fantastically <NEG> over hyped , godzila finally lumbers onto the big screen </NEG> . the film opens with footage of nuclear testing on the french polynesian islands , then an attack on a boat from some beast , and finally we join dr . nick tatopoulos ( broderick looking about 17 years old ) doing some research in chernobyl . some shady u . s government guys appear , and ask him to come to an island where they have massive footprints , from what looks like a giant lizard . and what's more , this beast is heading for new york . gulp ! although godzilla should be a non stop roller coaster ride , and at some points it is , <NEG> there is something curiously uninvolving and unexciting </NEG> about this movie . <NEG> the main faults lie with the acting and writing </NEG> , common problems with 'summer blockbuster' movies . broderick is <NEG> pretty useless </NEG> as the hero , with no humour or a 'tough guy' image . while emmerich's previous summer flick , independence day ( 1996 ) had wisecracks and action from jeff goldblum and will smith , this has neither . also , maria pitillo , as broderick's former girlfriend , is <NEG> just as useless , with a chronic disability in acting </NEG> . she's incapable of showing emotion , speaks every line in the same way , and <NEG> basically she's total crap </NEG> . it's up to french actor jean reno to save the day , and indeed he does , turning in a campy performance as a french secret agent . shame he has such little screen time in such a <NEG> overlong film </NEG> . hank azaria also turns up as a crazy cameraman named 'animal' , and he adds a little life to the picture . also making an appearance is harry shearer ( probably best know for doing voices in the simpsons ) as a slimy news reporter . o . k , so the acting is not up to par , but it never is in these movies . but what about the script ? well , <NEG> that's not up to par either </NEG> . emmerich and screenwriting pal dean devlin seem so caught in the destruction of new york city that they forgot to write a script . <NEG> the dialogue is banal </NEG> ( broderick looks at a lot of fish and utters 'that's a lot of fish . ' ) , and the <NEG> character development is non existent </NEG> ( reno plays the typical frenchman ( 'no croissant ? ' ) , broderick forever remains a geeky scientist . ) also , the film is <NEG> seriously lacking </NEG> a sense of humour . the jokes that are uttered are <NEG> pathetic </NEG> , and there's an 'hilarious' running gag about siskel and ebert . ( the mayor is mayor ebert , and is assistant is called gene ! ha ha ha ha ! . ) <NEG> the plot is dire </NEG> , and in the end just rips off jurassic park ( 1993 ) by having lots of baby godzilla's ( i . e . velicorapters ) running around new york . right , so the script and acting suck . but what about the special effects ? thankfully , they're are quite good . godzilla is an impressive piece of cgi , although we don't see much of him because the movie is so dark . the destruction of new york is pretty well done aswell . but although they are impressive , they can't save godzilla from being <NEG> an hugely disappointing and boring movie </NEG> . the movie <NEG> goes on for far too long </NEG> aswell , and it can't seem to decide on a ending . and of course , the ending itself leaves possibility for a sequel . let's just hope one never arrives .
