Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) [Tokusatsu Review]

Godzilla vs. Biollante; or, the King and the Overgrown Weed

Four years after the moderately successful reboot of the Godzilla franchise and the start-up of the Heisei Series, the Big G returns again from the dead in order to fight off a mutant product of reckless science known as Biollante.

Release Info

Directed by: Kazuki Ōmori Starring: Koji Takahashi, Kunihiko Mitamura, Yoshiko Tanaka, Megumi Odaka
Language: Japanese Original Title: ゴジラvsビオランテ Runtime: 105 min

Synopsis

The film opens with the aftermath of Godzilla 1984’s finale. A deadly mercenary steals Godzilla cell samples from Tokyo ruins and gives them to Dr. Genshiro Shiragami (Koji Takahashi) at the Saradia Institute of Technology and Science. The Japanese scientist wants to use the cells to produce genetically modified plants for the foreign superpower of Saradia. However, there is an explosion at the institute in which Shiragami’s daughter, Erika (Yasuko Sawaguchi) dies. Five years later, a massive volcanic eruption occurs at Mount Mihara and, as it turns out, Godzilla is still alive. Bio-Major terrorists threaten Japan to force them to give up Godzilla’s cells, or otherwise, they will blow up the mountain and unleash the King. Meanwhile, Dr. Shiragami is experimenting on his own with the cells on Erika’s roses, leading to the creation of the abominable Biollante. Now, only the King can face the horrible monster.

The Real Eco-terror
Allegedly, the makers of the film held a public story contest for a possible film script and, thus, they eventually went with the idea about a gigantic plant and a dead daughter devised by a dentist. Interestingly, the second-best script in the contest was about Godzilla facing a highly advanced AI Computer (that’s the Kaiju film I’d love to see!), but instead of saving it for later, Toho reworked it and made Gunhed (1989) movie.

Nevertheless, how does Godzilla vs. Biollante hold up? It is certainly a better film than Godzilla 1984 in terms of the improved King’s appearance and better special effects, but it has a few flaws. Firstly, there’s too much spy elements incorporated in the story. We have over-the-top Bio-Major mercenaries, a Saradian assassin ("Damn, it's Godzilla!"), police investigators, wiretapping, classified documents and so on.

 

Secondly, the music score by Koichi Sugeyama is quite interesting, but it is nowhere near as great as the memorable themes of Akira Ifukube. Allegedly, the working cut of the film had Ifukube's music incorporated, but for some reason, Toho decided to change it. Aside from that, the film is more than watchable. We get great action, a lot of rumble and destruction. Even though Biollante seems a weak enemy at first, she becomes a badass opponent in the finale when extremely wounding the King, but we all know who’s going to be the winner in the end.

With regard to performances, Kenpachiro Satsuma obviously rocks as Godzilla. In terms of human characters, Koji Takahashi as Shiragami, Toru Minegishi as Gondo, Yoshiko Tanaka as Asuka, and Megumi Odaka as Miki Saegusa are all great, especially Miki whose character will go on to have a special relation with the King for the rest of the Heisei series.

Recommendations

Highly recommended to all Kaiju fans. Apart from the fact that Godzilla vs. Biollante may seem to some as an outdated film, it is certainly still entertaining and has great battles in it. Godzilla vs. Biollante is a classic entry in the series in its own right.

Overall score: 7/10

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000) [Tokusatsu Review]

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus; or, Entomophobia
     Remember you asked me why a woman would want to fight Godzilla? A friend once said, "When you're afraid of something, then you don't run, you fight it." The person who said that, he was my commanding officer. He died in a fight with Godzilla. I'm just carrying on where he left off.
Here it is, the very first Godzilla film from the Millennium series I have seen as a child. Even today, I can vividly remember impatiently waiting the whole day until midnight so as to finally sit in front of a TV, set the channel, and watch Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (full original title: Godzilla × Megaguirus: The G Extermination Strategy).

Release Info

Directed by: Masaaki Tezuka Starring: Misato Tanaka, Shosuke Tanihara, Yuriko Hoshi
Language: Japanese Original Title:ゴジラ × メガギラス G消滅作戦 Runtime: 105 min

Synopsis

After being defeated in 1954, Godzilla returns yet again and attacks the first Japanese nuclear plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture. This pushes the government to move the capital from Tokyo to Osaka. Due to the fact that the Kind of the Monsters is drawn by radioactivity, Japan created in 1996 clean plasma energy. In order to eradicate Godzilla once and for all, a team of physicists and soldiers from a special team known as the G-Graspers develop a satellite-based weapon known as the Dimension Tide. However, it turns out that the deadly invention not only fails to defeat Godzilla, but also opens up a wormhole to another dimension through which a horrible monster, Megaguirus, arrives in our world. Now, only Godzilla can save the day.

Time to stomp some bugs

To provide some clarification, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is the second entry in the Millennium series, yet it does not pick up where the previous movie (Godzilla 2000: Millennium) left off. Instead, we are given a story that ignores all Godzilla sequels and acknowledges only the 1954 original. The Toho producer Shogo Tomiyama was disappointed by the box office performance of Godzilla 2000, so he was not keen on building a universe based on strict continuity as in the case of the Heisei series. Rather than that, he wanted to explore alternate scenarios concerning the Godzilla character. Therefore, he hired the veterans of the franchise, Wataru Mimura and Hiroshi Kashiwabara, to script Godzilla vs. Megaguirus.

Many Godzilla fans regard the film as the lowest point of the franchise, but I have to argue against it. Maybe it is all due to my nostalgia because I have seen Godzilla vs. Megaguirus shortly after Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) in my childhood times, but I believe that this is a fairly well made monster flick. Evidently, Mimura and Kashiwabara approached the story in a very traditional manner. This is a typical “versus” movie which has sci-fi elements (The Dimension Tide) and introduces viewers to a new antagonist (Megaguirus).

Had the film been made in the 1990s with the usage of conventional special effects instead of CGI, it could have been a classic entry in the series. Granted, pacing of the narrative is off in a few places, some characters are not that necessary, but it is still an entertaining spectacle. The tone is like from a horror film, harking back to Alien (1979) and The Fly (1986) as Godzilla is haunted by a menacing, insect-like creature. The special effects are acceptable in general (the main heroine riding on the King’s back), and the music score by Michiru Oshima is absolutely amazing.

Unfortunately, the movie did not hit the base with Japanese audiences and gained even less than Godzilla 2000: Millennium… Thankfully, director Masaaki Tezuka, the screenwriters, and Michiru Oshima had a chance to prove their worth while working on Godzilla X Mechagodzilla (2002) and Godzilla X Mothra X Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003) movies.

With regard to performances, I really liked Misato Tanaka as the G-Grasper member who is determined to avenge her friend by killing Godzilla. Die-hard Tokusatsu fans will certainly notice Yuriko Hoshi and Masato Ibu in supporting roles.

Recommendations

While Godzilla vs. Megagurius is not anything exceptional, it also does not deserve the bad rap it receives. I believe Hiroshi Kashiwabara considers this movie one of his better works while distancing himself from Godzilla 2000: MIllennium because working with director Takao Okawara was, allegedly, very troublesome. Well, if you are in need of a Godzilla film and have not seen Godzilla vs. Megaguirus yet, then give it a try.

Overall score: 7/10