Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

[GL]

“Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla” is one of the most impressive entries in the entire series.

**SPOILERS**

Following his invention of the Garuda flying machine, Kazuma Aoki, (Masahiro Takashima) is assigned to G-Force, which is constructing a new Mechagodzilla. During a paleontological expedition to Adona Island in the Bering Sea, Dr. Ohmae, (Yusuke Kawatsu) discovers a nest of fossilized dinosaur eggs and attempts to bring one back to Japan. When they are attacked, first by a giant Pterodactyl called Rodan and then by Godzilla, the two beasts’ fight allows them to escape with an egg, which hatches into a Baby Godzilla. Tracking the Baby, Godzilla appears in Japan and begins looking for it, forcing Mechagodzilla to defend the country. Winning the fight and marching on, Godzilla disappears but then a mutated Rodan appears, drawn to the baby. Returning again, Godzilla, Rodan and a revamped Mechagodzilla for the Baby and the fate of mankind.

The Good News: This here is one of the greatest entries in the whole series. The strong script is the best feature, opting as a straight-forward action film that focuses the human drama on advancing the monster story. This results in both avoiding pointless subplots that had plagued the series and allowing for a great pace, progressing smoothly with an upbeat vibe and without any dull spots. When it comes to the monster, all four main creatures are quite impressively done. The redesigned Mechagodzilla is quite a change, resembling a more mechanized version of Godzilla, with his triangular body shape and rounded features makes it seem like this was Godzilla covered in metal sheeting. With armament specifically designed to combat Godzilla, including Eye Lasers, a Mega Buster and Tranquilizer Missiles, as well as the most impressive and creative one, the Plasma Grenade, that works in conjunction with it’s armor plating, and being taller than Godzilla anyway, this version is more than a match for Godzilla. Rodan isn’t that radically different from before, looking more Pterodactyl-like than ever and the addition of a third horn on his head and a reddish-brown color on his skin. With a powerful beam weapon of his own, this is quite a satisfying creature. Godzilla here is practically the same as before with extra bulk in the chest and back and the face being slightly wider. It still looks massive and quite impressive. Even though the tail being attached to the legs a little higher than usual, it’s not that much of a distraction and is really only visible in certain scenes. The Baby here fares the best, looking like a real dinosaur baby which might actually be Godzilla’s baby is believable, but it’s also not overly cute like most babies. It’s reptilian origins are emphasized in it’s face, giving it a Godzilla-ish look but the huge eyes are a given to make it cuter. There’s a ton of great monster action in the film that is quite exciting. The battle at Adona Island is brief but nice, featuring some nice scenes and a couple of inventive ideas. The battles with the Mechagodzilla are all exhilarating, clearly showing the beast to be overpowering and quite impressive. The Rodan battle is a great one, with damage surprisingly done on both sides with realistic intent. The rampage through Kyoto is brilliant, and Godzilla’s landing at the Yokatchi Industrial Complex is a pyrotechnic masterpiece. The set used for the final battle at Makuhari City is spectacular, quite detailed and filled with lots of structures to crash into and become destroyed. It’s also quite expansive and really looks like a realistic city, rather than simply the part that was used for filming the scene, and that is quite impressive. With nary a flaw in the special effects or it’s pacing, this is a great entry in the series.

The Bad News: There are still some problems with this one. The ending is the film’s major sore-point. By introducing the Baby and insisting on the sort of ending, the film is left without a villain. Since Godzilla and Rodan act to protect the Baby and Mechagodzilla acts to protect mankind, the result is a clearly defined lack of focus in the ending which is destined to disappoint in some way. It is hard to determine which side is supposed to be triumphant, as either no one wins or one side has to lose without accomplishing anything, and for a film to lose itself in that kind of ordeal is quite mystifying. It is also quite a stretch to believe that Godzilla would just leave humanity alone at the conclusion after all the torture and excruciating pain just inflicted on him. These, though, are simply flaws that can be overlooked if in the right mood, and there’s really nothing else wrong with this one.

The Final Verdict: Full of monster movie magic and a couple of exceedingly minor problems are present here, and is one of the most entertaining and satisfying ones all-together. Fans of the series should see this one immediately, and will not be disappointed with it.