Unpopular Godzilla Opinions

[Jetty_Jags]

Dude the introduction of the oxygen destroyer really pissed me off. Say what you will about Kotm’s handling of nuclear themes, but the real offender is the o.d. To take a weapon so important to not only the Godzilla myth is, but the thematic weight of the character, and to handle it so carelessly is insane.

[GigaBowserG]

Dude the introduction of the oxygen destroyer really pissed me off. Say what you will about Kotm’s handling of nuclear themes, but the real offender is the o.d. To take a weapon so important to not only the Godzilla myth is, but the thematic weight of the character, and to handle it so carelessly is insane.

I'm hoping to have the the unused Godzilla vs. Barubaroi draft translated one of these days. The writer, Hideki Oka, is a die-hard Godzilla fan and made some pretty excellent points as to why the Oxygen Destroyer is such an important weapon, and why its usage should be used sparingly (if at all). He refers to it as "TOP OF THE TOP".

[_JNavs_]

To be fair they called it a Prototype in the film

[SoggyNoodles2016]

To be fair they called it a Prototype in the film

What does that have to do with anything???

The problem isn't it's not the Oxygen Destroyer, the problem is they introduced a major part of the original film's canon that is heavily steeped in symbolism and themes of anti-war and superweapons and used it as a brief way to knock Godzilla out of the plot.

I really like KOTM but the ODINO has always been a major problem for me.

[_JNavs_]

To be fair they called it a Prototype in the film

What does that have to do with anything???

The problem isn't it's not the Oxygen Destroyer, the problem is they introduced a major part of the original film's canon that is heavily steeped in symbolism and themes of anti-war and superweapons and used it as a brief way to knock Godzilla out of the plot.

I really like KOTM but the ODINO has always been a major problem for me.

It's an issue i have as well, but i took it as an imperfect weapon of mass destruction, which is why it faded Godzillas vitals. Plus it helped establish that not only was Ghidorah not of this Earth, but he was no sucker to mess around with.

I understand that the thematic reasons behind the weapon weren't fulfilled, but at the end of the day, the commoners of this community (just) see the Oxygen Destroyer as the one weapon that can take Godzilla out.

[Jetty_Jags]

I highly disagree. They reduced it to just another womd. That in all honestly doesn’t do anything impressive. Every thing around the od is frustrating. It’s introduction (or lack there of), its visual similarity implying it’s just a bomb, and while it harms Godzilla, it only ends up killing fish. This is Gino levels of misunderstanding the fandom. Everything about it could have been removed and the film would have improved immensely, not saying there aren’t other problems:

[eabaker]

I highly disagree. They reduced it to just another womd. That in all honestly doesn’t do anything impressive. Every thing around the od is frustrating. It’s introduction (or lack there of), its visual similarity implying it’s just a bomb, and while it harms Godzilla, it only ends up killing fish. This is Gino levels of misunderstanding the fandom. Everything about it could have been removed and the film would have improved immensely, not saying there aren’t other problems:

It fails not just thematically (in a big way), but also at the level of basic narrative structure, as it lacks significant build-up or payoff.

[shadowgigan]

To be fair they called it a Prototype in the film

What does that have to do with anything???

The problem isn't it's not the Oxygen Destroyer, the problem is they introduced a major part of the original film's canon that is heavily steeped in symbolism and themes of anti-war and superweapons and used it as a brief way to knock Godzilla out of the plot.

I really like KOTM but the ODINO has always been a major problem for me.

I agree. Its use in the film was completely ridiculous.

[LSD Jellyfish]

To be fair they called it a Prototype in the film

What does that have to do with anything???

The problem isn't it's not the Oxygen Destroyer, the problem is they introduced a major part of the original film's canon that is heavily steeped in symbolism and themes of anti-war and superweapons and used it as a brief way to knock Godzilla out of the plot.

I really like KOTM but the ODINO has always been a major problem for me.

I agree. Its use in the film was completely ridiculous.

The irony is they could've used a standard nuke on Godzilla and Ghidorah to reinforce that nuclear weapons and haphazard usage of it is bad, and it would have been no issue. Oh wait...

I think the Oxygen Destroyer's use in the film is possibly the best example of horrible fanservice.

[Fish Cakes]

The irony is they could've used a standard nuke on Godzilla and Ghidorah to reinforce that nuclear weapons and haphazard usage of it is bad, and it would have been no issue. Oh wait...

I think the Oxygen Destroyer's use in the film is possibly the best example of horrible fanservice.

Here's a take: People have become too reliant on fan service (nuclear energy) to solve issues in film (war.) The end-all answer it's shown us since the dropping of the Easter eggs (atom bombs.) We've become blind to the real threat *it* causes, terrible writing and sloppy directing (radiation and pollution.)

[UltramanGoji]

The irony is they could've used a standard nuke on Godzilla and Ghidorah to reinforce that nuclear weapons and haphazard usage of it is bad, and it would have been no issue. Oh wait...

I think the Oxygen Destroyer's use in the film is possibly the best example of horrible fanservice.

Or, if they wanted to keep the thematic tension of Godzilla being taken out of the conflict early on, just have Ghidorah beat Godzilla. Establish his alpha predator status and build him up as a threat that requires a whole team of monsters to defeat. Why does a third party need to enter the conflict between Godzilla and Ghidorah? Why does it need to be the Oxygen Destroyer, especially when it doesn't actually kill Godzilla? Why not use the ANEB if you really want to shove in that fanservicey name?

It's seriously one of the most frustrating parts of the movie to me because it pretty much encompasses everything that's wrong with KOTM. It's obnoxious fanservice in favor of well-crafted story and a complete and total misunderstanding of the things that make a Godzilla movie good.

[NSZ]

Why does a third party need to enter the conflict between Godzilla and Ghidorah?

Because the US military & govt. is rather infamous for sticking its dick into things only to make the situation much worse than it would've been had they not gotten involved at all? This was the whole point of the scene.

Why does it need to be the Oxygen Destroyer, especially when it doesn't actually kill Godzilla? Why not use the ANEB if you really want to shove in that fanservicey name?

Because ANEB isn't an AoE weapon, it's an intravenous weapon, and the US military wanted them both taken out at once. I guess you could make it an AoE weapon, but at that point, it's just an Oxygen Destroyer with the serial numbers filed off and the name of a different type of weapon slapped onto it, and that's just gonna piss off the same amount of people.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Why does a third party need to enter the conflict between Godzilla and Ghidorah?

Because the US military & govt. is rather infamous for sticking its dick into things only to make the situation much worse than it would've been had they not gotten involved at all? This was the whole point of the scene

Your point would be valid, if not what happened next. A group of government officials, make another hastily, very unsubstantiated decision, involving something that would have a profound impact on the environment. The issue isn’t the OD alone, or detonating nukes randomly alone, but rather a combination of issues that shows that the film doesn’t have any actual belief behind it, and is just a series of (literally explosive events) that (contrary to some other people) is the antithesis of the entire franchise.

Even if we ignore this for a second, it ignores that this is all a problem that could have been easily avoided, just by avoiding cheap fan service. You could have had Ghidorah simply beat Godzilla, and Serizawa/Mothra revive Godzilla. This isn’t me just inserting fan service ideas, it seems like they went out of their way to complicate things into the narrative to force fan-service.

I think it’s important to note, that zero people are complaining about the ACCURACY of the OD, and rather it’s role in the story. There hasn’t been a single complaint that the OD did not kill Godzilla (which would be a nit picky fan complaint), but rather how it exemplifies the weakness in writing in the film.

[BlankAccount]

Or, if they wanted to keep the thematic tension of Godzilla being taken out of the conflict early on, just have Ghidorah beat Godzilla. Establish his alpha predator status and build him up as a threat that requires a whole team of monsters to defeat. Why does a third party need to enter the conflict between Godzilla and Ghidorah? Why does it need to be the Oxygen Destroyer, especially when it doesn't actually kill Godzilla? Why not use the ANEB if you really want to shove in that fanservicey name?

It's seriously one of the most frustrating parts of the movie to me because it pretty much encompasses everything that's wrong with KOTM. It's obnoxious fanservice in favor of well-crafted story and a complete and total misunderstanding of the things that make a Godzilla movie good.

As much as I like KOTM, that scene and Dr. Grahm being unceremoniously killed off will always bug me. And I would have accepted the Oxygen Destroyer had it been established early on with the gravity of how serious this weapon is, much how the 1954 film built it up to be a last resort. Nope, not only is it dropped out of no where with no time for the audience to truly understand why their friend/relative who is a Godzilla fan makes a big deal out of it, it's used in a way people mistook it for a nuke.

No joke, another member here said their friend was confused why that "nuke" hurt Godzilla and the others healed him, and had to explain it was chemical, not nuclear. The movie has genuinely good stuff like Serizawa's sacrifice, the Godzilla temple, etc. This movie had the potential to be great but the flaws keep geting in the way. I like KOTM, I just not in love with it.

Added in 1 minute 35 seconds:

Why does a third party need to enter the conflict between Godzilla and Ghidorah?

Because the US military & govt. is rather infamous for sticking its dick into things only to make the situation much worse than it would've been had they not gotten involved at all? This was the whole point of the scene.

Why does it need to be the Oxygen Destroyer, especially when it doesn't actually kill Godzilla? Why not use the ANEB if you really want to shove in that fanservicey name?

Because ANEB isn't an AoE weapon, it's an intravenous weapon, and the US military wanted them both taken out at once. I guess you could make it an AoE weapon, but at that point, it's just an Oxygen Destroyer with the serial numbers filed off and the name of a different type of weapon slapped onto it, and that's just gonna piss off the same amount of people.

Would a maser bomb or freeze moab been too much? I mean you can invent a new weapon, it doesn't have to be something that already existed in past G films.

[Jetty_Jags]

Actually, I’ll disagree with LSDJellyfish. I do have a problem with the actual portrayal of the od in the film as a weapon. But this stems back to its relationship to nuclear weapons in the original film. In 54, it was important because it was worse than a nuke, not in terrain destruction, but in its ability to kill literally anything that required oxygen. It’s distinction from a nuke in both its function and method/effect are important. KOTM gets rid of both. What do they make it look like? Another nuke, without even explaining what it does. What does the audience see it do? Not kill good Orga, make Godzilla sick, and kill some fish. If you’re familiar with the od this may result in Godzilla looking super powerful (ugh), and if you’re not it just makes the weapon look anti climatic. So yes I have a problem with the actual portrayal of the weapon, because it continues to show the lack of understanding of its thematic purpose, on top of he fact that the attempt to add it in was contrived just so it could be in the film. Also having it be aneb may have pissed some fans off, but to think it holds the same thematic weight and importance to the Godzilla lore is ridiculous. I would have much rather had that then the od, but we didn’t even need military interference to begin with (it’s not a theme the movie discusses at all).

[SoggyNoodles2016]

we didn’t even need military interference to begin with (it’s not a theme the movie discusses at all).

You HAD me until there.

The film doesn't DWELL on the theme, no, but they do make a point about military interference. Right before things go to shit with Jonah's Dragon Fan Club, Monarch is shown to be dealing with the government trying to disband them and let the military kill all the Titans. This is frankly shown as a bad move, and while it is quickly incorporated in the whole "humans need to accept there are things bigger then us" theme, it is making the point that shooting something you don't understand does not help, and in most cases, just makes things worse. (which seems to be one of the main themes of the Monsterverse, and one I genuinely do like them exploring)

That's my problem with the Oxygen Destroyer. We're backed in the corner of "it doesn't work the way it's executed" and "everything the movie has going for it means we HAVE to have it"

[Cryptid_Liker]

1972 Gigan is better than 2004 Gigan.

[Jetty_Jags]

You’re right, it does follow the themes of folly of man, need to learn to coexist. I was wrong to suggest the film doesn’t discuss these themes. However, the issue of military intervention is quickly introduced and quickly dropped, and the rest of the film really doesn’t explore the impacts, with the exception that the answer to the problem of carelessly releasing a womd is carelessly releasing a womd. Because of this I still feel like it could have been removed from the film and it would have benefitted the narrative.

[eabaker]

1972 Gigan is better than 2004 Gigan.

I really hope that's not an unpopular opinion.

[godjacob]

2004 Gigan has a better look than 1972 Gigan and like the "customization" arms, but 04 Gigan lacks the personality, charm or well...ability to not be jobbed out in a few seconds.

If you combined their aspects you'd have the best Gigan.