This Godzilla film is tricky to evaluate with a straightforward assessment. If Hollywood had simply created a standard monster picture, similar to their handling of Cloverfield, it likely would have been pretty good—possibly even earning a rating of four stars. The performances are solid, including Jean Reno’s presence, the special effects are impressive considering they were made in 1998, and the storyline is logical. However, the movie's downfall stems from being produced by individuals unfamiliar with the franchise or the significance of Godzilla to its fans. For people in Japan, Godzilla holds a similar importance as Batman and Superman do for Americans, Dr. Who and James Bond for the British, and Shaft and Black Panther for the African American community. Reducing Godzilla to merely an oversized animal acting purely on instinct, rather than displaying the level of intelligence that fans have come to expect, felt like a betrayal. The ending scene, where Godzilla is killed—an act previously seen only twice in his 60-year history (in Gojira (1954) and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), with the latter intended to conclude the series)—by just three F/18s and six missiles total, when entire armies have barely managed to annoy him, was unbelievable. If you can’t grasp Godzilla's history and reputation, consider how upset people would be if James Bond were defeated by a security guard or Superman were killed by three young children wielding baseball bats. That explains why Japanese moviegoers were requesting refunds at the box office and why Toho brought their beloved Kaiju back less than a year later for what is likely one of the best films in the franchise, Godzilla 1999 (Godzilla 2000 in the United States). Considering it as just a monster film, I’d give it 3.75 stars. But as a Godzilla movie, it earns only 1 star. I'll average those scores and settle on a final rating of 2.5 stars.

Source on TMDB