Kaiju Khristmas continues on!! Welcome everyone to Week 2 of the Marathon. From December 8th through December 14th, we have some stellar movies coming up!! And I can't wait to see them all!!
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Hmmmmmmmm. Been cooking on this one for a while. Trying to figure out how I feel about it. I didnt hate it, its not a bad movie. But its not up there for me. The original King Ghidorah is in like my top 3 rn. So this one had a lot to live up to.
I wasnt really down with the time travel stuff. It felt a little ridiculous. It would've felt a lot more at home in the cartoony, goofy Showa era I think. But, so far at least, the Heisei era had been a little more grounded. So I think throwing time travel in there out of nowhere was a little too wild for me.
I also did not like the new origin for King Ghidorah at all. The dorats were the CUTEST fucking things ever and I love them, but taking away Ghidorah's space alien origin was a miss imo.
I enjoyed getting to see Godzilla before he became Godzilla though. That was pretty cool. And the Lagos Squad's respect for him was also a really good moment. Especially when it all came full circle, when the guy stood and let his life be ended by Godzilla on his tower. That was a really emotional scene.
Mecha King Ghidorah was cool. And I liked how the movie actually opened with them searching for Ghidorah's corpse, to kind of lead into it.
But idk. Overall, not the biggest fan. Definitely my least favorite of the Heisei movies so far. But that's not too bad, because so far I've loved all of Heisei.
This Ghidorah is definitely my least favorite though. Worse origin, and I liked it better when Ghidorah was this all powerful Monster that required Godzilla and a bunch of other Kaijus to take down. I get that technically this Godzilla was more powerful than before, but still.
Movie Ranking
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Godzilla Vs. Mothra (1992) was a really good movie.
I liked that the movie kind of condensed the entirety of Mothra (1961) into this film as well. You kind of get an abridged version of that story all contained within this one movie. Evil business man captures the Tiny Beauties, then Mothra hatches in Larva form to come save them. Gets bombared and turns into her Imago form after and continues to wreck havok.
Going into the movie, I was a little skeptical about the fact that there hadn't been a standalone Mothra movie to come first, to make the fight more impactful. But they managed to handle that really well in this movie. Although this film was missing Snapping Turtle Zen, so it does lose points there.
Battra was an interesting inclusion. I think he makes a good foil for Mothra. He's basically just evil mothra, but that's a tried and true trope for a reason. He's got a cool design, and I like his origins of being created by the earth itself to punish humanity for their hubris. I feel like him and Hedorah would get along great! That said, I do like his original origins a lot more. Of being another Mothra Larva born from the same egg, but corrupted. That would've been a cool call back to the original Godzilla Vs. Mothra. But this one is pretty unique and I like that.
Originally, I wasn't too keen on Battra. He was just kinda there. But the thing that really sold me on him was the ending. The twist where Battra actually comes to Mothra's aid, and saves her from Godzilla. And then teams up with her to take him down. That was a really cool twist. I went into this movie fully expecting the Showa trope of Godzilla being on the good guy's side, and helping Mothra fight Battra. I'm still getting used to this superior Heisei version LoL.
That said, Godzilla kinda felt like an afterthought in this movie. He didn't really do a whole lot besides show up and cause chaos. Which, yeah, I get is his thing. But he really just felt like he was slapped onto this movie instead of being put here deliberately. This felt like it was supposed to be a Mothra movie first. "Mothra Vs. Battra" should've been the title. They still could've had Godzilla show up if they wanted, so we could get the cool moth team up.
Obligatory "time to talk about the human characters" section!! They weren't bad this time. Takuya, Kenji Ando, and Masako were a great main trio. I especially liked Takuya's development of coming to terms with his wife and daughter. And Kenji's story of realizing that Marutomo Company is corrupt.
The Tiny Beauties were back too after being missing in Destroy All Monsters!! But they didn't change much. Basically the same as they were in the Showa era. I'm glad the Mothra Lullaby is sitll being used though. I love that song.
Movie Ranking
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There was a lot going on from the very beginning, which I appreciate in these types of movies. They don't waste time in showing us what we all came for and setting up the plot.
Right away we're introduced to all sorts of stuff. MechaGodzilla, Garuda, and the return of Rodan. Which I was quite happy to see, although he got his ass kicked it was still fun. He looks a lot better in Heisei than Showa imo. He looks a lot more like a Pteranodon.
I was expecting the egg to be another Rodan, so I was quite surprised when it turned out to be another Godzilla. Or another "Godzillasaurus" (stupidest name ever btw). He was absolutely adorable in this movie. I loved him a lot. It was heartbreaking watching him beg Azusa not to leave him at the end. I'm interested to see what becomes of him in future movies.
That's something I did want to touch on. I really appreciate the sense of continuity in this film. It has a lot of major callbacks to Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah. I was really happy to see they actually directly namedrop Mecha King Ghidorah in the beginning, and use him as a basis for constructing MechaGodzilla. Its the kind of thing I was hoping for a lot more. Kaijus rarely get mentioned by name if they're not in the movie. Like nobody mentions Mothra, Batra, Biollante, etc unless they show up. So seeing such a direct and meaningful call back was cool. Something I wish they did more of.
I like this MechaGodzilla a lot more because of that reason as well. I like his story in this movie much more than him being an alien superweapon. This was always what I thought MechaGodzilla was, before starting the marathon. And to me it makes a lot more sense. I also like that it also calls back to Super X2, by giving him diamond plating. Like Super X2's fire mirror.
Godzilla was cool in this movie. I liked that he had an actual goal in mind, reaching Baby Godzilla, rather than just rampaging. But he didn't do too much beyond that. I did really enjoy all his fights in this movie though. The fights with MechaGodzilla especially.
The Garuda was cool. But Idk why they need that thing when they had the Super X before. The Super X seems like it was a way better ship than the Garuda was. Seeing it dock to MechaGodzilla to make Super MechaGodzilla was cool enough. Goofy action for the sake of action. But hey, I'm not complaining.
One thing I was confused on though was "Fire Rodan". Idk what that was all about, or how that song caused him to revive from the dead and turn into a fire dinosaur. I also don't really get how he powered up Godzilla after his death.
Overall very good movie though, and I really liked the ending with Godzilla and Baby Godzilla leaving together.
Movie Ranking
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The Heisei era was really firing on all cylinders with these last two movies. They're non-stop action and cool moments. With a lot of great characters intermingled.
After watching MechaGodzilla II I was really hoping for more continuity like we saw in that movie. And this one delivers it in spades. Not only do we actually see Mothra on her quest to destroy the meteor that was heading for earth, but we get a Biollante namedrop too! Which was really cool. Like I was saying in my last review, its weird how previous Kaiju never really get mentioned if they're not in the movie.
And although this movie kinda falls back on the whole "Godzilla is a good guy" thing that the Showa era always did, I think it works a lot better in this movie. Here Godzilla has a reason to fight SpaceGodzilla besides him being a superhero, or protecting the earth. SpaceGodzilla not only challenged his rule, but also kidnapped his son. Which I think adds a lot to the motivation he has in this movie.
SpaceGodzilla himself was really cool. Definetly a really unique take on a Monster. I love the idea of the crystals giving him power and being what makes him so strong. Essentially making you have to destroy the crystals before you can even get close to beating him. It really makes him feel like a final boss type enemy.
That being said, I don't really get why it needed to be SpaceGodzilla. It just doesn't feel like it adds much to the character imo. I think I would've preferred if it was an original space Monster and not another Godzilla clone. We already had Biollante (though not technically a clone, it was made from Godzilla's cells) and MechaGodzilla. And if you want to include BabyGodzilla then there's another one. Design is cool and his action scenes are even cooler though, so it doesn't matter that much to me. I just think the idea is a bit weird and corny. Like making a dark version of a character.
MOGUERA was an.... Interesting choice for this movie. Idk. It was a cool mech and all, but it just feels like a downgrade from Super MechaGodzilla in the last movie. MechaGodzilla was absolutely kicking ass in most of his fights, but MOGUERA gets slapped around by everyone. I know I was just bitching about Godzilla clones, but I think I would've preferred if they just brought back MechaGodzilla and Garuda.
Another bit of continuity, BabyGodzilla stuck around! I know he's called LittleGodzilla in this movie, but I like BabyGodzilla more. Even though he's not a baby anymore! He's really cute and I was happy to see they not only acknowledge him, but show him developing and growing. That said, I'm not sure what the point was of SpaceGodzilla capturing him? Was he siphoning off his energy like he was doing to Godzilla in the final battle?
The human characters were cool. I especially liked Yuki and his drive to kill Godzilla with his special bullet, as revenge.
Miki has been awesome in all these movies. Its really cool that she's shown up so frequently. I think she's the only human character to do that in the Godzilla franchise so far. I also really like that psychics just exist in this world. And Miki is by far the most powerful one we've ever seen. I hope she shows up in Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah. It would've feel complete without her!!
This was overall an awesome movie and one of my favorite's so far. It makes me really excited for Godzilla X Kong Supernova.
Movie Ranking
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With that the Heisei era draws to a close.
I think this movie had a lot going on, but honestly I don't think anything had the dedication it deserved. A lot of things felt kind of crammed together. I know the whole "two different monster plots happening at the same time" thing isn't a new concept for these movies. But I guess it feels a little more cramped in this movie just because both plot lines were so interesting. And I wanted to see more of each, but neither one really got the love it deserved.
Firstly, Destoroyah. I like the concept behind him. A Monster born from the only weapon to have actually, properly, killed a Godzilla before. Though I do feel like his entire existence does lessen the impact of Serizawa's sacrifice and what the Oxygen Destroyer stood for. His design is decent, I'm not the biggest fan of it. But it does look better in practice. I'm a bigger fan of his smaller, crab like forms actually. His attacks and powers are pretty cool, and I like the choreography of his fights for the most part. But it felt like his fight was over before it really begun. And overall, he didn't really do a whole lot. His killing of Baby Godzilla was undone and Godzilla pretty easily dispatches him, despite how hyped up he was.
Then there's the Godzilla plotline. Another concept I really like. Godzilla basically being a walking nuclear reactor going through a meltdown is a great idea. But again, much like Destoroyah, it doesn't feel like its that intimidating. They freeze him multiple times throughout the movie, so it doesn't really stick the landing for me. Burning Godzilla is a cool design, but just like Destoroyah I feel like the execution could've been better.
One thing that did stick the landing for me however, was Godzilla Jr.
When Baby Godzilla first showed up in Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla II I honestly didn't expect him to become a recurring character. I absolutely thought he was just going to disapear and never make a reappearance, like a lot of supporting monsters from the Showa era. So imagine my surprise to finish out this film, and find that not only has Godzilla Jr. been a major recurring character, but he's had a really cool arc as well. The fact that we got to see him hatch from an egg and grow up is really cool.
And his death. Man. I was actually really sad to see him die. And even more sad when Godzilla was clearly mourning his death and trying to bring him back. Actually heartbreaking, and one of the best scenes in not only Heisei, but I think Godzilla as a whole. His death is like the best part of this whole movie and plays into everything expertly. The humans have connections with him, his death shows us that Destoroyah is not a Monster to be underestimated, and it shows us a more sympathetic and caring side of Godzilla himself.
Though, at the end. I have to admit I didn't realize that was supposed to be Godzilla Jr. rising up. Not until I went and looked at the Wikizilla article for more context, that part went way over my head. But in hindsight it makes a lot of sense. Godzilla Jr. was technically unradiated. So when Godzilla melted down, it gave Godzilla Jr. the same energy that created Godzilla originally. A really cool full circle thing. And I think Godzilla would've wanted it that way anyways.
I don't have a single thing to say about the human characters. They're boring in this one. I can't remember any of them outside of Yamane's grandson or whatever and Miki.
On the human side of things, there's also the Super X3. Which is..... Meh. I liked Super X 1 and 2 a lot. But after Super Mechagodzilla and MOGUERA, going back to a Super X just feels like a huge downgrade. Even bigger than MOGUERA was from Super Mechagodzilla.
I think the movie was good. It wasn't bad by any means. It had a lot of good going for it. Most of all was its emotional and thematic core. This movie is definetly a fitting end to the Heisei era, and a fitting tribute to the original Godzilla. I know it seemed like I had a lot of negative things to say about it, but the highlights definetly outweigh the negatives here. Although I think the movie was a bit cramped, and could've spent a lot more focus on its major themes and characters, its themes carry it throughout.
That being said though, I do think this movie is a little overrated. And I also can't really see what people like so much about Destoroyah. He's a pretty solid B or C tier kaiju for me. Cool backstory, kinda mid execution.
Movie Ranking
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An interesting take on everything. I'm not sure where to even begin to start reviewing this film. LoL It felt incredibly different and seperated from anything I've watched in the marathon so far. Which from what I understand, was intentional as its a standalone continuity. Aside from the original, and strangely I think there was a reference to Godzilla 1998???? If the "Not-Godzilla that attacked New York" wasn't a jab at that movie, then its an incredible coincidence LoL.
I guess starting with Godzilla himself, I really liked his design in this movie. I think its my favorite so far. The hunched look, the monstrous proportions, the whited out eyes, it all looked very menacing, terrifying, and cool. And his Atomic Breath felt SO powerful in this movie. Exactly as it should.
But the origin story of him? Eh. I didn't care for it. It was certainly unique, but I don't really get the whole "he's personifying the vengeance of everyone that died in the war" thing. Its really weird, and just kind of feels random in universe. Thematically, I like the idea. Because it ties back to Godzilla's original thematic purpose.
The other three Monsters were all pretty good. It was a treat to see Baragon again. Haven't seen him since his very, very brief cameo in Destroy All Monsters. He looked great in this movie and was downright adorable. I love his flapping ears (and the behind the scenes footage of the actress doing his roar is adorable too). But he certainly felt like a strange inclusion over someone like, idk. Rodan. But hey I'm not complaining. I love the diversity.
Mothra was good too. Glad her dumb larva form was only in it for a few minutes. I miss her puppet though, the CGI look wasn't as great in this movie. But if that's what it takes to get less larva then I'm in. I was also shocked to see her die like that. Incredibly brutal. I liked her fight scenes, and I enjoyed how fast and powerful she felt.
And yet another King Ghidorah origin I don't like. I'm so not on board with him being a good guy, nor him being some kind of Guardian Monster. I love him best as the big evil space alien. But I guess it was fine for this one off movie, as a sort of twist on their rivalry. Since Godzilla was definitively the bad guy this time around.
No notes on the human characters. They were fine, but kind of standard for the Godzilla series. Reporter character, military character, etc.
The action was spectacular, and some of the best in the marathon. I could tell this movie was directed by the same guy that did the Gamera movies. They were just as great as that one.
All in all, loved this one from start to finish.
I really, really enjoyed this movie.
Was it as deep or thought provoking as some of the other movies were, like the original or Godzilla Vs. Hedorah? No, not in the slightest. I don't think I had a single thought this entire movie besides "wow that's badass". But tbh at the end of a marathon like this, where my brain has been fried more than Hedorah was, that's kinda all I want.
It really was just action after action, and tbh I can see how someone might be turned off by that, without the deeper meaning of some of the other movies. But imo this was just pure peak. The fights were incredible, and while the effects did look a little dated at times, it held up well enough for me to enjoy.
Getting to see so many Kaijus from the past month one last time was probably the biggest highlight. Anguirus, King Caesar, Rodan, Mothra, Ghidorah, Gigan, Manda, it really brought everything full circle. It was quite the journey, but it paid off.
There were so many Monsters in this movie that its kinda hard to talk about them all, so I'll just do some brief bullet points going over them:
I could go on and on about the movie. And how much fun I had while watching it. I was glued to my seat and laughing, cheering, and gasping the whole time. I would love to see this movie on a big film screen one day to experience it properly.
And so, the first ever Kaiju Khristmas comes to an end. I had so much fun going through this marathon. Even if it was a little exhausting at times. I can't wait to start a brand new run next year, but in the mean time I'll continue to grow as a budding Godzilla fan. Be on the look out for more events and more content! Thank you to anyone who read this far! Even though I don't think anyone did LoL.
Movie Ranking
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