The Godzilla franchise was in desperate need of a fresh start after the 1970s, and I would say that the 1984 reboot attempt was successful in many areas. In "The Return of Godzilla," the eponymous monster is finally back as an almost unopposable force of nature. Godzilla is bigger, meaner, and more brutal here than in the previous films. In terms of content, the film disregards everything that has occurred since the 1954 film, paving the way for a new continuity.

I wouldn't necessarily say that the human characters are particularly interesting, but they are a million times better than in the worst parts of the series. Overall, "The Return of Godzilla" excels at laying the groundwork for future films as a decidedly gritty film. In that regard, it's a complete success in my eyes, even if the beginning and end of the movie are better executed than the entire middle section.