Godzilla: Final Wars (ゴジラ ファイナル ウォーズ, Gojira Fainaru Wōzu) is a 2004 kaiju film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, with special effects by Eiichi Asada.

The film stars Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa, Don Frye, Maki Mizuno, Kazuki Kitamura, Kane Kosugi, Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, Masami Nagasawa, Chihiro Otsuka, Shigeru Izumiya, Masakatsu Funaki, Masato Ibu, Jun Kunimura, and Akira Takarada.

In the film, when a mysterious race of aliens known as the Xiliens arrive on Earth, the Earth Defense Force (EDF) find themselves locked in battle with various monsters attacking cities around the world, leading them to revive the only chance to save their planet: Godzilla.

Godzilla: Final Wars premiered on November 29, 2004 in Los Angeles, California, and was released theatrically in Japan on December 4, 2004.

The EDF ensign Shinichi Ozaki is tasked with guarding a U.N. biologist, Dr. Miyuki Otonashi, who is sent to study a mummified monster.

After the Xiliens are exposed with help from Gordon and the other mutants, the Xiliens' second-in-command, the Controller, kills his commander to assume command, revealing the plan to use humans as food source while taking control of all the mutants except for Ozaki through a property in their DNA known as "M-base".

Gordon convinces them to travel to Antarctica to release Godzilla, who is immune to Xiliens' control thanks to his lack of M-base and easily defeats Gigan.

A repaired and modified Gigan joins Monster X but is intercepted by Mothra, who manages to destroy the cyborg.

In the Xilien mothership, the Controller reveals that both he and Ozaki are superior beings known as "Keizers", powerful beings distinct from regular mutants born on rare occasions when human DNA and M-base are combined, before directly taking control of Ozaki to turn him against the group.

[2] Scenes were also filmed in various locations across Japan, including Fukushima, Kobe, and Toho Studios in Tokyo.

[15] Steve Biodrowski of Cinefantastique called the film "utterly fantastic" and "a rush of explosive excitement.

"[17] Drew McWeeny of Ain't It Cool News remarked, "Godzilla: Final Wars earns a special place in my heart.

"[18] Sean Axmaker of Static Multimedia said, "Directed by a true fan of the old school, it's lusciously, knowingly, lovingly cheesy.

"[19] Craig Blamer of the Chico News & Review called the film "a giddy and fast-paced celebration of the big guy.

"[22] Ty Burr of the Boston Globe gave the film one and a half stars out of five, saying it focused too much on action and not enough on story, and calling it "35 minutes longer than is necessary.

Carrozza of Toho Kingdom "absolutely love[d]" Final Wars, saying "[it's] no masterpiece, but it is such insane fun that quite frankly it's hard not to adore it.

"[27] Lenny Taguchi of Monster Zero criticized Keith Emerson's soundtrack but gave Final Wars an overall favorable review, calling it a "fun and good" movie that "tries many things, and generally succeeds at almost all of them.