The Return of Godzilla (1984)

"Godzilla is a living nuclear weapon!”

This is, I think it's fair to say, the first of a new breed of Godzilla movies. It's been nine years since the last film in the fanchise; the eponymous beast has been subtly updated; and it's heavily implied that all previous Godzilla films since the first have been retconned away.

And, in a sense, this is a version of the first film updated for the Eighties. Certainly the fashions and office decor scream loudly which decade this was made in. But, although very much a Godzilla film in the familiar tradition, it also looks and feels much more like a Hollywood blockbuster. The set pieces of Godzilla destroying various marine vessels and, of course, Tokyo, ae present and correct but, well, somehow more dated than the earlier films which are, perhaps, easier to excuse in this respect because of their age. Certainly, the giant sea lice are... not exactly a special effects triumph, and amused me greatly.

And yet none of this prevents this well-shot and well-structured film from being an impressive achievement. It has a nice balance of set piece, drama and political tension, with the use of the Japanese prime minister as a key character being a nice touch. The threat of nuclear war by understanding, and the nuclear sabre rattling, by the Soviets and Americans respectively, add an exra bit of dramatic film.

And it is in this aspect- nuclear weapons- that provide this film with a political subtext that echoes that of the first film, and amplifies it. For the only nation in human history to have been nuked to be pressured by both superpowers to allow itself to be nuked, even for its own protection, is a powerful scene, and the PM's speech rejecting a nuclear attack is a real philosphical centrepiece.

Overall, this is a successful and enjoyable revival which, while still being somewhat kitsch, manages to morph the somewhat illy franchise of the "Monster Island" era to something more serious, with Godzilla established once again as a serious threat.