The early 2000s were a great time to be a Godzilla fan. After Hollywood tried and failed to launch its own iteration of Godzilla with the notoriously lousy 1998 film (it would take 16 whole years before they tried again and got it mostly right), the ball was back in Japan's court. Not only did the creative minds behind Godzilla have to redeem the series from the infamous 1998 film, but they also had to contend with the surprisingly excellent Gamera trilogy, also from the 1990s. Gamera as a character had been a Godzilla knockoff until he became a full-fledged competitor.
As a result, Godzilla's Millennium era had a great deal riding on it. The six movies released within this particular era might not have the same charm or historical status as Godzilla's first series, the Showa era, nor the consistency of the Heisei era, which had a strong sense of continuity across its seven films, with recurring characters and even a multi-film character arc for the titular monster himself. The Millennium era can then be defined by how eclectic it is. It gets off to a slightly rocky start, but most films within it try something completely different and often exist within separate continuities. Though there are a few rough patches, there are no terrible Godzilla films in this era. In contrast, simultaneously, the cream of the Millennium era crop includes some of the best films the entire Godzilla franchise has to offer.
6 'Godzilla 2000: Millennium' (1999)
Director: Takao Okawara
The problems with the Millennium era's least compelling film start with the title. Referencing the era it kicks off directly is excellent in a way, but to throw a "2000" in there when it was released in 1999? It does look a bit confusing. Sure, that's a nitpick, but there's not a lot that can otherwise be said about Godzilla 2000.
It's competent, and it does look very good compared to 1998's Godzilla, which came out just the year before, but it doesn't do a great deal to establish a new or interesting take on the character. He's not heroic and kind of goes back to his character in the original film, where he's an ambivalent force of nature/walking "natural disaster." Still, he's not as terrifying as he is in either the classic original Godzilla from 1954 or 1984's The Return of Godzilla, which was a more successful reboot of sorts. At least the new monster here, Orga, is excellent, especially the way it mutates and changes form throughout the film.
Godzilla 2000: Millennium is available to stream on Max in the US.
5 'Godzilla vs. Megaguirus' (2000)
Director: Masaaki Tezuka
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus might not be great, but the underrated monster movie deserves a little more love. It's a slight improvement on Godzilla 2000. Once again, it serves as something of a reboot and reinterpretation of the character by presenting a new story where the events of Godzilla 2000 didn't happen.
One thing that presents as a problem in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is some of the CGI. The 90s Heisei films were the first to have a little CGI, but there was rarely too much of it. Yet the Millennium era does increase the number of CGI effects, and the quality just wasn't quite there in the year 2000 to have it still look solid. Getting past that, at least Megaguirus is a cool new foe for Godzilla to fight, and one of the main reasons this still works as a decent kaiju film. The character's design is neat, and its speed and agility ensure it stands out from most other Godzilla enemies, who tend to be slower and more robust, like Godzilla himself.
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is available to stream on Pluto in the US.
4 'Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.' (2003)
Director: Masaaki Tezuka
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is the one film in the Millennium era that directly references another film in the Millennium era, as it's a sequel to the previous year's Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla. Like that one, the conflict here focuses on Godzilla fighting his famous robotic adversary, but Mothra also plays a pretty significant role here.
It all makes for a fun three-way showdown by the end, as Mothra and her tiny fairy accomplices also feel this version of MechaGodzilla is a threat, given it's constructed from the remains of 1954's Godzilla, and therefore might be cursed. It's not as lean or as consistent as the film. It's a sequel, too, though, and suffers just a little in comparison.
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is available to stream on Hulu in the US.
3 'Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla' (2002)
Director: Masaaki Tezuka
Films where Godzilla fights MechaGodzilla are usually a pretty safe bet. Going back to the robot's first appearance in the 1970s, the idea of Godzilla having an adversary that's his size, and shape and wields similar powers is inherently fun, and their smack-downs always make for great action.
At 88 minutes, Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla stands as one of the shortest Godzilla movies since the Showa era, where most hovered around the 90-minute mark or below. This one stands as a very fast-paced and consistently entertaining Godzilla film. And if you think it's too short, don't worry! Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. came out a year later and, as a direct sequel, provides Godzilla/MechaGodzilla fans with some more similarly satisfying action.
Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla is available to stream on Pluto in the US.
2 'Godzilla: Final Wars' (2004)
Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
This was the last Japanese Godzilla film released until 2016's Shin Godzilla (one of the best films to come out of Japan within the last decade) and served as a finale for the Millennium era and a celebration of Godzilla's 50th anniversary. As a result, it goes all out, with a wild plot that serves as an excuse to give Godzilla a chance to fight almost every monster that appeared throughout the franchise until that point.
The fact it's almost every monster does makes it a bit disappointing when some series favorites don't show up. Destoroyah might have only appeared once, but the film where he battled Godzilla was one of the best in the whole series, and he's the only monster to have successfully killed Godzilla! And the lack of MechaGodzilla is even more surprising because everyone loves MechaGodzilla. But it's made up for what might be the most entertaining and outlandish human storyline in any Godzilla film. In case anyone thought all the monster fights didn't amount to enough action, the humans here have just as many action scenes, and the film as a whole is overwhelming and silly in the best way possible. It's one of the wildest (and best) of all the Godzilla films.
Godzilla: Final Wars is available to stream on Pluto in the US.
1 'Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack' (2001)
Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Godzilla 2000 might have been okay, and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus a tiny bit better, but neither was amazing. Both ensured the Millennium era was off to a less-than-ideal start, in all honesty. So, enter Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, a perfect Godzilla film that represents the Millennium era at its best.
Director Shusuke Kaneko was brought to helm Giant Monsters All-Out Attack after making three great films in the 1990s for the Gamera series, Godzilla's biggest film rival. If you can't beat them, get them to join you, maybe? In this movie, Godzilla isn't just a force of nature: he's genuinely evil here (specifically targeting and consciously killing humans!). He makes for perhaps the most terrifying iteration of the character yet. King Ghidorah gets to be the hero for once, teaming up with Mothra and Baragon to try and stop Godzilla. The fantastical elements of the story are exciting and unique, the pacing is great, the action and spectacle are satisfying, and even the human storyline is good. It's a classic monster movie and represents the Godzilla franchise at its best.
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack is available to stream on Pluto in the US.