With Godzilla Resurgence coming next month to the US for a very limited theatrical run, I thought it would be fun to review a couple of movies from the series. Here is my first one:
Title: Godzilla Vs. Destroyah
Director: Takao Okawara
Writer: Kazuki Ohmori
Cast: Takuro Tatsumi, Yoko Ishino, Yasumfumi Hayashi, Megumi Odaka, Sayaka Osawa
Min: 103
Year: 1995
Godzilla appears with glowing rashes and attacks. It turns out that he is having a nuclear meltdown, and if he blows up the Earth will die with him. A way to stop our reptilian hero from going nuclear must be found. And, speaking of found, at the same time G-Force is searching for the younger Godzilla creature, Junior. Who unlike the ridiculous Minilla actually looks like a young Godzilla creature. Meanwhile, the Oxygen Destroyer from Gojira, that killed the first Godzilla, has mutated some prehistoric crustaceans into nasty monsters. Eventually, they combine into one giant monster called Destroyah, bent on killing and, well, destroying everything it's path, including our soon to go ka-boom, Godzilla.
Advertised, at the time, as featuring the death of Godzilla, Godzilla Vs. Destroyah
is one of the most emotional in the series, as well as one of it's
finest. Most of FX are top-notch, with some solid creature costume work
and miniatures. The actual Destroyah monster is massive and one of the
series most righteously evil and intimidating looking monsters. He comes
off as a legitimate threat to the Big-G, and you feel like this fucker
could seriously hurt or even kill him. And, that is no small (pun not
intended) feat. The smaller Destroyah creatures are a little more fake
looking, but aren't enough to distract from the movie, itself.
Admit ably, the scene involving those monsters lifts A LOT from Aliens.
I would like to think this is meant to be an homage and not a blatant
rip-off. Regardless, that and other action scenes are very rousing and
exciting. The extended climatic battle between the monsters is
especially awesome. It's one of the most violent in the series with
spraying and dripping blood, both of the green and yellow colored
variety.
The acting is good, and thankfully the humans
story here isn't that bad. The characters are fine as is, and while none
of them are particularly memorable, it's not like movie suddenly sucks
when the monsters aren't onscreen. Besides, the two girls searching for
Junior help to add a good amount of human heart to it all.
Exciting, kick ass, and with some good amount of heart Godzilla Vs. Destroyah is a great entry in the long running franchise (the 22nd to be precise!). It stands heads and shoulders above many others in the Big-G's film career and was a great way to end this part of the series, as one was not made again till five later with Godzilla 2000. Sony released a blu-ray of it, packaged with Godzilla Vs. Megaguirus just a few years ago. The disc looks damn good and has great sound that will make the bass on your sound system rock. This gives you yet another reason to watch this awesome monster mash.
4 out of 4
Director: Takao Okawara
Writer: Kazuki Ohmori
Cast: Takuro Tatsumi, Yoko Ishino, Yasumfumi Hayashi, Megumi Odaka, Sayaka Osawa
Min: 103
Year: 1995
Godzilla appears with glowing rashes and attacks. It turns out that he is having a nuclear meltdown, and if he blows up the Earth will die with him. A way to stop our reptilian hero from going nuclear must be found. And, speaking of found, at the same time G-Force is searching for the younger Godzilla creature, Junior. Who unlike the ridiculous Minilla actually looks like a young Godzilla creature. Meanwhile, the Oxygen Destroyer from Gojira, that killed the first Godzilla, has mutated some prehistoric crustaceans into nasty monsters. Eventually, they combine into one giant monster called Destroyah, bent on killing and, well, destroying everything it's path, including our soon to go ka-boom, Godzilla.
4 out of 4
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