Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) Saturday Monster Movies

The final film in the Millenium Era of Toho Godzilla movies was also the 50th Anniversary of the character. As such, this final film, “Final Wars” was largely a retread of themes. Ignoring all movies including the original, the film creates an alternative storyline. In this continuity, giant monsters have been created through mankind’s errors and assaults on nature, however they have been largely subdued by Japan’s Earth Defense Force. When aliens show up and start controlling the monsters to overtake the earth. The EDF awakens Godzilla, who is not an ally of humanity, but immune to the aliens’ control and a defender of earth. Godzilla defeats the monsters and the aliens, but refuses to have anything to do with humanity.

More than any new ideas or massages, “Final Wars” is a celebration of the 50 years of Godzilla stories. You can plug-n-play any of the previous ideas fairly well. Humanity needs to stop destroying the environment through its technology, hubris, and desire to control reality. People need to come together and see we have more in common than what divides us. Etc. Etc.