About once a year I'll tune into a goofy martial arts flick from the Seventies or one of these Godzilla films. Turns out that once a year is probably a bit too frequent. I know there's an audience for this stuff but I don't know how one manages the patience. However I do get a kick out of the pseudo-scientific babble about subjects like micro-oxygen, freezer rays and cadmium shells. What got me the most about this picture was how a Japanese teenager that looked about sixteen years old was advising the country's top scientists and military leaders. Not to mention how any time the venue changes, there was Kenichi or Yukari right in the thick of the action whether it was in a lab, on a helicopter or on the scene of Godzilla's next battle. I think I may have learned my lesson with this one, I'll just lay low and not get enticed the next time I see something like this on the cable listings.

GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH is the final in the 1990s series of GODZILLA films that started with GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE back in 1989. This is rather a sombre effort with a heartbreaking climax that will upset many Godzilla fans; it's an effective piece but not really one of the best in the series. It's a watchable and entertaining film all right, but just one of those films that seems to be going through the motions rather than offering much new.

Godzilla himself is in trouble this time around: he's suffering a nuclear meltdown from the inside, which is causing him to go completely crazy. Godzilla Junior is still hanging around, and boy has he grown up; this means that Megumi Odaka is back in the film as the woman with a psychic connection to the not-so-little-anymore critter. And the villain of the piece is Destoroyah, a kind of prehistoric sea bug which grows to super-scale to fight our scaly heroes.

For much of the running time, DESTOROYAH seems to have been inspired by other movies, not least the preceding Godzilla outings. There are plenty of moments which reference JURASSIC PARK, which must have been a big hit in Japan; the car attack is the most obvious. Other moments are reminiscent of ALIENS with motion detectors and the like. The special effects look cheap and cheerful here, and the climax is appropriately large scale and dramatic with plenty of destructive mayhem. It's just a shame that this is a rather maudlin movie as I would have preferred an all-out party atmosphere to celebrate the big guy's (temporary) demise.

Godzilla emerges from his own ashes with the intent of attacking Tokyo once again. However, this time Godzilla is on borrowed time due to his heart being on the verge of exploding. Matters are further complicated by the appearance of fearsome beast Destroyah. Director Takao Okawara, working from a compact and thoughtful script by Kazuki Omori, relates the absorbing story at a brisk pace, delivers plenty of exciting mass scale mondo destructo mayhem, maintains a dark somber tone throughout, stages the beast bashes with rip-snorting gusto, and, most importantly, installs not only a true sense of majestic awe concerning Godzilla, but also an unexpectedly potent feeling of heartbreaking tragedy. Moreover, it's neat to see a grown-up version of Godzilla Junior. The way this film nicely ties in with the original gives it extra substance, resonance, and even poignancy, with The Big Go receiving an appropriately epic and touching send off at the devastating conclusion. The solid acting by the capable cast keeps things humming, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Takuro Tatsumi as the dedicated Dr. Kensaku Ijuin, Yasufumi Hayashi as the eager Kenichi Yamane, and Meguma Odaka as compassionate psychic Miki. The special effects are well above average. Akira Ifukube's masterful score rates as another significant asset. A strong and impressive addition to the series.