Three Nineties Movies That Are Not As Bad As You Remember

Godzilla (1998)

Roland Emmerich’s monster movie was expected to set box office records for Sony. It was released on Memorial Day weekend in the United States to $44 million when $100 million was the expected target. This explains why the marketing went all out with copious merchandising, advertising, and media synergy. The film would then go on to be financially healthy due to interest at the worldwide box office, but the issue of the critical response was also a problem. The film gained mostly negative reviews across the board.

The main points of contention for film critics were Godzilla’s overuse of computer-generated imagery, the poor writing, and underdeveloped characters.

Could this have been an example of a movie being oversold? Was the marketing so good that people were disappointed with the end product? The budget for advertising this movie must have been upwards of $50 million. It was everywhere.

The initial trailer, which was shown before screenings of Men in Black, was superb and very well-liked by audiences. It grabbed their attention and looked exciting. A key factor in the marketing was that it was agreed the monster would not bee shown fully in the trailers, production images or the two excellent music videos, Jamiroquai’s “Deeper Underground” and Puff Daddy’s “Come With Me.” Not showing Godzilla fully gave the monster a mystique that was shared by the shark in Jaws. If you don’t fully show the character, the audience will be more fearful of it and not anticipate when it’s going to appear.

When the film came out though, there was a lot of full Godzilla shots, and people did not like the way it looked for the most part. It was a far cry away from the many classic Japanese Gojira films that came before.

However, I believe we can still enjoy the movie if watched today. Films are filled with CGI now, some good, some bad, and it would be a shame if we let it determine our enjoyment of a movie. If you take this as it was intended to be seen, not some great piece of art, but an enjoyable blockbuster monster movie, I think you will come away with a smile on your face.

The first third, as we follow Matthew Broderick’s nuclear scientist Nick Tatopoulos investigating what this creature could be is great. He investigates footprints and ships that the monster has sunk. It then builds up nicely to Godzilla’s rampage in New York City. Even the final third when a whole nest of little Godzillas is discovered in Madison Square Garden is fun and traditional monster fun. Obviously, they needed something that resembled velociraptors after their success in Jurassic Park a few years earlier.

The cast is likeable including Broderick, Jean Reno, Hank Azaria, and Maria Pitillo. The plot goes at the very good pace. No one cannot accuse the action of stopping even if it sometimes feels like scene after scene of the military trying to take down Godzilla.

Don’t take this film too seriously, get yourself comfortable with something to eat or drink, and I guarantee you’ll finish the film and say, “That wasn’t too bad.”

The Flintstones (1994)

“Yabba-Dabba-Dud” is as efficient a way as you can get to destroy a movie in your review in so few words. The Flintstones was not like by the critics. It won the Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay and Worst Supporting Actress for Rosie O’Donnell. It made many critics’ Worst of the Year Lists. It was seen as a failure.

There may have been some issues with the script during development. 35 writers are said to have worked on the film. How anyone can turn that into a masterpiece is impossible, but director Brian Levant still salvages something here. It’s interesting he returned six years later for The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas (2000) after the critical backlash received by this film.

Whatever the critics say though, surely they cannot deny that the casting of the main four characters in spot on. John Goodman as Fred, Elizabeth Perkins and Wilma, Rosie O’Donnell as Betty and Rick Moranis as Barney are great choices. Well done to the casting director on that one. John Goodman reportedly only did the film because years before at a table reading Steven Spielberg, who served as producer on The Flintstones, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve found my Fred Flintstone.”

Many actors were considered for these roles throughout the years including John Candy for Fred and Danny DeVito for Barney. When you’ve got a character that is so embedded in the public consciousness, I guess everyone has an actor in mind for the role.

This Flintstones is a film that has grown on me over the years. That’s probably because a lot of the themes and jokes are aimed at an older audience. I’m not sure a younger audience appreciate the mother-in-law jokes, embezzlement plot and sexual tension between Halle Berry’s Miss Stone and Flintstone. Visually there’s still a lot for kids to enjoy and plenty of slapstick.

The sets look fantastic, and Bedrock feels like a working city. The special effects for the creatures and dinosaurs were a combination of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and Industrial Light and Music, a dream team that would be the envy of most productions. The setting looks true to the cartoon source material.

The plot works too, fusing the stories of Bamm-Bamm’s adoption and Fred, thanks to Barney, becoming a manager at Slate & Co. The tensions between the two families as a result make an intriguing storyline. There is a lot to like.

Now that film critics don’t have the authority to destroy a movie like they did with The Flintstones anymore, don’t be afraid to try rewatching it, you might enjoy it. Yabba-Dabba-Do it!

Batman Forever (1995)

It was all change for the Batman series after the successes of Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). Joel Schumacher was installed as the new director, Val Kilmer was the new Bruce Wayne, and the tone of the movie was changed from dark and gothic to more colourful.

This was in no small part to the darkness of Batman Returns. Burton had made a film that most children couldn’t see, and Warner Bros were massively disappointed with this. They had so much merchandise and tie-ins, including a Happy Meal promotion that McDonald’s ended up recalling, that depended on children being able to enjoy the movie then buy the products.

The plan going forward was to make the franchise more child-friendly and, as a result, make more money. The Riddler was always considered to be the main villain, but the script went through many developments, some that also seemed like they were going down too dark a route, which wasn’t what Warner Bros wanted. They also didn’t want a prequel which crashed and burned Schumacher’s idea of adapting Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One.

There were on-set clashes between Schumacher and Kilmer and Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, who famously said, “I hate you; I cannot sanction your buffoonery.” But in the end, Batman Forever came out and domestically became the third most successful film at the box office that year after Toy Story and Apollo 13.

Despite its success at the box-office, the movie has a reputation of being vapid and mundane with Roger Ebert calling it “Bubblegum for the eyes.” It is perceived to be too garish and boring at the same time and lacks tone. There was also huge talk of the Batsuit having nipples. A petty quibble that I think came from some uncomfortable with the sexuality of the director.

It’s a fun movie. Sure, I don’t think it’s a classic and the dialogue is a bit ropey, but it’s a great way to spend an afternoon. Jim Carrey’s Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones’ Two Face are kinetic and ham up every scene. They know what kind of movie this is and they are performing to that audience. I think with every movie today being tinged with darkness, it’s great to go back and enjoy some pure and unadulterated mayhem.

It's a good cast overall with Val Kilmer calmly competent for his solitary outing as the Caped Crusader. Nicole Kidman, Alfred Gough, and Chris O’Donnell are also impressive. I know that the latter’s career didn’t really survive the beating it took from Batman & Robin but there’s nothing wrong with his acting.

Gotham looks interesting, the style takes some getting used to, but it does immerse the viewer. The costumes and gadgets all look great, and it does feel like a comic book movie.

Batman Forever is an entertaining popcorn movie that you don’t have to take too seriously. If you’re not a fan of the tone, there are hundreds of dark superhero movies right now you can watch on streaming platforms.

Also keep an eye out for a potential Director’s Cut of the film. Joel Schumacher sadly passed away in 2020 but Warner Bros have confirmed that a director’s cut does exist. Although there are no plans to release it at the moment, you never know in the future.