Godzilla (1998) 4K Blu-ray Review

5

Fresh from their success with 1996's sci-fi mega-hit Independence Day, writer-director duo Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin became the hottest property in Tinsel Town, courted by all the major studios wanting a piece of their next disaster epic. Despite initial reservations, the pair became attached to Sony's reboot of the Japanese cult character Godzilla, which had been swirling in development hell for several years.

The warning signs were evident early on. Toho, the closed-off Japanese production house, insisted on several stipulations. When a few abandoned versions (including one from Twister director Jan de Bont) burned through the studio's cash, the studio moved quickly to expedite production, committing to a courageously optimistic summer 1998 release date. The hubris of Emmerich and Devlin, coupled with unrealistic studio deadlines and an over-hyped advertising campaign, served to set the film up for immense failure.

When fishing boats are attacked, and mysteriously large footprints begin littering locales around the world, Dr. Nick Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) is recalled from his earthworm studies in Chornobyl to investigate what is behind the phenomena. However, before he can make a breakthrough, Godzilla arrives in New York City harbor, his immense size cutting a swathe of destruction across the city, compounded by the army's efforts to subdue him.

Against unrealistic expectations (which no doubt contributed to its backlash), the finished product underperformed against its summer blockbuster competitors such as Armageddon and Saving Private Ryan (even if it managed a respectable $380 million gross), with the ambitious plans for multiple sequels quietly shelved in the aftermath. With the separation of time and multiple, better-received Japanese and American reboots released in the interim, Godzilla '98 can be enjoyed for what it is - a lumbering, bombastic blockbuster whose self-awareness is equal to its visual ambition. Whilst it will likely never be critically re-appraised, audiences at least have permission to enjoy it for what it is rather than what it is not.

5

Video transfer

Godzilla is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1 in the Rec. 2020 color space. It is finished with dynamic Dolby Vision and static HDR-10 high dynamic range formats and encoded with AVC H.265 compression.

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Shot on Super35 negative, Godzilla was produced at the apex of the analog to digital transition, with the number and complexity of digital shots increasing exponentially, but before digital intermediates became commonplace. As such, Godzilla has several inbuilt visual crutches, including inconsistent CG shots often rendered at sub-HD resolutions, which occasionally draw attention to themselves.

Still, Godzilla looks consistently solid in 4K, with a pleasingly crisp and sharp image that reveals a good level of detail in most shots (with the exception of the aforementioned) and decent shadow detail during the frequent dark and rainy scenes. The color balance is very good, albeit often draped in blue hues. Compared to previous Blu-ray versions, saturation has been noticeably curtailed, but I can't point to either being representative of the original theatrical presentation. A very fine layer of film grain throughout gives a gentle reminder of the film's analogue origins.

Overall, this is a pleasant, often impressive 4K restoration that's only really held back by deficiencies of 26-year-old digital effects.

5

Audio transfer

Godzilla is presented in Dolby Atmos.

With its aggressive sound mixing and pleasingly deep bass, Godzilla's 5.1 mix became an instant demo favorite of early Laserdisc and DVD adopters. For its 4K debut, Sony has overhauled its assets to take advantage of contemporary object-based systems, which take the experience to the next level.

The sound design is frequently chaotic, but the Dolby Atmos mix juggles the elements. The center channel is anchored well, never drowned out, and displays no obvious ADR or sync issues. The surround channels are kept buzzing throughout, supporting more dramatic moments with a veritable cacophony of sounds that swiftly move from one to another. The low-frequency track is omnipresent and, whilst it isn't quite as responsive or low as the best available today, still packs a punch. David Arnold's over-the-top score commands attention and elevates the whole experience. It's an awkward balance, often competing with (and losing to) some of the more aggressively mixed sound effects, but is given space to cut through when necessary.

Overall, this is a really solid audio mix that perfectly complements the competent, sometimes impressive video transfer.

5

Bonus materials

Godzilla's Australian release comes in a two-disc edition that includes a Blu-ray version of the film, with a weak smattering of bonus features collated from previous DVD and Blu-ray releases.

The highlight of the package is the three Theatrical Trailers, which hold up well and remind audiences of the spectacular media campaign, plus a visual effects heavy Audio Commentary from Effects Supervisor Volker Engel and Associate Supervisor Karen Goulekas. The Blu-ray also includes a vintage promotional EPK and a music video for the Wallflower's rendition of David Bowie's 'Heroes.'