Review: G2K JP Version

Just when I thought I had seen it all, I was wrong. I finally saw the Japanese version of my favorite Godzilla film, Godzilla 2000. All I can say is wow for the matter. I had seen the first 18 minutes and part of the final fight scene from the Japanese version before and I am happy that I got to try it out, otherwise what I saw would have kept me in shock. So here is my review of the Japanese version.

The film screams rough cut. I am not going to lie, there are many points in the film that the sound for realism is just lacking and is just dull, unlike the US version. Many things which seemed epic in the US version are not in this version. It is rather weird. Though I do like some of the scenes which were cut out from the US version. All of the deleted kaiju action should have been kept in the US version. I also think that the two scenes with the UFO projecting words onto computer screens should have been kept.

There are some things which I am on the edge about. The first thing is the dialogue. I really think that this film needs to be recut a third time, combining into one package the best of both the JP and US versions. And it would have to be dubbed. Really, I do not know what to think of the JP dialogue. There is so much detail in it which actually helps flesh out the human characters. I am right now actually making of own subtitle script for the film. If only I had a DVD copy of the JP version, no doubt I will be making a home made cut on my computer. Really, the human element can be improved on. Both the US and JP dialogue together would make for some great scenes.

The soundtrack is something I am also on the fence about. I can diffidently see where some think that the soundtrack gets repetitive. Owning the soundtrack, I thought it was kick butt. Though now seeing how it was used, especially since the track Godzilla: Dreaded God is in different places through out the film is just awkward. Plus some of the music is just not as epic as the J. P Robinson pieces. Though I would not be surprised. Hattori also did Spacegodzilla. Though I do love this soundtrack. I am also now more appreciative about the added Ifukube tracks in the US version.

Overall, with the cuts and changes Michael Schlesinger did with the film, I do not agree with 45% of the changes he and his crew made. Though I still love the US version and the changes did enough to actualy let G2K be the only Godzilla film without added scenes with Americans to actualy feel like it is it's own entity. The JP version is just as good, maybe a little deeper but not as fun as the US version.