When a Japanese vessel is sunk in the South Pacific and enormous footprints are discovered in Panama, a team of scientists is brought in to investigate.
But radiation expert Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) has his own theory – nuclear bomb tests have mutated a lizard to gigantic proportions and Manhattan is now under threat.
Resembling an over-produced version of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms(1953), Roland Emmerich’s dreary American overhaul replaces man-in-suit special effects with dodgy computer visuals and sub-Jurassic Park(1993) thrills.
What it doesn’t replicate is the endearing charm the celebrated fire-breather had when he stomped through cardboard skyscrapers. The old Toho Studios’ fantasy adventures may have had lower budgets, but even the cheapest of the old movies showed more imagination and flair than this dismal monster mishmash.
Dr Niko Tatopoulos
Matthew Broderick Philippe Roaché
Jean Reno Audrey Timmonds
Maria Pitillo Victor “Animal” Palotti
Hank Azaria Colonel Hicks
Kevin Dunn Mayor Ebert
Michael Lerner Charles Caiman
Harry Shearer Lucy Palotti
Arabella Field
Director
Roland Emmerich
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