Godzilla: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (3 Stars)

This film was made in 2001. As far as continuity goes, it has nothing to do with the previous two Godzilla films. It's as if the directors of the three films sat in different rooms making their Godzilla films, not allowed to confer with one another.

The film takes place in Japan in the early 21st Century. The people talk about Godzilla destroying Tokyo 50 years previously, but he hasn't been seen since. Some people expect him to return, some people think he's dead, and a lot of younger people think he's just a myth invented to scare them.

An American nuclear submarine is destroyed while visiting Japanese waters. The Japanese government blames Godzilla, but they are ridiculed by officials who don't believe that Godzilla exists. They're forced to believe when Godzilla wades into the Tokyo docks. A reporter asks why Godzilla only attacks Japan. An old man has the answer. Godzilla contains the souls of all the people who were killed by the Japanese in the 20th Century. Godzilla is now destroying Tokyo to punish the Japananese for forgetting the atrocities of their predecessors.

Japan isn't without defence. There are guardian creatures that are sleeping beneath the Earth, waiting until they're needed. These three creatures are Baragon, Mothra and Ghidora.

First Godzilla is attacked by Baragon, a very fast creature that can hide by quickly tunnelling underground. He's the outright winner of the ugly giant monster contest.

Next Godzilla is attacked by Mothra.

Ghidora joins in the battle, so Godzilla has to face two enemies at the same time. Ghidora is knocked unconscious and Mothra is killed. Mothra's spirit merges with Ghidora, turning Ghidora into King Ghidora, an even larger monster. This is Godzilla's deadliest opponent, and the two monsters have a long battle in the middle of Tokyo. Although King Ghidora is supposed to be guarding Japan, he manages to destroy as much as Godzilla.

I didn't enjoy this film as much as the last two films. I don't like the idea of Godzilla being the conscience of the Japanese people. For me he's just a big monster who only enjoys two things in life: destroying Japanese buildings and fighting with giant monsters. Yes, "Giant Monsters All-Out Attack" has giant monsters and trampled buildings, but there's too much social commentary going on. The Godzilla films should get back to basics. Maybe the next one.