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My Year with Godzilla

Garp

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BONUS: 'Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon' [1994]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Toho remake of 'The Three Treasures' with mythical kaiju
Sub or Dub? Sub

The Yamato Takeru legend gets an update in this 1994 fantasy. The plot covers a lot of the same ground, naturally, as the 1959 'The Three Treasures' film, without the flashbacks. There's a little more backstory concerning Yamato's birth and why he was ostracized, and the ending is different, but otherwise it's a streamlined version with more modern effects.

Masahiro Takashima doesn't have the gravitas of Toshiro Mifune in the lead role, playing it more like a naive outsider who has sudden greatness thrust upon him. It works, particularly as this version tends to borrow from other films and genres anyway - a touch of 'Star Wars', 'Highlander' and 'Clash of the Titans' all being present and correct.

The titular beast looks great though moves like Biollante - linear with no discernible moving parts. The final act decides to ditch any pretense of being a straight forward mythological retelling and jumps headfirst into Ultraman territory. Yeah, it's fun but didn't quite gel for me.

Although 'The Three Treasures', at 3 hours, can be a slog, it's arguably the better made film. 'Orochi' doesn't pretend to be an epic, settling for a simple fantasy adventure. As such, it's fine and, if you're not looking for too much depth, entertaining and enjoyable.
 

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Week 30: 'Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II' [1993]
Is Godzilla in it? Yes.
Sub or Dub? Sub

Godzilla: Radioactive Monster. Force of Nature. Foster Parent.

The UN have decided to be proactive. Utilizing parts from Mecha-King Ghidorah (from 'Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah'), they create two giant robots - Garuda and Mechagodzilla. When an egg is discovered on another distant island, both Godzilla and old foe Rodan show up to battle it out. Later still, when the egg hatches to produce a Baby Godzilla, Godzilla's maternal/paternal instincts kick in. Mix in some more psychic linking and you have another ho-hum kaiju adventure. With robots.

I enjoy watching the old series of 'Man v Food' with Adam Richman. The spicy challenges are fun, but I especially enjoy the extra-extra large portions of delicious food. With this self-imposed challenge of watching every Godzilla film within a year, I'm beginning to feel what it must be like to take part in a 'Man v Food' episode. It starts off OK, as the food looks good and is tasty. Then things start to go downhill. The food looks less appetizing. It's a struggle to swallow. Every bite feels the same. 

I think I have Godzilla Fatigue. I almost had to force myself to watch 'Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II' last night, and it was not an easy watch. The film starts well - I liked the exposition regarding the manufacture of the mechas, and Masahiro Takashima (whom I last saw in 'Yamato Takeru') is a beguiling lead. I was even slightly buoyed when Rodan showed up, though disgruntled that he looked different (no suit, just puppet). By the time that Baby Godzilla appeared, however, I was sinking fast.

'Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II' is not a bad film per se, it's just so... so-so. There's a lot of whizz-bang in the (many) battles - pyrotechnics being a big theme throughout - and the model work is fine. Mechagodzilla fares better as Super Mechagodzilla, in my eyes, and close-ups of Godzilla's animatronic head makes him look strangely like an otter. As a suit, Baby Godzilla is impressive, though not unlike his step-sibling (?) I found it too cute and grating.

What did we learn from this film? Well, Godzilla has two brains, and probably some other lesson about looking after one other. Or something. I nodded off again.

Look, it's a Heisei Godzilla film. The effects are mostly good, the plot is straight-forward, the acting adequate... Has it really only been 30 weeks? Dear god, I need to lay down.
 

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BONUS: 'The Magic Serpent' [1966]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Mythical kaiju
Sub or Dub? Dub

In Old Japan, the Lord of the manor and his wife are assassinated. As the scheming assassin takes over his domain, the former Lord's young son is spirited away. In time, he is taught the ways of the For..., er, Ninja. The dying wish of his Master is that he defeat his father's killer and reclaim his rightful place as Lord.

'The Magic Serpent' doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Is it a bloody ninja romp? (In part, yes.) Is it a crazy kaiju tale? (In part, yes.) Is it mythological love story? (In part... you get the idea.) The set-up is far from original, with our hero's parents being killed within the first few minutes. So far, so Daimajin. But it then takes off in a bizarre direction, with an early appearance of a dragon (a suit/marionette contraption a la King Ghidorah) and some magical ninja skills. His Master is an old pre-Jedi-type who teaches him amazing Force abilities, the best being able to survive a beheading (never saw Obi-Wan manage that).

The film is at its best when ninjas or magic or kaiju are on screen, which unfortunately aren't as often as I would have liked. It drags in the middle, alas, livened by the odd - very odd, on occasions - scenes of mayhem, such as when he is attacked by a ferocious gang of doors. And then, maybe 15 minutes before the end, a giant horned frog shows up and all is forgiven. The suits and models are excellent and the three-way battle between the frog, the dragon and a giant spider (OK, not quite so impressive as the other two) is worth the wait.

There are a couple of versions of this film floating around; I watched the dubbed version as the subtitled one seemed slightly yet annoyingly out of sync. (The benefit of the dubbed version is hearing the distinctive roars of Godzilla et al emanating from Toei kaiju.) If you can get past the slow middle section, it's worth a watch.
 

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Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975

Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan’s Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen.

Criterion Collection, available Oct 29 2019.
 

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BONUS: 'Sakuya: Slayer of Demons' [2000]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: More mythical kaiju
Sub or Dub? Sub

Set in early 18th Century Japan, a demon-slaying samurai is killed. He passes his magical sword to his daughter, whom not only takes up the family business, but also adopts a baby Kappa (a kind of water demon) who grows up to be a seemingly normal 10 yr old-sized boy (albeit growing to that stage within 3 months). The two then set out together, slaying demons along their merry way.

'Sakuya' is a dark film, and by that I mean I often couldn't see what was going on (the poor transfer I found online didn't help). The premise behind the sword is a good one - it will successfully kill otherwise unkillable demons, but will drain the life force from whomever wields it, symbolised by a diminishing candle. Overall, though,I was confused by the tone. It seemed so earnest yet ridiculous at the same time - was it taking itself seriously or was it supposed to be tongue-in-cheek? It had the look of a 1980s Goth band's music video (there are even a couple of musical scenes, the more bizarre featuring overgrown Muppets from a Brian Henson fever dream). 

There's a couple of kaiju on display - a two-tailed cat woman and a giant spider lady. The effects are good, but the main characters were stoic (a bit 'Lone Wolf and Cub' in a sense, but nowhere as good) and lifeless; I didn't care what they did and was relieved when it was finally over. I'm not sure whether it was adapted from a comic, but it looked like it could have been and probably would have worked better as animation. Nice try, just not for me.
 

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BONUS: 'Forbidden Planet' [1956]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Inspiration for 'The Mysterians' [1957]

A spaceship is sent to a distant planet to uncover what happened to a previous voyage there 20 years ago. They discover only two survivors - Dr. Morbius and his winsome daughter Altaira - along with their helpful robot Robby. As they work to send word back to Earth of their findings, they soon become aware that the planet is not without its hidden dangers.

This sci-fi classic is probably best remembered for its iconic robot and for being a modern take on the Shakespeare play 'The Tempest'. As well as being cited as an inspiration for Toho's 'The Mysterians', Gene Roddenberry confirmed that it was an inspiration for his own 'Star Trek'. In fact, it is hard not to imagine Kirk, Bones & Spock taking the roles of several characters in this film as you watch it.

'Forbidden Planet' is a serious and thoughtful film, yet features a cool robot design and amazing special effects. As such, it isn't easy to pigeonhole and rather frustrating to review. It can be slow, yet I wouldn't want to miss any of the great sets as the characters roam around inside the planet, learning more - little by little - of its previous inhabitants. When the monster is finally 'shown', it's animation (presumably by Disney, as credited in the opening titles) is incredibly well-done.

Things get a little uncomfortable when 1950s standards towards women are shown not to have improved one iota by the 23rd century, and the acting can be a little flat. But overall I enjoyed it, leaving me with the same nostalgic warm glow I get after binge-watching multiple episodes of 'Star Trek TOS'.
 

TM2YC

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^ Nice review, I'm about 10 films away from watching that one.
 

Garp

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BONUS: 'The Invisible Boy' [1957]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: 'Sequel' to 'Forbidden Planet', the inspiration for Toho's 'The Mysterians'

Robby the Robot gets his own spin-off film in this 1957 B-movie. The film is set in the 50s, so some throwaway exposition is needed to explain a 23rd century robot's appearance here - Time Travel. Once that is out the way, we can sit back and enjoy this bizarre mishmash of a film.

After having his intellect boosted due to reasons I might have napped through, 10 year old Timmie is given the iconic time-traveling robot to play with. One of the high-tech antics they engage in involves invisibility, of course, though it doesn't further the plot in any discernible way and was probably just a way to add some middling effects to keep the kiddies amused. The main plot is a tad darker, involving Manchurian Candidate types and HAL-like supercomputers. B-grade shenanigans and multiple child spankings ensue.

This film reminded me of 'The Exquisite Corpse Project' [2012], as the tone of the film would change drastically from act to act, as if several writers were involved without knowing what the others had written. There are your basic 1950s-sitcom-family comedic elements, followed by Red Scare paranoia. Timmie disappears - literally and thematically - for large chunks of the film as the adults grapple with the supercomputer-gone-rogue. It's entertaining in a sense as you're never sure what type of movie you're about to see next. Recommended for fans of Robby or of tonally ambivalent B-movies.
 

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THIS IS AMAZING
Criterion is going to release a boxed set of the entire Showa-era Godzilla films in October as their 1000th release.
Criterion said:
In 1954, an enormous beast clawed its way out of the sea, destroying everything in its path—and changing movies forever. The arresting original Godzilla soon gave rise to an entire monster-movie genre (kaiju eiga), but the King of the Monsters continued to reign supreme: in fourteen fiercely entertaining sequels over the next two decades, Godzilla defended its throne against a host of other formidable creatures, transforming from a terrifying symbol of nuclear annihilation into a benevolent (if still belligerent) Earth protector. Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan’s Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen.​

EIGHT-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION COLLECTOR’S SET FEATURES
  • High-definition digital transfers of all fifteen Godzilla films made between 1954 and 1975, released together for the first time, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
  • High-definition digital transfers of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, the 1956 U.S.-release version of Godzilla; and the 1962 Japanese-release version of King Kong vs. Godzilla
  • Audio commentaries from 2011 on Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters featuring film historian David Kalat
  • International English-language dub tracks for Invasion of Astro-Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla
  • Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Ishiro Honda, conducted by director Yoshimitsu Banno in 1990
  • Programs detailing the creation of Godzilla’s special effects and unused effects sequences from Toho releases including Destroy All Monsters
  • New interview with filmmaker Alex Cox about his admiration for the Showa-era Godzilla films
  • New and archival interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Bin Furuya, Tsugutoshi Komada, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada; composer Akira Ifukube; and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
  • Interview with critic Tadao Sato from 2011
  • Illustrated audio essay from 2011 about the real-life tragedy that inspired Godzilla
  • New English subtitle translations

If it included King Kong, King Kong Escapes, Mothra, and Rodan it would be perfect.
 

Garp

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BONUS: 'The War of the Worlds' [1953]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Another source of inspiration for Toho's 'The Mysterians'.

An assumed meteor that crashes on the outskirts of a small Californian town turns out to be "the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars."

H.G. Wells' 1897 novel gets the 1950s Technicolor treatment, with the US town of Linda Rosa subbing for Woking, UK, which is probably prettier. (Disclosure: I was brought up not far from Woking and remember it mostly for its shopping center; I had moved away by the time the sculpture of the Martian spaceship was erected but have seen it whilst visiting family.)

I'd seen 'War of the Worlds' many years before and enjoyed it slightly less this time around. The effects are still an obvious highlight, though, with the spaceships (no tripod legs - something to do with them being "invisible", I'm not sure) looking suitably alien. The Martians themselves come across better as portentous shadows and tentacles rather than the stubby creatures we finally get to see, but it's a minor gripe; the effects work still holds up amazingly well overall.

I like to think the radio announcer's commentary, complete with shots of listeners - both avid and nonchalant, around the nation - is a nod to Welles' famous Mercury Theater production. And is the comment that aliens landed outside London a tip of the hat to Woking? I hope both are true.

This has never been a favourite sci-fi film for me, though the garish colour scheme that usually puts me off looked more fitting somehow this time. It gives an unworldly, unrealistic sheen to what would be a nightmare scenario. Like a lot of 1950s sci-fi, it ends rather abruptly, but matches the Deus Ex Machina of the novel in that sense.
 

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Week 31: 'The Mysterians' [1957]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Features kaiju Moguera, later to appear in the film 'Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla' and 'Godzilla Island' on TV.
Sub or Dub? Sub

Japan is under attack! Motorcycle-helmet-wearing aliens arrive, demanding Lebensraum and conjugal access to local women. Japan declines; war inevitable.

This 1957 Ishiro Honda film features some impressive effects for its time - notably the earthquake and landslides, reused in later Toho films - but the plot, bar one element, is routine. I'd read that 'The War of the Worlds' was an influence on this film, and I'm glad I watched that first as it did have a similar feel to it, as far as I was concerned. 'Forbidden Planet', another cited source of inspiration, is less apparent here, though some of the composite work and mattes were vaguely reminiscent.

The fact that the Mysterians explicitly wish to mate with Earth women is a bizarre twist that doesn't really go anywhere, except give the menfolk an opportunity to save damsels in distress. Lots of familiar Toho regulars are sprinkled throughout, making a nice palate cleanser after so many so-so Heisei films in this year-long project of mine. A semi-sequel, 'Battle in Outer Space', was released in 1959 (to be reviewed in two weeks).
 

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Week 32: 'Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla' [1994]
Is Godzilla in it? Yes.
Sub or Dub? Sub

The One With Godzilla's Evil Twin. From Space.

'Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla' has so many callbacks to other films that it's hard to keep up sometimes. Baby Godzilla (or 'Little Godzilla', as termed here) returns, looking more cat-like, as does Mothra, looking much, much smaller, and Moguera, last seen being destroyed in 'The Mysterians'. (Considering that so many other elements of this film are referenced with dialogue and flashbacks to other movies, it's odd that no mention is made of the possible connection between the two Mogueras.)

SpaceGodzilla is a product of Godzilla cells being sent into space via Biollante and Mothra (nice use of continuity) then subjected to radiation from black and white holes. Naturally, this produces a Godzilla-like kaiju with giant crystals on its back. Actually, SpaceGodzilla is one cool looking monster, with an impressive sneer. With several competing projects to either destroy or control Godzilla in progress, Japan must decide how best to stop the threat of SpaceGodzilla and/or the earthbound one.

'Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla' is a silly yet fun sci-fi fantasy. Megumi Odaka returns as Miki the psychic, in her largest role yet, and is amply backed up by a strong cast, most notably Akira Emoto as Yuki, a no-nonsense rogue soldier with a Godzilla grudge. His laidback, deadpan portrayal is among the best acting in a Godzilla film I've seen in a long while.

There are some great battle scenes, utilising more face-to-face fighting than the usual beam wars. Model work is acceptable, and I noticed the score more than normal, as it sounded suspiciously like that from the Bond film 'You only live twice'. The third act drags a little, but overall this was a well above average Heisei feature.
 

Jrzag42

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I'm already making plans to watch this with my older sibling after reading this review.
 

Garp

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'Godzilland' [TV] [1996]
Is Godzilla in it? Yes.
Sub or Dub? Sub

'Godzilland' is a Sesame Street type TV show for the very young, helping them with mathematics whilst indoctrinating them into the world of Godzilla. I could only stomach one half-hour viewing - on subtraction - which featured a human-sized, talking Godzilla sharing cupcakes with a pretty young girl who teases him about his 'girlfriend', Godzilly. Cut then to some simple cartoons, in which a much younger set of kaiju (think 'Muppet Babies') play and figure out how to share apples using subtraction. Lots of notable monsters on display - Mothra, Baragon, Anguirus, King Ghidorah, Moguera and MechaGodzilla, who gets into trouble by being a bit too aggressive with Godzilly, leading the others to think she's being kidnapped! Rather bizarre overall. For completists like myself only.
 

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According to Wikipedia, Godzillaland was initially a trivia show to promote Godzilla vs Mothra, and then Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II, and the educational incarnation came later. The trivia show seems like it would be more enjoyable. I'd be interested in checking out the educational series though, to help learn Japanese. According to YouTube, the best way to learn the language is to watch Japanese shows without subtitles and pick up on the context. I presume a children's educational show would be best, it helped Bruce Banner learn Portuguese in Incredible Hulk.
 

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Week 33: 'Battle in Outer Space' [1959]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Loose sequel to 'The Mysterians'
Sub or Dub? Dub

Aliens from the planet Natal have colonised the moon and are mind-controlling humans as a precursor to invasion. The UN gather to discuss the threat, deciding to send two rockets to earth's only natural satellite to destroy the would-be invaders. Little do they know that a mind-controlled astronaut is amongst their number...

I was hoping to like this one, having gained some enjoyment from its spiritual predecessor 'The Mysterians'. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into 'BIOS' at all. The film is very slow, very talkie and very, very light on characterisation - roles, dialogue and action could be interchanged without losing anything here. This film felt much more like 'Forbidden Planet' in tone, just not as good. The Natal aliens are unseen for majority of the film, being only a formless inner voice to the mind-controlled, and are laughable when finally encountered - clumsy, grabby entities probably played by children.

The effects are well-done, especially the fate of the Golden Gate Bridge and an unusual anti-gravity effect that sucks buildings apart. The rockets and vehicles have the 'Thunderbird'-type feel I like - they look hefty and well-constructed - but even the pew-pew stand-offs in the latter half of the film couldn't keep me interested, I'm afraid. I may be an outlier, though, as other reviews are generally good, so maybe I'm missing something. *shrug*
 

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BONUS: 'Gorath' [1962]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Features kaiju Maguma.
Sub or Dub? Sub

A star 6,000 times the mass of the Earth is on a collision course with our home. There is no way to deflect or halt the unstoppable object, named Gorath. The UN's answer? Move the Earth instead!

This Ishiro Honda film apparently has similarities to the earlier 'When Worlds Collide' (which I have not seen) and reminded me of 'The Day the Earth Caught Fire' (which I have). The idea of using nuclear explosions at the South Pole to shift the Earth out of the way of a rogue star is ridiculous, yet is presented somberly and methodically here. 'Gorath' is very much in line with the previous 'Battle in Outer Space', being slow and talkie yet bests the earlier film in nearly every way. The characterisation and acting is better (lots of recognisable Toho favourites on show) and the effects are superb. In the standard of early Toho films, everyone seems to have a link somehow to everyone else, and there is an obligatory love triangle (albeit one corner of that triangle being dead).

There is a shoe-horned-in kaiju appearance, for no discernible reason - blink one too many times and you'd miss it - which goes against the serious tone of the rest of the film (and against the wishes of director Honda, apparently). All-in-all, though, despite the excellent effects (the climatic flooding being a highlight), I wasn't drawn to this one either. I'm not adverse to thoughtful sci-fi, yet for some reason there hasn't been enough to retain my interest in this loose trilogy of Toho space movies. A few years from now, far removed from this kaiju marathon, I shall return to these three and re-evaluate. For now, though, I remain underwhelmed.
 

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BONUS: 'The War in Space' [1977]
Is Godzilla in it? No. Godzilla connection: Features the warship 'Gotengo' (Atragon).
Sub or Dub? Dub

I had a feeling of deja vu whilst watching 'The War in Space' and it took me until the following morning to figure out why - much of this film is featured in the mash-up fan film 'Attack of the Galactic Monsters'. Even so, with its title and date of release, I was hoping for a fun 'Star Wars' rip-off. Except in one obvious aspect, I was disappointed.

For a start, this film isn't set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away; it's 1988 and on Earth. Aliens based on Venus are attacking us and we retaliate with the flying battleship 'Gohten', which is pretty much the 'Gotengo' from 'Atragon' (got that?) It doesn't matter, as this film is largely forgettable anyway.

The effects are pretty poor for a Toho film in the 70s, less impressive than the original 'Atragon' in the 60s. There's a contractually obligated love triangle, the result of which is so foreshadowed that a five year old could spot it, and some terrible masked aliens. One bright spark is the inclusion of a horned Wookiee, although he's no Chewbacca and gets dispatched far too easily.

I watched this two nights ago and nothing memorable stands out now as I write this. Seek it out if you must, but if I wanted to see a quick 'Star Wars' cash-in, I'd probably opt for 'Starcrash' personally.
 

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Week 34: 'Godzilla vs Destoroyah' [1995]
Is Godzilla in it? Yes
Sub or Dub? Sub

The Heisei Godzilla era ends with possibly the only logical conclusion to 40 years of kaiju destruction. 'Godzilla vs Destoroyah' hearkens back to the 1954 original and is one of the better 90s efforts because of it.

Godzilla is dying. His nuclear core is overheating, threatening not only to kill the beast but take out Earth when he succumbs to meltdown. In the meantime, scientists have discovered micro-oxygen, a modern version of the Oxygen Destroyer that defeated Gojira in 1954. This discovery leads to the creation of Destoroyah, first as a small trilobite-like creature, which soon evolves into man-sized spider-crab kaiju and finally a flying red xenomorth thing. Using Baby Godzilla as bait - now more like a teenager, dubbed 'Junior' - the Japanese forces lure Destoroyah and Godzilla to Tokyo for their final confrontation.

Like 'Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla' before it, 'Godzilla vs Destoroyah' leans heavily on continuity within the series, utilising recurring characters and scenarios from previous films. The biggest callback, of course, is the return of the Oxygen Destroyer, and the grandkids of Dr. Yamane. Also getting a look in are psychic Miki and Masahiro Takashima, here piloting the Super X3, after a similar duty in 'Godzilla vs Biollante' and Super X2. These could have felt like fan-service, crowbarred in awkwardly, but I thought it worked, giving a few characters a final curtain call.

The effects are good, with the pre-meltdown red Godzilla looking impressive. Destoroyah is obviously heavily influenced by the 'Alien' franchise, but I'm giving that a pass too. This film won me over, after too many draggy Heisei films in a row. It's a sombre film and one that's surprisingly capable of emotional manipulation, considering the ridiculous subject matter. Without spoiling too much, things tend not to end well for our major characters here, and the pathos is handled remarkably well, managing to skirt melodrama. As a finale - for the Heisei era at least - it does its job, and does it well.
 
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