as back in 54.

THE END. . . . ?
With Godzookie picking up the torch to carry on the legacy, clearly this isn’t The End.

THE DVD:
The DVD isn’t a bad effort - the print looks pretty good and is anamorphic. But the total and complete lack of extras is a big minus. Even worse, only the American soundtrack version is included - no Japanese to be heard anywhere. An even worse crime is the cropping of the credits at the end. After Godzilla's death, there were scenes from the previous 40 years over a bed of Godzilla's theme while the credits roll. Tristar has hacked these from the print without pity or mercy. FOOLS!

Sadly, this is probably the best we're going to get any time soon. So, the price is right (about 10 bucks with some shopping around), and it does come with another movie - Godzilla vs Space Godzilla, so you’re getting your moneys worth for sure.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
You think a little thing like Death will stop the King of the Monsters? It didn’t then, and it most certainly wont now. Rest assured, Godzilla will be crashing his way through Tokyo again someday. I only hope it's as good as this one was.

This review is part of my "Thirty Days (more or less) of Godzilla" review blitz, where I watch every single Godzilla movie ever made. Check out the rest of the Godzillathon:
* Godzilla: King of the Monsters
* Godzilla Raids Again
* King Kong vs Godzilla
* King Kong Escapes
* Mothra vs Godzilla
* Invasion of Astro Monster
* Godzilla vs the Sea Monster
* Son of Godzilla
* Destroy All Monsters
* Godzilla's Revenge
* Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
* The Terror of MechaGodzilla
* Godzilla: The Animated Series
* Godzilla vs Biollante
* Godzilla vs King Ghidorah
* Godzilla vs Space Godzilla
* Godzilla vs Destroyah
* The American 1998 Godzilla
* Godzilla 2000
* Godzilla vs Megaguirus
* Godzilla: Final Wars



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older