" Where did you find this guy? " " He's from France. "

Godzilla

French nuclear testing in the South Pacific results in a new species of lizard to be created known as Godzilla. The new species affected by the radiation is 50m tall and after terrorising fishing boats in the South Pacific Ocean migrates to the island of Manhattan. As the U.S. military attempts to stop the giant lizard they enlist the help of Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) who has been researching the effect of radiation on certain animals. When the attempts by the military fail, Godzilla is able to undertake its real motives for coming to the island, which could result in an even bigger problem for the citizens of Manhattan.

Director Ronald Emmerich has established himself as the king of disaster movies. He has been responsible for many box office hits such as Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 as well as many films that were box office flops, none more so than 10, 000 BC. Whether his films gain box office success or failure his films generally receive poor critical response due to his style of film making. Similar to the filmmaking of Michael Bay, Emmerich doesn't shy away from big budget effects or a lack of explosions as he comes up with new ways to destroy well known cities. Godzilla is no different as Manhattan is the unfortunate backdrop for destruction and ruin. Coming into an Emmerich film like Godzilla you have to realise what you are about to watch: an explosive and fun action flick. Viewers expecting a sophisticated piece of cinema need to remember the film is about a giant lizard running rampant in Manhattan. 

Broderick is the unlikely hero who offers scientific knowledge rather than military experience. Perhaps the most unbelievable part of the film is that a scientist who researches radioactive worms is our best chance of stopping a giant lizard. Broderick delivers some quirky one liners but ultimately he is pretty poor. It's sad to say but I'm still waiting for him to appear in another good movie as Ferris Bueller seems to be his one hit wonder. Maria Pitillo plays Audrey Timmonds a struggling reporter who is Broderick's love interest in the film but unfortunately she is incredibly annoying as she plays the cliche damsel in distress.

The majority of the laughs come from Hank Azaria who plays dedicated cameraman Animal, who goes to any lengths to gain footage of Godzilla. But the real star of the film is Jean Reno aka Philippe Roache, a member of the French secret service who along with his team is monitoring the situation in an attempt to cover up the French involvement in creating the lizard. Reno is excellent as the mysterious French agent who along with Azaria proves he has excellent comic timing.

The early scenes of Godzilla are very engaging as there is still a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding the beast. The best scenes in the film come early on when you can't see Godzilla and it's left to your own imagination to picture what he looks like. The actual arrival of Godzilla comes fairly early into the film and is done with convincing effects that still hold up today. The majority of the scenes in Manhattan are very engaging with the scale and threat of Godzilla handled with excellent effect. The only flaw is how a 50m high lizard continually manages to hide from everyone. The main problem with the film is the length as thee film is way too long. During the second act the monster has well and truly been established and the storyline becomes repetitive and unnecessary.

There is no denying this film has its faults, the issues which have been shared by many critics since its release result in the poor acting and lack of story. On both accounts I would have to agree as most of the performances are beyond cliche and the storyline (in particular the second act) is very repetitive. Yet there is something about Godzilla that works, you have to simply go along for the ride and accept this film as a fun, guilty pleasure.