Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

Japanese theatrical poster
Directed by Masaaki Tezuka
Produced by Shogo Tomiyama
Written by Wataru Mimura
Hiroshi Kashiwabara
Starring Misato Tanaka
Shosuke Tanihara
Yuriko Hoshi
Masatoh Eve
Toshiyuki Nagashima
Music by Michiru Oshima
Cinematography Masahiro Kishimoto
Edited by Yoshiyuki Okuhara
Production
company
Distributed by Toho
Release dates
Running time
 105 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese
Budget $8.3 million (est.)
Box office $10 million

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (ゴジラ × メガギラス G消滅作戦 Gojira tai Megagirasu: Jī Shōmetsu Sakusen, lit. "Godzilla x Megaguirus: G Annihilation Strategy") is a 2000 science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura. It is the 25th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 24th Godzilla film produced by Toho, and the second film in the Millennium series. The film premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival on November 3, 2000. While the film utilized the Godzilla suit used in Godzilla 2000, it is not connected to the previous film.

Plot

The prologue of the film acknowledges the events of the first Godzilla film (using the present Godzilla monster rather than the 1954 monster), while inventing its own timeline, explaining that the capital of Japan was moved from Tokyo to Osaka. The film takes place in an alternate universe with advanced technology, explaining that in 1966, Godzilla attacks the first Japanese nuclear plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture. After this, a section of Japanese Self Defence Force was dedicated to fight Godzilla, and was called G-Graspers. In 1996, clean plasma energy replaced nuclear energy, however this did not deter Godzilla from attacking. Plasma energy is also banned, due to the fact that Godzilla attacked the original plasma energy reactor.

In 2001, an experimental satellite-based weapon that fires miniature black holes, called the Dimension Tide, opens a wormhole through which a prehistoric dragonfly enters the present and deposits a single egg before exiting through the wormhole. A boy finds the egg and takes it with him when he moves to Tokyo. The egg starts oozing a strange liquid, so the boy throws the egg in the sewer. The egg, actually a mass of hundreds of eggs, splits up and starts growing when exposed to water, hatching into large dragonfly larva called Meganulon that come out of the sewer to feed. They flood a portion of the city and moult on the sides of buildings, becoming adult Meganula.

Meanwhile, the atomic dinosaur Godzilla appears, in search of a source of nuclear energy, despite the edict shutting down all such attractants after his three previous appearances. While Godzilla is fighting the G-Graspers, who are assisted by rebellious scientist Hajime Kudo, the swarm of Meganula are attracted in turn to Godzilla's energy, and attack it. During the course of the battle the Dimension tide is launched, but Godzilla survives the attack. Most of the Meganula are killed by both Godzilla and the Dimension Tide, but a few manage to drain off some of Godzilla's energy and return to the sewer. With the last of their strength, the Meganula inject Godzilla's energy into a huge, sleeping larva that is in a giant, pulsating cocoon. It molts and appears from the water as Megaguirus, the queen of the Meganula.

After destroying part of the city with shock waves generated by her beating wings, Megaguirus heads to the waterfront and faces Godzilla. Being territorial, Megaguirus considers the city to be her hunting ground. As they engage in a lengthy battle, she uses her speed to avoid Godzilla's attacks, but Godzilla eventually uses her speed against her. As she flies toward Godzilla, Godzilla lunges forward with its dorsal fins in her path. She flies into the fins, and one of her arms is severed.

During the battle, a special ability of Megaguirus is revealed: Having been mutated by Godzilla's energy, she can generate a blast similar to Godzilla's atomic breath. She fires a huge ball of radiation, knocking Godzilla down. Godzilla gets back up, and Megaguirus goes in for the kill. She speeds forward with the stinger on her long tail lowered, trying to stab Godzilla between the eyes. In a climactic moment, Godzilla catches the stinger in its mouth. Godzilla bites down, crushing the stinger. Megaguirus rears up in pain, and Godzilla takes the chance to finally blast her with atomic breath. She bursts into flames and Godzilla blasts her a second time and destroys her.

It is revealed that Godzilla was attracted to the energy of a secret Plasma Energy project housed at the Science Institute, in violation of the ban, by Professor Yoshino Yoshizawa. The G-Graspers continue their mission to destroy Godzilla, but with the Dimension Tide falling out of orbit they are unable to get a lock on Godzilla, until the vengeful Major Kiriko Tsujimori pilots a ship called Gryphon towards Godzilla, ejecting only at the last second. The Dimension Tide is able to lock on to the craft and fires just before burning up on reentry; Godzilla blasts at the approaching black hole with his atomic fire but vanishes and everyone celebrates. In a postlude, however, Major Tsujimori again enlists Kudo to investigate suspicious seismic activity; then in an after-credits scene, Godzilla's roar is heard again as a school room where the boy who originally found the egg is, shakes. An after effect of the Dimension Tide machine is temporary wormholes. As Megaguirus came to Earth through one, did Godzilla return to Earth through a wormhole caused by him being sent into the black hole?

Cast

The cast of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus are predominantly new faces to the Godzilla series, but the film began a tradition in the Millennium series of casting veteran genre cast members, especially from the Shōwa era, in older, authoritarian roles: Yuriko Hoshi, who played photographer Junko in Mothra vs. Godzilla and reporter Naoko in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, appears as Professor Yoshizawa, director of the Dimension Tide project.

Release

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus was released theatrically in Japan on December 16, 2000 where it was distributed by Toho.[1] The film was released directly to television in the United States by Columbia TriStar with an English dub.[1]

Reception

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus was released on December 16, 2000 to mixed reactions. Ed Godziszewski of Monster Zero said, "While not the best example of filmmaking, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus nonetheless succeeds as an entertaining film."[2] Miles Imhoff of Toho Kingdom said, "Run-of-the-mill, mediocre, and sterile are the three words that best describe Godzilla vs. Megaguirus. It is a movie that attempts to be creative and edgy, but somehow fails, leaving one wanting with futility to really try to enjoy the film."[3]

Stomp Tokyo said "the music is pretty good" but "this movie isn't a step forward in the ways that it really should be."[4] Mike Bogue of American Kaiju said, "Though not the best of the post-Showa Godzilla movies, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is one of the most entertaining."[5] Ian Jane of DVD Talk said, "While not the best entry in the Godzilla series, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus ... [is] still a really solid entry with some great special effects and a very memorable monster mash finale."[6]

Matt Paprocki of Blog Critics called the film "a true classic in the series," adding: "It's impossible not to be entertained somewhat, whether you're looking for camp value or serious giant monster action. This one has everything that is required of the [kaiju] genre."[7] Andrew Pragasam of The Spinning Image called the film a "flawed, but entertaining comic book extravaganza" that "only partially delivers as a slam-bang monster epic" and suffers from "a lack of likeable characters."[8]

Home Media Releases

Sony - Blu-ray (Toho Godzilla Collection) [9]

Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment [10]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Galbraith IV 2008, p. 417.
  2. ↑ Review Ed Godziszewski, Monster Zero, June 10, 2002
  3. ↑ Review Miles Imhoff, Toho Kingdom, February 18, 2005
  4. ↑ Review Stomp Tokyo, November 6, 2001
  5. ↑ Review Mike Bogue, American Kaiju
  6. ↑ Review Ian Jane, DVD Talk, December 23, 2003
  7. ↑ Godzilla vs. Megaguirus DVD Matt Paprocki, Blog Critics, September 02, 2005
  8. ↑ Review Andrew Pragasam, The Spinning Image
  9. ↑ http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Godzilla-vs-Megaguirus-Blu-ray/98440/#Review
  10. ↑ http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=4574

References

  • Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 1461673747. 

External links

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