GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS
(Original Title: "Gojira X Megagirasu Ji Shometsu Sakusen" - Godzilla X Megaguirus: The G Extermination Strategy)
December 16, 2000
With Godzilla ravaging Japan since 1954 and attacking their power plants, the newly established G-Graspers unit come up with a daring plan to eliminate him once and for all. But a test run of their new weapon inadvertently unleashes a new terror to contend with, a swarm of prehistoric dragonflies seeking sources of energy to feed their queen.
While Godzilla 2000: Millennium didn't do outstanding numbers at the box office, Toho still decided to move forward with another movie. Originally they wanted to do a follow up, but instead decided on the separate continuity approach the Millennium series would be known for. This is also the first entry to do a bit of retconning.
We see flashbacks to the events of the first Godzilla using the suit from the previous film cleverly inserted into the scenes. However, Godzilla (Tsutomu Kitagawa) was never killed by the Oxygen Destroyer and continued to menace Japan over the years, attacking their power plants and forcing Japan to switch to different sources of energy. Unfortunately, these also attract Godzilla so now Japan has to get rid of Godzilla more than ever. Their solution is honestly pretty out there.
In a series filled with Oxygen Destroyers, Maser Cannons and Mechagodzillas, you'd think it couldn't get any crazier. Well this movie sees that and raises you a Dimension Tide, a cannon capable of firing a miniature sized black hole at its target. As ridiculous as it is as a concept, it is admittedly creative and original.
Our lead character, Major Tsujimori (Misato Tanaka), is determined to kill Godzilla after losing her commanding officer to a previous attack. Kudo (Shosuke Tanihara), is a self taught inventor recruited to the G-Graspers to help with the Dimension tide project. His characteristics are he really likes Tsujimori and likes to invent things. Speaking of G-Graspers, the movie makes a point to introduce the other members of the unit along with Tsujimori and then does nothing else with them.
We see flashbacks to the events of the first Godzilla using the suit from the previous film cleverly inserted into the scenes. However, Godzilla (Tsutomu Kitagawa) was never killed by the Oxygen Destroyer and continued to menace Japan over the years, attacking their power plants and forcing Japan to switch to different sources of energy. Unfortunately, these also attract Godzilla so now Japan has to get rid of Godzilla more than ever. Their solution is honestly pretty out there.
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| Misato Tanaka, Yuriko Hoshi and Shosuke Tanihara. |
Playing the lead scientist Yoshizawa is Yuriko Hoshi, who you may remember as Junko from Mothra vs. Godzilla and Naoko from Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster. It's always nice seeing actors from previous movies come back for the new films, symbolically passing the torch.
The human cast isn't as compelling as past entries, but the lead actors do a fine enough job with what they are given.
Also there's a kid. He's here. He's not annoying, he just doesn't have much of a personality. I can't even be mad at him for finding the Meganulon egg, ditching it into the sewers where it hatches causing a massive flood in Shibuya.
Before I talk about the second billed monster I need to make it clear how to pronounce the name: "MEGA-GEAR-US", I don't understand how people can look at that name and mispronounce it any other way (Lookin' at you, James Rolfe...)
The human cast isn't as compelling as past entries, but the lead actors do a fine enough job with what they are given.
Also there's a kid. He's here. He's not annoying, he just doesn't have much of a personality. I can't even be mad at him for finding the Meganulon egg, ditching it into the sewers where it hatches causing a massive flood in Shibuya.
We've actually seen our opposing monster once before, it's the Meganulon, originally seen back in 1956's Rodan and here we get to see their evolved stage, the Meganula and they present a problem for the G-Graspers and Godzilla.
But the real problem stems from their queen, Megaguirus. First, her design is incredible, a cross between a dragonfly and a scorpion. She's capable of producing high frequency waves by flapping her wings, she is a dragonfly after all, and absorbing energy through her stinger.
The Meganulon/Meganula are brought to life through a combination of puppets and CGI that's mostly well done. Megaguirus was a large puppet with a suit of her upper half used for close up shots (Minoru Watanabe, another Super Sentai alum acted in the upper half). But as with most flying monsters, the performance can be rather awkward. During the scenes where Megaguirus is flying, her wings appear digitally sped up and it looks great but it's not used throughout the whole movie. Most of the time her wings are stiff and she just sort of hovers in the air. I just feel like this was a missed opportunity.
That being said, I really love the fight between Godzilla and Megaguirus solely for how funny it is. I love that they show how much of a troll Megaguirus can be and how increasingly annoyed Godzilla gets throughout it. Even though Godzilla is supposed to be the villain of this picture, ya just can't help but feel bad for the guy.
With the return of the Godzilla series, the practical miniature effects never failed to impress. One of the best effects is when Tsujimori hitches a ride on Godzilla's back while he's swimming, a full size piece of Godzilla's back was built for the actor to climb and preform on.
The implementation of CGI in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus does show some improvement, even if you could tell the majority of Meganula swarming Godzilla are digital effects, it kind of works for them. Especially when combined with the puppets.
If you have even basic knowledge of the Godzilla franchise, you'll know that a common joke regarding the effects of the films are the visible wires holding the monsters. During Megaguirus' first appearance, many of the shots clearly show the wires supporting her and it can be quite jarring. It was very apparent in the first DVD release from Sony, but in the 2014 Blu-ray, the wires appear to have been edited out.
Another improvement made by this movie was the music by Michiru Oshima, the first and so far only woman to score a Godzilla movie. Her new Godzilla theme is instantly memorable and I find myself humming it from time to time.
Aside from Godzilla 2000, none of the Millennium films saw a wide release in US theaters. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus would however have a special theater showing held at 2002's G-Fest convention. On August 31st, 2003, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus got a special television premiere on the Sci-Fi Channel along with a marathon of other classic Godzilla movies. It was such a big deal to me that I begged my parents to let me go over to my Grammie's house so I could watch and record it on VHS.
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus wasn't the only movie to have its television premiere that day, we'll talk about that movie in the next review.
With the return of the Godzilla series, the practical miniature effects never failed to impress. One of the best effects is when Tsujimori hitches a ride on Godzilla's back while he's swimming, a full size piece of Godzilla's back was built for the actor to climb and preform on.
The implementation of CGI in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus does show some improvement, even if you could tell the majority of Meganula swarming Godzilla are digital effects, it kind of works for them. Especially when combined with the puppets.
If you have even basic knowledge of the Godzilla franchise, you'll know that a common joke regarding the effects of the films are the visible wires holding the monsters. During Megaguirus' first appearance, many of the shots clearly show the wires supporting her and it can be quite jarring. It was very apparent in the first DVD release from Sony, but in the 2014 Blu-ray, the wires appear to have been edited out.
Another improvement made by this movie was the music by Michiru Oshima, the first and so far only woman to score a Godzilla movie. Her new Godzilla theme is instantly memorable and I find myself humming it from time to time.
Aside from Godzilla 2000, none of the Millennium films saw a wide release in US theaters. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus would however have a special theater showing held at 2002's G-Fest convention. On August 31st, 2003, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus got a special television premiere on the Sci-Fi Channel along with a marathon of other classic Godzilla movies. It was such a big deal to me that I begged my parents to let me go over to my Grammie's house so I could watch and record it on VHS.
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus wasn't the only movie to have its television premiere that day, we'll talk about that movie in the next review.
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus isn't looked back on very fondly by the fans, some calling it stale, dumb and generally unremarkable. To be honest, I have a soft spot for this one. I will lament that it is the weakest entry of the series, but it's creativity and entertaining monster action more than make up for any shortcomings it may have.
Also, there's an after credits scene, so keep watching till the end.
Also, there's an after credits scene, so keep watching till the end.
Till next time, I have been your host Gryphon
and thank you for joining me here in my lair.
So long...
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I actually like Godzilla vs. Megaguirus a lot. I know that it's goofy and unrealistic, but it reminds me of the sillier, fun entries of the Showa series, like Megalon and Hedorah. I enjoyed it a lot more than Godzilla 2000.
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