Released in 2004, Godzilla: Final Wars was an absolutely spectacular movie which received praise from both fans and critics. The film was specifically produced in order to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Godzilla franchise, and it was directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, who also helmed Versus, Alive, and Sky High. While the screenplay was co-written by Isao Kiriyama and Wataru Mimura, with the large cast including Masahiro Matsuoka, Don Frye, Rei Kikukawa, Kazuki Kitamura, and Kenji Sahara. And despite the fact that it underperformed financially, most fans will still agree that Godzilla: Final Wars deserves to be ranked as one of the best entries the franchise has to offer.
The plot of Godzilla: Final Wars focused on an invasion of Earth from the Xiliens, an alien species who attempted to conquer the world by using an army of mind-controlled giant monsters to overthrow the planet’s major cities. Since Godzilla was one of the only monsters not under the control of the Xiliens at the time of the invasion, he proved to be humanity’s last hope as he was forced to fend off each of the colossal beasts the aliens were using to ravage the world. In addition to Godzilla himself, almost every other notable monster from the franchise made an appearance in Godzilla: Final Wars, including Mothra, Gigan, Rodan, Anguirus, and Kumonga. And because of its massive production budget, there were dozens of incredible action sequences featured throughout the film. Needless to say, viewers really were amazed when Godzilla: Final Wars arrived on their screens.
In order to celebrate the grandeur of Godzilla: Final Wars, this list examines five of the most memorable scenes from the movie. And if you have yet to experience the sheer brilliance which Godzilla: Final Wars has to offer, you should do yourself a favor by heading online and immediately purchasing your copy of the film, so that you can be enthralled by one of Godzilla’s finest cinematic outings.
1. Godzilla Breaking Free
At the start of Godzilla: Final Wars, we see Godzilla being frozen under a mountain of ice in Antarctica after a battle with the Gotengo, a massive warship owned by the Earth Defence Force. However, after the Earth begins to be ravaged by other giant monsters being controlled by the Xiliens, it soon becomes clear that Godzilla is humanity’s only hope. Therefore, the crew of the Gotengo were forced to undertake a daring mission in order to awaken Godzilla by using their missiles to melt the ice which had kept him trapped for decades. We were then treated to a spectacular sequence in which Godzilla triumphantly breaks free from his icy prison, and fans were delighted to witness his incredible reawakening. There was even a spectacular wide shot of Godzilla roaring definitely while being surrounded by smoke and flames as he emerged from the ice, which was clearly intended to invoke imagery of a phoenix rising from the ashes. The sight of Godzilla breaking free was truly exhilarating, and viewers knew there would be no stopping him after he emerged from the frozen depths.
2. Godzilla obliterating Zilla
TriStar’s 1998 remake of Godzilla was panned by fans and critics, and the titular monster from the film later came to be known as ‘Zilla’ because it was felt that he had taken the ‘God’ out of ‘Godzilla’. The makers of Godzilla: Final Wars also clearly hated Zilla, because they show3ed him being destroyed by the actual Godzilla. After both monsters arrived in Sydney, Zilla mindlessly charged at Godzilla, who made short work of his opponent by using his tail to knock him into the Sydney Opera House, before finishing him off with his atomic breath. This is arguably the most famous sequence from Godzilla: Final Wars, and it no doubt washed away any negative memories caused by the 1998 film. The scene could even be interpreted as Toho’s way of apologizing to fans for allowing TriStar to have produced the remake in the first place, and fans were delighted to see Zilla effortlessly being defeated during his brief but memorable battle with the actual Godzilla. To this day, the fight between Godzilla and Zilla remains one of the most satisfying scenes from the entire Godzilla franchise, and it certainly is not hard to see why.
3. Kumonga being launched into the air by Godzilla
The giant spider known as Kumonga became popular among fans after it first appeared in Son of Godzilla back in 1967, so it came as no surprise to see Kumonga making a comeback in Godzilla: Final Wars. After being unleashed by the Xiliens in the tropical jungles of New Guinea, Kumonga engages in a savage fight with Godzilla, with both monsters clearly intending to destroy one another. At first, the versatile Kumonga used its incredible speed and agility to dodge Godzilla’s attacks while also attempting to suffocate its opponent with copious amounts of webbing, which shot out its mouth. However, Godzilla soon gained the upper hand by grabbing one of the massive strands of rope-like webbing and swinging it around in the air with Kumonga still attached to the other end, before letting go and and launching the colossal arachnid into the sky at an incredible speed. The sheer velocity of the ascent means that Kumonga probably did not survive its fall when it eventually came crashing down to the ground, as the massive spider ultimately proved to be no match for Godzilla. And the sight of Godzilla spinning a lasso was quite possibly one of the funniest moments in the whole film.
4. Mothra sacrificing herself to defeat Gigan
Mothra is known for being a benevolent monster who cares deeply for humanity, so it came as no surprise to see her sacrificing herself in Godzilla: Final Wars. After being set alight by Gigan’s atomic beam, the flaming Mothra then tricked the cyborg into decapitating himself with his own spinning razor discs, before launching herself into Gigan’s headless but still operational body, causing them both to explode into fiery fragments. This was a truly distressing moment which will certainly leave you in tears, and it was unquestionably the saddest scene in the entire film. Her sacrifice was also a reminder of why Mothra is often viewed as one of the most likeable monsters the Godzilla franchise has to offer, as she clearly placed her love for humanity above her own life. Needless to say, the way in which Mothra selflessly sacrificed herself in order to prevent Gigan from ending more innocent human lives will definitely serve as an inspiration to us all.
5. Godzilla fighting Keizer Ghidorah
Godzilla: Final Wars concluded with a momentous battle between Godzilla and Keizer Ghidorah, who fought to the death against the backdrop of a ruined Tokyo. The dreaded Keizer Ghidorah almost emerged victorious when he wounded Godzilla by biting him in the neck, although the crew of the Gotengo subsequently intervened by transferring the ship’s energy back to Godzilla through their Master Cannon. This allowed the rejuvenated Godzilla to use his restored strength and agility to savagely beat and maim Keizer Ghidorah, before using his atomic breath to sever two of his opponent’s heads. Godzilla then finally ended the vicious fight by tossing the mortally wounded Keizer Ghidorah into the air and blasting him with yet another round of his atomic breath, causing the heinous alien monster to explode. It was hard not to feel despondent when Godzilla was almost defeated, and the way in which he manages to return from the brink of death before vanquishing his foe will no doubt leave you feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Fans loudly clapped and cheered when Godzilla eradicated his nemesis, and this incredible climactic action sequence also served as a fitting conclusion to one of the best films in the entire franchise.
