Godzilla [1998] [DVD]

As "gigantic monster reptile attacks New York" movies go, you've got to admit that Godzilla delivers the goods, although its critical drubbing and box-office disappointment were arguably deserved. It's a shameless, uninspired crowd-pleaser that's content to serve up familiar action with the advantage of really fantastic special effects, and if you expect nothing more you'll be one among millions of satisfied customers. There's really no other way to approach it--you just have to accept the fact that Independence Day creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin are unapologetic plagiarists, incapable of anything more than mindless spectacle that can play in any cinema in the world without dubbing or subtitles. The whole movie plays out like a series of highlights stolen from previous blockbusters of the 1990s; it's little more than a rehash of the Jurassic Park movies. The derivative script is so trivial that it's unworthy of comment, apart from a few choice laughs and the casting of Michael Lerner as New York's mayor, whose name is Ebert and who closely resembles a certain well-known movie critic. Perhaps that's a clever hint that this movie's essentially critic-proof. It's stupid but it's fun, and for most audiences that's a fitting definition of mainstream Hollywood entertainment. --Jeff Shannon

As "gigantic monster reptile attacks New York" movies go, you've got to admit that Godzilla delivers the goods, although its critical drubbing and box-office disappointment were arguably deserved. It's a shameless, uninspired crowd pleaser that's content to serve up familiar action with the advantage of really fantastic special effects, and if you expect nothing more you'll be one among millions of satisfied customers. There's really no other way to approach it--you just have to accept the fact that Independence Day creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin are unapologetic plagiarists, incapable of anything more than mindless spectacle that can play in any cinema in the world without dubbing or subtitles.

The whole movie plays out like a series of highlights stolen from previous blockbusters of the 1990s; it's little more than a rehash of the Jurassic Park movies. The derivative script is so trivial that it's unworthy of comment, apart from a few choice laughs and the casting of Michael Lerner as New York's mayor, whose name is Ebert and who closely resembles a certain well-known movie critic. Perhaps that's a clever hint that this movie's essentially critic-proof. It's stupid but it's fun, and for most audiences that's a fitting definition of mainstream Hollywood entertainment. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

DVD Special Features

Interactive Menus feature choices of: Audio set-up: 2 channel or 5.1 (Dolby Digital)
Multiple Language subtitles
Scene selections
Extra Features Theatrical Trailer
2 x Teaser Trailer
Music Video (Wallflowers- "Hero")
Special Effects Commentary
Filmographies
Director/Producer Bio, Photo Gallery
Godzilla takes New York, Behind the Scenes Featurette
Animated Menus

In the steamy jungle of the South Pacific, an enormous creature is created by nuclear fallout. Lost for decades, the power and the fury of the world's largest monster are about to be unleashed. He's the most spectacular creature in cinematic history, with a foot the size of a bus, a body as tall as London's Big Ben, and strength and agility the likes of which the world has never seen. The creators of Independence Day are proud to unleash the ultimate in monster movies, Godzilla. It's true what they say: Size does matter.

Broderick plays a scientist who is drafted in to assist when an enormous lizard created by nuclear fallout terrorises New York.