Astonishing effects work!
I only just saw this movie, gawd knows how it escaped my radar as it's right up my alley.
Rick Baker's effects work was gobsmacking, I had to keep reminding myself that it was made in the CG era but I honestly couldn't tell - and this is rare - whether I was looking at a model or animation.
And in 1998! 20 years later and some of today's effects shots don't look half as convincing as Joe in this (cough, Godzilla, cough).