since April 1, 1999.
Welcome to the Monster Mania, where we'll review the exploits of some of the world's best-known monster movies.
This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the movie.
That said, on to the review!
When the plane bearing the princess of a small mountain kingdom explodes mysteriously, everyone fears her lost. Later, however, she turns up, claiming to be a Martian and foretelling the death of the planet. No one takes her seriously until the first of her prophecies comes true: the monster, Rodan, awakens within a volcanic crater. A second prophecy reaches fulfillment when Godzilla arises from the ocean and destroys a ship that, coincidentally, should have been carrying the twin fairies of Infant Isle back to their home. She's caught the interest of the press, and through them reaches less favorable, more hostile eyes: those of the assassins who sabotaged her plane.
Only the efforts of a police officer and his reporter sister keep her from falling to the assassins' guns. However, all of them--good guys and bad guys alike--have other threats to worry about. Godzilla and Rodan have started brawling, and a new monster--the very one the princess was trying to warn people about--has emerged and is laying waste to Tokyo. The only hope for the people of Japan--and the world--are Godzilla and Rodan, but they're too busy duking it out. Maybe, just maybe, they'll cooperate if Mothra can convince them to assist, but will even the combined might of the radioactive reptile, the fearsome flyer, and the lovable larva be enough to defeat the three-headed golden dragon, King Ghidorah?
This is the first in a number of monster team-ups released by Toho, and the first where Godzilla and Rodan appear in "good guy" roles (Mothra was always good--her destruction of Tokyo and Rolisica in Mothra was the result of her search for the twin fairies). King Ghidorah comes across as a malevolent force who, according to the movie, destroyed an advanced civilization on Mars millennia ago. He doesn't seem to have any reason behind the destruction he causes except to destroy. I'm not entirely certain if Godzilla did in his movie debut, but Rodan seemed more or less to be trying to survive. There is no reason for King Ghidorah's rampage.
The subplot involving the assassins was slightly harder to swallow than that there could be giant monsters battling for supremacy (yeah, as odd as that may sound, it's the truth). I'll grant that it provided an interesting twist, considering the Japanese officer assigned to guard her seemed to be falling in love with her, but there were other parts that just didn't make sense. Perhaps it was the corruption caused by translating it into English, but some of the dialogue didn't seem to match the scene. There's one place where the leader of the assassins has confronted her about a missing bracelet. She starts to answer in a vague sort of way about remembering it, then she suddenly becomes vehement about how meaningless jewelry is. Something there just didn't quite fit. Maybe it's just me, though.
If you're wondering how Mothra became a caterpillar (yeah, right, a giant one capable of destroying Tokyo!) after she metamorphosed in the original movie, this isn't her. The original Mothra died in Godzilla vs. The Thing. This is one of her two offspring. It's a pity that there isn't more air support in the fight with King Ghidorah, but really, unless I've forgotten something that appeared in Godzilla vs. The Thing, Mothra's only weapons in adult moth form are the winds her wings whip up. As the larva, at least, he can spit silk and trap--in order--Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. It's a really cool ability that we won't get to see again until Son of Godzilla, and it won't even be Mothra doing it!
This movie is terrific! Ignoring all the problems the English dub caused, the storyline is reasonably clear and enjoyable. The monster team-up is an excellent precursor to future movies, and it establishes rather clearly how dangerously powerful King Ghidorah really is. Mothra's cute--as usual--while Godzilla and Rodan appear comic and deadly in turns. Watching the lead-up to the monster "conversation" scene is truly enjoyable, what with the boulders being volleyed back and forth between Godzilla and Rodan, and Mothra following the boulders back and forth trying to talk to each monster.
Mothra won't return until Destroy All Monsters, but Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah will be back in Godzilla vs. Monster Zero. Get ready for another monster tag-team showdown. "IN THIS CORNER, GODZILLA AND RODAN! IN THIS CORNER, KING GHIDORAH AND...ALIENS?"
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