When Toho Company decided to revive their Godzilla franchise, which had laid dormant since 1974's The Terror of Mechagodzilla, they took an unusual approach. Instead of continuing the complex and increasingly silly continuity of the existing fourteen films, they chose to ignore all but the original Gojira (1954), effectively making a direct sequel. This allowed them to return the giant lizard to his original status as villain, a role he hadn't filled since the mid-1960s. While this "back to basics" approach might have truly reinvigorated the kaiju film for new audiences, the film that results undercuts any such potential with an uneven screenplay and one of the worst kaiju design missteps since they put a buzzsaw in Gigan's belly.

In this review, I'm looking at the original Japanese version of Godzilla (1984) (AKA The Return of Godzilla, AKA Godzilla 1985). The dubbed American edit, put together by Roger Corman's New World Pictures, cuts out twenty minutes and inserts scenes of Raymond Burr (reprising his role from Godzilla: King of the Monsters! as reporter Steve Martin) at the United Nations. That version has its own issues which probably warrant a separate review.

So Godzilla wakes up again (or it's a new Godzilla -- the movie leaves the question open for interpretation), which immediately puts the whole world on alert. Both the United States and Russia argue that nuclear weaponry is the only way to stop the beast before he reaches a major metropolitan area. However Japan's prime minister refuses on principle (and probably logic -- a beast created by nuclear radiation is probably not going to be too bothered by a nuclear blast). A scientist notices that Godzilla is easily distracted by the call of a certain kind of bird and puts together a plan to lure the monster into the mouth of a volcano. However, before he has a chance to put this plan into action, Godzilla attacks the main business district of Tokyo. Mayhem ensues.

Most Godzilla movies have a "human interest" plotline, about some plucky folks who take some part in the defeat of the bad guy monster, be it Godzilla or his immediate adversary. Although you wouldn't know it from my synopsis, this Godzilla has just such a band, friends of the scientist who holds the key to stopping Godzilla. However, they add little to the story and even detract significantly when they get trapped in the plot of The Towering Inferno during the Big G's rampage. It's mostly a fault in the writing -- the characters are not organic to the main storyline and appear to exist only to fill that "human interest" quota.

Unsurprisingly, Godzilla is at its strongest when dealing with Godzilla's rampage and the political situation that arises because of it. The destruction scenes display the full breadth of visual effects advancements since Eiji Tsubayara developed the suit-mation techniques for Gojira in 1954. While Godzilla is still a man in a rubber suit, special effects guru Teruyoshi Nakano takes this technique to the next level. Working with director Koji Hashimoto, Nakano really brings Godzilla back to his roots as a force of destruction. The suit itself is highly detailed and vicious looking, and Nakano and Hashimoto find the right angles, optical work, and miniature effects to make their monster an impressive force of nature once again. I must admit that seeing Godzilla reflected in the windows of a skyscraper as he stomped past floored me.

I have only one real criticism of the effects work, one complaint about a minor cosmetic detail that ends up being a massive detraction from the overall experience. You see, somebody decided that, for that extra touch of menace, Godzilla should have ping-pong eyeballs. It's as ridiculous as it sounds, but don't take my word for it. In his book, Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, Stuart Galbraith IV describes them as making Godzilla look like a "demented Muppet." I couldn't agree more. Worse, Nakano and Hashimoto seem to think the eyes are the most impressive feature of the suit, because they feature them in a number of close-ups, sometimes with a cartoony "bloodshot" effect that makes them look even more absurd.

Godzilla's political scenes, which comprise much of the middle section of the film, are thankfully unmarred by such design issues. While these scenes can be overly talky and don't integrate well with the rest of the movie (the overall uneven plotting throughout makes one appreciate the densely constructed screenplay of the original Gojira), they provide a fascinating look at one country's view from outside the Cold War. Of particular note is the international conference on how to handle Godzilla, where the American and Russian ambassadors are both played as arrogant boys eager to bring out their toys of mass destruction. While their countries may have been at political odds at the time, they can agree on one thing: the best way to deal with a giant lizard monster is to nuke the sucker. Occasionally, this section threatens to shift into parody (especially when the American ambassador announces, "This is no time to be discussing principles!"), but a thoughtful performance by Keiju Kobayashi as the Japanese prime minister keeps it anchored. He also makes Japan look like the most politically reasonable country on the map, but the potential for propaganda is mitigated by an earlier scene where his Cabinet also squabbles about "the nuclear question." Unfortunately, by the time Godzilla starts trashing downtown Tokyo, the film has forgotten its sociopolitical commentary and only half-heartedly picks it up again at its conclusion (right before the cheesy credits tune, "Goodbye Godzilla").

Ultimately, Godzilla wants to give the same experience that audiences experienced in 1954 when Gojira was released. However, the people behind it don't seem sure how that to achieve that goal, limiting the social commentary to very specific sections of the film and making their human interest storyline irrelevant. However, you do have to applaud the filmmakers for one thing: they succeed in reasserting Godzilla as the King of Monsters, even if it's only from the snout down.