DevilMan
08-22-2003, 06:01 AM
GODZILLA X MECHAGODZILLA 2003
http://www.henshinonline.com/images/ef_gxmg.jpg
First of all, if you're an American viewer that has to rely on buying the new import DVD to see this film, then my advice to you is to WAIT until GODZILLA TOKYO SOS comes out for purchase on DVD as well. Trust me, watching the pair of movies back-to-back instead of one at a time will be better.
Why?
Well, to begin with, GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA 2003 is the opening chapter to an ongoing saga and if you sit down (like I did) hoping that G VS MG 2003 would open and close, and satisfy your BIG G craving taste buds, then you'll be extremely disappointed (as I was).
Why?
As I said, GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA 2003 is the first chapter in the new MG storyline where everything you've known about the huge mechanical fella is thrown to the wind. Yup, that's right, if you remember correctly, those "monkey-faced" aliens who created the first MECHA-G in the amusement park never existed. Then in the second creation (from the 90's G series), we humans collected technology from the slain "future-people" MECHA KING GHIDORAH to build our own robot GODZILLA. Well, that never happened either. But now, in this take, human scientists from around Japan all get together and design the robotic beast from old GODZILLA skeletal bones and DNA (!). And what's even worse, this new MECHAGODZILLA unit doesn't even require a human pilot sitting inside the helm, it's completely controlled via remote from an airborne flying craft, saftely hovering above in the clouds.
What?
It gets bad, folks. And don't let me forget the other hugely unsettling aspect about this new film. You can FORGET about all the other GODZILLA continuity you've seen because it's been erased yet again. That's right, this GODZILLA is the first to appear since his original Tokyo attack, way back in 1954. However, oddly enough, other giant monsters do exist in this time period. We get a glimpse of MOTHRA and one of the giants from WAR OF THE GARGANTUANS (which was a total surprise to me). But as for such KAIJU greats as KING GHIDORAH, GIGAN, and ANGUIRUS, well, they can be forgotten altogether.
The story... simple enough, young and pretty Japanese actress YUMIKO SHAKU (from the swordplay romp PRINCESS BLADE) is the ace pilot selected for the new "Monster-Busting Squad" and she's after the BIG G for the death of her squad commander who she sadly had an accidental hand in his unfortunate demise. She's now a loner and intensely driven by honor and vengeance until one of the MECHA-G scientists starts a sometimes-painful-to-watch-courtship with her. But before love can blossom, GODZILLA washes up on Japan's mainland and it's "clobberin' time"!
MECHA-G rumbles unto the scene and prepares to whoop some GODZILLA behind but before the battle ends with a winner, in a stunning surprise, MECHA-G oddly starts to act on it's own. Remember the GODZILLA DNA I mentioned earlier? Well, it seems to take over the robotic beast's command functions and we promptly see MECHA-G go on a city wide rampage of mass destruction just as his flesh and blood counterpart did. But don't worry, MECHA-G's power supply soon runs out and he's taken back to G-HQ to have repairs made (that's an understatment, huh?).
After a brief and rather sappy relationship segment between the human actors of the film, it's that time again for GODZILLA to show up for a rumble! And a new snazzy MECHAGODZILLA is ready for the challenge with a niffty weapon called the "Absolute Zero Beam". And that's where I'll stop my review.
So, in closing, all you GODZILLA fans can rejoice that the big bad green guy is now on home video with a new movie but my recommended advice is to stay those urges to see it right now and wait for the second film in the series GODZILLA TOKYO SOS to hit DVD instead so you can view the pair in tandem. I'm almost certain that this is the best way to go.
Why?
Now, don't get me wrong, G X MG 2003 is somewhat of a very enjoyable flick and with both mega-monsters looking exceptional along with a pretty decent human acting cast it's hard to put blackmarks against the effort but I gotta admit, it's quite lacking in the whole "closure" department. I mean, when the film does finally end, you'll stop, look around, and think to yourself... "Hey, where's the rest of the movie?"
And that's it's overwhelming flaw. There's just NOT enough to G X MG 2003. It seems short. It seems empty. And it REALLY needs a definite ending. It's almost as if you wasted your time watching it because it practically ends as it began, with GODZILLA stomping a bunch of Japanese real eastate and there's NOTHING they can do to stop him. And before you say that's how they ALL end, trust me, you'll know what I'm talking about after you see it.
-Steve
http://www.henshinonline.com/images/ef_gxmg.jpg
First of all, if you're an American viewer that has to rely on buying the new import DVD to see this film, then my advice to you is to WAIT until GODZILLA TOKYO SOS comes out for purchase on DVD as well. Trust me, watching the pair of movies back-to-back instead of one at a time will be better.
Why?
Well, to begin with, GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA 2003 is the opening chapter to an ongoing saga and if you sit down (like I did) hoping that G VS MG 2003 would open and close, and satisfy your BIG G craving taste buds, then you'll be extremely disappointed (as I was).
Why?
As I said, GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA 2003 is the first chapter in the new MG storyline where everything you've known about the huge mechanical fella is thrown to the wind. Yup, that's right, if you remember correctly, those "monkey-faced" aliens who created the first MECHA-G in the amusement park never existed. Then in the second creation (from the 90's G series), we humans collected technology from the slain "future-people" MECHA KING GHIDORAH to build our own robot GODZILLA. Well, that never happened either. But now, in this take, human scientists from around Japan all get together and design the robotic beast from old GODZILLA skeletal bones and DNA (!). And what's even worse, this new MECHAGODZILLA unit doesn't even require a human pilot sitting inside the helm, it's completely controlled via remote from an airborne flying craft, saftely hovering above in the clouds.
What?
It gets bad, folks. And don't let me forget the other hugely unsettling aspect about this new film. You can FORGET about all the other GODZILLA continuity you've seen because it's been erased yet again. That's right, this GODZILLA is the first to appear since his original Tokyo attack, way back in 1954. However, oddly enough, other giant monsters do exist in this time period. We get a glimpse of MOTHRA and one of the giants from WAR OF THE GARGANTUANS (which was a total surprise to me). But as for such KAIJU greats as KING GHIDORAH, GIGAN, and ANGUIRUS, well, they can be forgotten altogether.
The story... simple enough, young and pretty Japanese actress YUMIKO SHAKU (from the swordplay romp PRINCESS BLADE) is the ace pilot selected for the new "Monster-Busting Squad" and she's after the BIG G for the death of her squad commander who she sadly had an accidental hand in his unfortunate demise. She's now a loner and intensely driven by honor and vengeance until one of the MECHA-G scientists starts a sometimes-painful-to-watch-courtship with her. But before love can blossom, GODZILLA washes up on Japan's mainland and it's "clobberin' time"!
MECHA-G rumbles unto the scene and prepares to whoop some GODZILLA behind but before the battle ends with a winner, in a stunning surprise, MECHA-G oddly starts to act on it's own. Remember the GODZILLA DNA I mentioned earlier? Well, it seems to take over the robotic beast's command functions and we promptly see MECHA-G go on a city wide rampage of mass destruction just as his flesh and blood counterpart did. But don't worry, MECHA-G's power supply soon runs out and he's taken back to G-HQ to have repairs made (that's an understatment, huh?).
After a brief and rather sappy relationship segment between the human actors of the film, it's that time again for GODZILLA to show up for a rumble! And a new snazzy MECHAGODZILLA is ready for the challenge with a niffty weapon called the "Absolute Zero Beam". And that's where I'll stop my review.
So, in closing, all you GODZILLA fans can rejoice that the big bad green guy is now on home video with a new movie but my recommended advice is to stay those urges to see it right now and wait for the second film in the series GODZILLA TOKYO SOS to hit DVD instead so you can view the pair in tandem. I'm almost certain that this is the best way to go.
Why?
Now, don't get me wrong, G X MG 2003 is somewhat of a very enjoyable flick and with both mega-monsters looking exceptional along with a pretty decent human acting cast it's hard to put blackmarks against the effort but I gotta admit, it's quite lacking in the whole "closure" department. I mean, when the film does finally end, you'll stop, look around, and think to yourself... "Hey, where's the rest of the movie?"
And that's it's overwhelming flaw. There's just NOT enough to G X MG 2003. It seems short. It seems empty. And it REALLY needs a definite ending. It's almost as if you wasted your time watching it because it practically ends as it began, with GODZILLA stomping a bunch of Japanese real eastate and there's NOTHING they can do to stop him. And before you say that's how they ALL end, trust me, you'll know what I'm talking about after you see it.
-Steve