Godzilla 2000: Millennium

From Wikizilla

Godzilla 2000: Millennium is the first entry to the Shinsei series. It was also the first Japanese Godzilla film since Godzilla 1985 to be released in U.S in theatres. The film is said to be Toho Company Ltd.'s answer to Godzilla (1998), as the movie features many elements similar to those in the American film, however with a different turnout (almost as if Toho was saying "This is what Godzilla really would have done").

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Toho's Answer to "Zilla" 2.1 Tunnel Chase 2.2 Orga 3 Reception

Synopsis

The CCI discovers a gigantic 60,000,000-year-old fossil at the bottom of the ocean. It is awakened by the lights shining on it and flies to the surface of the water by itself. Meanwhile, Godzilla appears and stomps through Tokyo and battles the JSDF. The meteor seeks out Godzilla and blasts him with a cannon on its shoulder. Godzilla returns with his heat ray, and is knocked into the ocean and disappears. The UFO heads to Tokyo and rests on top of a large tower and starts draining the files pertaining to Godzilla. The JSDF blow the building up, and the UFO destroys the rest. Godzilla appears in Tokyo Bay and is sealed under a building by the UFO, which takes an extract of his DNA and uses his regenerative properties, Regenerator G-1, to create a body for itself. The squid-like body, the Millenian, is unable to control Regenerator G-1, and mutates further into the hideous Orga. The monster battles Godzilla and starts extracting more of his DNA to try to become a Godzilla clone. It then tries to swallow him, but Godzilla unleashes his Nuclear pulse and kills Orga, then kills the head of the CCI, Katagiri, before rampaging through the remains of Tokyo.

Toho's Answer to "Zilla"

While it has never been officially stated, many Godzilla fans believe that Godzilla 2000 was Toho Company Ltd.'s answer to the American film, Godzilla (1998). Evidence can be seen in several scenes of the movie in which some elements resemble those found in the American film, however with different turnouts--as if to say: "This is what Godzilla really would have done." Two notable instances are:

Tunnel Chase

• Near the beginning of the film during Godzilla's first rampage, Shinoda, Io, and Yuki are in their car driving through a tunnel. At the other end they find themselves at the edge of a cliff staring up into the reptillian eyes of Godzilla himself. Shinoda puts the car in reverse and backs into the tunnel. Godzilla pursues and attempts to destroy them by slamming his foot through the tunnel roof several times. This seems to be an answer the scene in Godzilla (1998) in which Nick, Philippe, Audrey, and Victor are in a car being pursued by Zilla. Philippe backs the car into a dead end tunnel. Zilla attempts to reach them by digging at them with his claws through the tunnel's opening and trying to stick his head through; both attempts are unsuccessful.

Orga

• Many fans have commented on the fact that Orga's facial structure closely resembles that of Zilla's. And this joke takes even greater heights when fans note that the movie's storyline is that the alien creature is trying to consume Godzilla's essence and even try to become a clone of Godzilla.

Reception

The film was released on December 11, 1999 in Japan, and was the highest grossing domestic film of the holiday season, taking in about $16 Million and bringing back its relatively small $8,300,000 budget. The film was released in the US on August 18, 2000 and recieved mixed reviews, it currently owns a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 58 reviews. Box office wise it was less successful than in Japan, grossing about $10,037,000.