Toho goes out with a bang.
So, Godzilla: Final Wars.
As I mentioned previously, Toho decided to send Godzilla off in a big way, and they brought in Ryuhei Kitamura, the director of the flashy action films Versus and Azumi to do so. Well, I just finished watching it, and well, flashy is certainly a word for G:FW.
The basic plot, such as it is, is that giant monsters start appearing all over the world and the Earth Defense Force is powerless to do anything about it until a UFO appears and captures all the monsters. The aliens claim to have come in peace(though anyone who's seen any of the alien-related G-movies knows better) and want to tell us that there's a comet on its way to hit us. Actually, they're space vampires of a sort, here to use us as cattle. Oh, and the EDF has a bunch of mutants who like to fight as part of their force. Turns out that the aliens control both the giant monsters AND the mutants, and wreak havoc on the world before the few remaining normal people get the brilliant idea to wake Godzilla to save us all. Much mayhem ensues.
This movie was completely and utterly fucking insane. It's also probably the best G-movie since Destroy All Monsters, and possibly even since the original no-Raymond-Burr 1954 Gojira. Kitamura serves up a entertaining stew made up of elements of Independance Day, The Matrix, Star Wars, and even his own hyperkinetic action films. The performances are pretty decent for a G-film, particularly Don Frye, a UFC fighter making his screen debut as the iron-jawed captain of the flying battleship that takes on the aliens, and Kazuki Kitamura, who absolutely destroys the scenery with his over the top alien commander. There's kung fu, wire fu, rubber monster fu, and some great and completely ridiculous action sequences. The big G gets to kick the crap out of GINO, an approximation of the aberration that was the American Godzilla. Most of all, there's a sense of fun that's been missing from the series of late, almost as if Kitamura knows he's making a cheesy kaiju film and is making the best of it. Keith Emerson contributes a thrilling, entertaining score, and the opening credit sequence is a spectacular two and a half minute history of kaiju films from 1954 to the present.
If you like the Big G, then you should definitely get this flick. If not, you should still check it out. Highest recommendation.
As I mentioned previously, Toho decided to send Godzilla off in a big way, and they brought in Ryuhei Kitamura, the director of the flashy action films Versus and Azumi to do so. Well, I just finished watching it, and well, flashy is certainly a word for G:FW.
The basic plot, such as it is, is that giant monsters start appearing all over the world and the Earth Defense Force is powerless to do anything about it until a UFO appears and captures all the monsters. The aliens claim to have come in peace(though anyone who's seen any of the alien-related G-movies knows better) and want to tell us that there's a comet on its way to hit us. Actually, they're space vampires of a sort, here to use us as cattle. Oh, and the EDF has a bunch of mutants who like to fight as part of their force. Turns out that the aliens control both the giant monsters AND the mutants, and wreak havoc on the world before the few remaining normal people get the brilliant idea to wake Godzilla to save us all. Much mayhem ensues.
This movie was completely and utterly fucking insane. It's also probably the best G-movie since Destroy All Monsters, and possibly even since the original no-Raymond-Burr 1954 Gojira. Kitamura serves up a entertaining stew made up of elements of Independance Day, The Matrix, Star Wars, and even his own hyperkinetic action films. The performances are pretty decent for a G-film, particularly Don Frye, a UFC fighter making his screen debut as the iron-jawed captain of the flying battleship that takes on the aliens, and Kazuki Kitamura, who absolutely destroys the scenery with his over the top alien commander. There's kung fu, wire fu, rubber monster fu, and some great and completely ridiculous action sequences. The big G gets to kick the crap out of GINO, an approximation of the aberration that was the American Godzilla. Most of all, there's a sense of fun that's been missing from the series of late, almost as if Kitamura knows he's making a cheesy kaiju film and is making the best of it. Keith Emerson contributes a thrilling, entertaining score, and the opening credit sequence is a spectacular two and a half minute history of kaiju films from 1954 to the present.
If you like the Big G, then you should definitely get this flick. If not, you should still check it out. Highest recommendation.
posted by Jon M. at
11:15 PM
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