Gargantua (1998)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Lack of good storyline.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

This was probably a great TV film in 1998, and was a horror or sci-fi feature which kept the audiences on the edge of their seats, but in 2009 it is more of a comedy.The story revolves around a father who is a Marine Biologist and his son Brandon who are investigating various changes in the region around the Polynesian Island of Malau. There are also several killings of people in the waters, which also brings in the Marine Corp.This film kept me laughing especially when it reminded me of a famous commercial we see on TV today a "Greco". Some of the actors tried their best to play their different roles, but this film you can really forget about and move on.

foiwehfoightu wekjfhwdfgiousdy89234osdfjwefiou tju roitj39857t neioujhu weoiwut9348ru n. There. That makes more sense than this trashy movie which is about giant salamanders which can magically tolerate salt water. It reminds me of the time my friend Annie Bananie was using frogs for a science project at school. Her mother kept cleaning the terrarium with Windex. This gave the frogs brain damage and ruined all of Annie's data. Annie Bananie's dad had to take the frogs out back and cut their heads off with pinking shears to put them out of their misery. I wish he had lopped MY head off before I watched this waste of celluloid. If "Gargantua" had been made in the 50's, even American International or Allied Artists wouldn't have released it-- it's that bad.

In a small island in Polynesia, the widow biologist Jack Ellway (Adam Baldwin) is developing some type of marine research. Meanwhile, some locals have disappeared and pretty soon, Jack realizes that a family of mutants lizards have escaped from an opening in the bottom of the ocean and the male (`father') is trying to rescue its family. Jack and some other scientists give their best effort to save the animals and return them to their environment. Wow, I did not believe in the rating of IMDB and have decided to check this movie. It is indeed a crap, being cheesy and corny. The monsters are clones of Godzila, and the baby lizard has the eyes of ET, recalling Sean Young's 1985 `Baby... Secret of the Lost Legend'. The story has some very ridiculous points. For example, when the marines are called to save the locals from the lizards. The marines basically destroy the island with their weapons, while the poor animal is only trying to gather its family. Therefore, the marines are indeed the greater menace for the persons and their possessions. When some soldiers are smashed by the foot or bitten by its teeth, nobody feels sorry for their deaths; however, when the female dies, there are many tears. Maybe children may like this predictable story. My vote is four.

Gargantua really isn't a bad film at all, once you understand that it is really designed for kids. It doesn't follow the standard rampaging monster picture formula; and it is definitely not an old fashioned "D" monster movie. It is an adventurous morality tale with modern ecological elements for kids, and the young at heart, to enjoy. The monsters are not vicious; they are merely trying to protect themselves as a family. There is a clear parallel between them and the young boy who has lost is mother and clings so desperately to his father, the scientist in the times of danger. A good monster picture always has a scientist to explain the obvious to us. This one has a science hero who is a conservationist, determined to save the monsters if possible. The film has many elements with which children will quickly identify. It is really produced on that plane. I love a good monster flick of any kind and I can appreciate Gargantua on the level. The production values of Gargantua are quite good. The camera work and the sea-going adventure scenes are quiet well done. The acting is superior and the plot is cohesive. Let the film thrill the kids and realize that it's not really made for jaded, overly-critical adults. It sure beats the pants off of the spate of formula snake movies and genetic mutation muddles I've seen of late. Let the kids have their fun with Gargantua, and go pick on "Boa", or Pythons 2, quagmires truly worthy of disdain.