The critics and public have been unkind to this
film. I suspect this is partly a consequence
of the films obese marketing effort. If you
hype a film then the film had better be good
or you have effectively hyped it to death. Critics
will be tempted to jump on the films faults
to demonstrate their immunity and independence
from the marketing effort. The public will expect
a real treat and then feel disappointed if their
hype-generated high expectations are not absolutely
satisfied.
I went into the film having read a couple of
bad reviews even from action blockbuster-friendly
mags. So I braced myself for the worst but still
expected to be entertained by the special effects
and seeing New York get beaten up. Did the film
deliver? Yes - in these narrow areas.
The film blamed the French for the monster and
ensuing disaster. Conversely, for me, it was
a French chap who rescued the film, Monsieur
Jean Reno. Normally monsters seem stuck on to
the celluloid like a sticker because they seem
artificial. Here Reno seems stuck on to the
film because everything else was artificial.
Broderic was predictably as fun to watch as
drizzle. His romantic sidekick failed to get
killed, unlike Godzilla, so no happy ending
then. Why was this leading couple so wretched?
To make Godzilla the Star Of The Show by way
of odious comparisons with real life actors.
The special effects were incredible. If people
had seen this a few years ago the film would
have Jurassic Park status or more. What is astonishing
is that we now seem to take the brilliant effects
for granted. They no longer seem quite so "Wow".
For effects of this quality this must be upsetting
for the creators of the effects.
Godzilla is not the only victim of people's
rapid acclimatisation and taken-for-granted-seen-it-before
immunity to special effects. The Lost World
failed to capture the imagination largely because
of this phenomenon. Speilberg boasted about
cutting down on the dinosaurs to save money
but this was a big mistake. He should have doubled
and quadrupled the number and diversity of the
dinosaurs, not just served up the same old dinos
with a token new one here and there.
In summary, a plot free movie must flaunt special
effects of exponentially increasing brilliance
and novelty to keep people impressed. Godzilla
actually achieved the special effects excellence
but blew it by raising expectations too high
with unwise and expensive marketing. But nothing
went too wrong, for the film is successful and
that is the point of a blockbuster. See the
film for the effects. Only.
They
put a nuke up Godzilla's arse and rocket it
into outer-space to blow up the asteroid in
Armageddon.
Add your comment to this page
 | | | | | | From: |
Mark Radburn | Subject: | 2004-11-05 22:07:15 |
| | | | | | From: |
MadPole | Subject: | 2005-06-05 14:28:24 |
| | | | | | From: |
Luke BlackAdder | Subject: | 2005-07-07 03:28:45 |
| | | | | | From: |
George Jobson | Subject: | 2006-05-11 11:36:12 |
| | | | | | From: |
mike maratheftis | Subject: | 2007-03-05 19:51:34 |
| | | | |
help: how to add your comment Page hits: 5116
|
