Godzilla vs Megaguirus
Jun: "Say, are you a G-Grasper?"
Kiriko: "Yes, I am."
Jun: "But you're a woman, so how come you're fighting Godzilla?"
release year: 2000
genre: Godzilla
viewing setting: home Bluray, 8/21/19
synopsis: The latest weapon meant to get rid of Godzilla backfires horribly, and only Godzilla can save mankind from the situation.
impressions: This was the second entry in the Millennium era of Godzilla movies, and the 25th overall. Like the previous one, this one ignored everything but the 1954 original; apparently the plan at this point was to have each new movie take place in its own alternate world, to free them of continuity problems from the past. This movie takes place in a world where Godzilla destroyed Tokyo in 1954, Osaka became the new capital, and they gave up on nuclear energy because it attracted Godzilla, which always ended badly for them. So then they moved on to "clean" energy from plasma (!) but that led to the same problem. They re-shot a couple of the 1954 scenes with the new Godzilla from last time which was pretty cool. Anyway, let's start the interesting plot points in the movie's 1996 scenes, where they've learned that Godzilla covets plasma energy as well: Godzilla begins to trash Osaka...the soldiers' bazooka blasts look impressive but have little effect...good perspective of what it's like to face Godzilla, from the ground level...young soldier Kiriko basically gets her commanding officer killed by disobeying orders, which will drive her motivations and actions in the movie's current setting year of 2001.
On to 2001: Kiriko, now a major, recruits a young genius for the "G-Graspers"...you'd think they could have come up with a cooler-sounding name for their organization...the plan to stop Godzilla this time has to do with a miniaturized black hole (!) which they have to fire from orbit for some reason (!!)...this is a clear-cut case of the solution being potentially much worse than the original problem...some before and after scenes from the weapon testing...a bit of wormhole is left over...the kid snuck into the area somehow, despite supposed high security...later proof that this kid is crazy, as his reaction to hearing a strange noise and seeing a shadow fly by is to wander into the woods in his pajamas to investigate...and he finds that something's going on at the former wormhole site, and then he finds a big egg...so of course he takes it home...and then the next day he sees that it’s leaking, so he decides to get rid of it, and dumps it in the sewer...can’t this kid make up his mind?...the G-Graspers have workouts in their G-gym...elsewhere, water is leaking out of the sewers (wonder why?) and there are monsters about...it's a giant insect, and stalks/kills victims like something from a horror movie...and it's evolving into other forms, one of which flies right by the kid's window...is he a magnet for monster activity?...the kid decides to report what he's done to the Major lady...and he sure knows his bugs...it appears that a Meganulon turned into a Meganula...G-Grasper has their super plane, the Griffon, which kind of looks like Firefox...lots of CGI effects in this one...the major bravely swims up and climbs on Godzilla...Tokyo is flooded...Kudo designed a hacking program that looks like a video game...the evil executive ignores a valid complain that proves he's up to no good...now we have an infestation...the giant insect swarming attack music is reminiscent of similar music from Psycho...Godzilla is able to kill a lot of the swarm himself...the much-vaunted black hole weapon didn't work right...these flying bugs swim too...and bring back energy to the larger one...so this is Megaguirus...and it causes lots of destruction just by flying around...Godzilla's back, and has potent breath...they square off at last.
It's battle time! In this movie, all giant monster battle takes place in one continuous scene - no rematches. Highlights: Megaguirus' initial attack is strong, but Godzilla shakes it off...this G has good facial expression range...Megaguirus perches atop the ferris wheel...and turns out to be a quite a maneuverable flier...this battle has some slow-motion scenes for some reason...Godzilla's breath misses and wrecks a building...and then he stands there and contemplates what he's done...the black hole weapon is again having problems...Godzilla learns that he can't breathe fire during the energy-suck process... Megaguirus drops a pyramidial building top onto Godzilla...who shakes it off again...Godzilla employs some sort of ninja tactic to slice off a claw of the flying Megaguirus...and then uses his tail like a tentacle for a surprise attack...and then leaps into the air, not unlike a wrestler leaping off the top rope...elsewhere, hacker boy returns to save the day, and it still looks like he’s playing a video game...Megaguirus suddenly displays the ability to shoot fireballs...which results in Godzilla giving him an evil look...and then Godzilla surprises Megaguirus by catching the stinger...and biting it off...after many tries, he finally nails Megaguirus with his breath, causing it to burst into flame...and then hits it again for the coup de grace...Megaguirus dies in a rather fiery explosion...but it's not over yet, as Godzilla proceeds to trash his way through the city...the suspicious corporate dude is up to something...the satellite's falling out of orbit...we learn, not surprisingly, that suspicious evil corporate dude is pretty much responsible for everything bad that's happened...so the major punches him out!...and assists in the launching of the black hole weapon from the falling satellite before it's too late...it's unclear how they are able to control and fire this thing when it’s burning up on reentry...but they do, and it looks like the black hole did its thing..and the major landed in a pool...a post-credits scene suggests that not only is Godzilla still around, but he specifically went to the place where the intrepid but foolish kid from before moved, just to menace HIM.
number in Godzilla series: 25
previous Godzilla movie in series: Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999)
next Godzilla movie in series: Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
other giant monsters appearing in this one: Megaguirus, a giant flying insect with a lobster-like tail ending in a stinger
total giant monster battle time: about 14 minutes
acting: Main characters: Kiriko, the soldier cop woman who's a big-shot in the G-Grapser organization...Kudo, the young whiz kid who specializes in miniaturization as well as hacking...Dr. Yoshizawa, the older scientist (played by Yuriko Hoshi, who long ago played the spunky photographer in Mothra vs Godzilla, and also played the reporter sister in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster)...Secretary Sugiura, who's in charge of G-Grasper but has his own shady agenda...Jun, the curious but incredibly stupid kid...Yuji, a victim who thinks hes going to score with his girlfriend but instead gets eaten by a Meganulon.
final word: It had some good (and funny) parts, but also plot silliness and an enemy monster that was hard to take seriously.
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