Negadon: The Monster from Mars (2005) User Reviews

Actually Decent

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 7 October 2016]

When a cargo-spaceship crash-lands on the streets of Tokyo, it unleashes a giant monster from Mars. It is up to Dr. Narasaki and his mecha robot Miroku to save the Earth.

Despite being a short, and despite being computer-animated, this is actually a decent entry in the kaiju film library. Why it is short is beyond me, unless it was made that way for a competition (the material could easily be much longer). The animation is surprisingly good, reminding me very much of video scenes from the newer "Resident Evil" games.

Although this film is not going to be a classic in the way the kaiju films of the 50s, 60s and 70s are, it is a touching love letter. It is said to be a celebration o the 50th anniversary of the monster film, by which they clearly mean "Godzilla" (1954). A fitting tribute.

What the...?

[ctomvelu1 · 1/10 · 30 March 2010]

Horrible attempt to recreate those silly 1950s monster movies from Japan. A creature from Mars crash lands here and the battle is on. Eventually, a giant robot takes on the creature. "Negadon" is a CGI short that may appeal to 12 year old boys who rush around wearing bath towels as capes. Everyone else, beware. I kept waiting for some human interaction, but it's basically a cartoon consisting of shapes and forms. The entire running time is like the opening shot, or shots, of a science fiction movie, meant to establish mood. Unfortunately, this never goes beyond that. As bad as RODAN and MOTHRA were -- and they were very bad -- this is considerably worse. There really is nothing more to say about this oddball item, and I was appalled to find it running on TV as if were something.

Cool idea, wish it were feature length...

[trancejeremy · 8/10 · 28 December 2006]

This is basically a modern day attempt at recreating the 50s and 60s style Kaiju (ie, big monster) movies from Japan through the use of computer animation. For the most part, it works very well, although because the computer models are actually better actors than the real ones in the old movies, it doesn't have a campy feel, more of a serious one.

It's only about 27 minutes, but some places indicate it as being longer. Since it's not that long, there's not much of a setup, basically it's the future, mankind is in space, then all of a sudden, a monster from Mars falls to the surface for reasons that aren't clear. Then there is a short-ish battle between it and a giant robot.

Very neat idea, but suffers from not being longer. Kaiju fans will find it to be a novelty, but most people won't really find it worth a rental...

It really captures the feel of classic Kaiju movies, yet has originality

[FairlyAnonymous · 9/10 · 9 June 2011]

Everyone who has watched this probably agrees that a feature film would've been very cool. This film's animation is very well done and the atmosphere is very beautiful. Now what really makes this movie good is that it feels like an old 1950s-60s Kaiju movie. The plot is simplistic, the monster is powerful, and some guy dies being the hero. This film even follows some of the same elements like cheesy music, overly exaggerated title sequence, space is blue in this movie (like in old Kaiju films) there is even a moth in this movie that has some emphasis (probably a reference to Mothura) and there are many others.

Being a monster movie fan I couldn't resist watching this. The main reason I wish it were feature length is that it really brought me back to the originals, and yet it felt better. The classics were good, but they were kind of annoying. The difference with this movie is that it wasn't annoying. Even the human scenes. The atmosphere was so good that you could imagine you were there. The monster is pretty cool and the three tentacles remind me a little bit of King Ghidorah. Also his main attack which are these lightning rays look very similar to Ghidorah. When he fires them the explosions and all look very familiar, and the explosions even do some of the goofs that the originals had like being able to see through them. You may notice there are no people during the action, which is like the classics since it was all done with toys. The weapons are all from the 60s which is again perfect.

This is an enjoyable film, but I wish it were feature length or at least one hour long. 23 minutes really isn't enough. One gripe is that the music does good at being cheesy, but remember in Godzilla the music isn't really cheesy and it is epic at times. This film however does only cheesy music which kind of ruined the mood. Still good.

If you love Godzilla and CGI, this short is for you.

[ateyd · 10/10 · 15 June 2011]

My earliest sci-fi memory was my Dad waking me up when everybody else in the house was sleeping at about 10pm in 1965. Together him and I watched a movie called Ghidrah the three headed monster. I was 5 years old.

That being said, if you come from the same mold as I have you will give this short film a standing ovation.

It has all those elements of the Japanese films of that genre and era, but really polishes up the cheese factor and adds to it modernization and class. This is truly a piece of art and totally worth your time.

Very well put together.

Cool Little Blast from the Past

[ninthdoc · 9/10 · 7 April 2010]

I tripped across this on Chiller the other night. Wow, what a way back machine! This short does for its genre what Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow does. A nice romp re-visiting a style that young people will like and older "kids" will remember fondly.

This film is respectful to it's source material and never feels the need to devolve into cheap humor or a tongue-in-cheek nature to deliver memories. All revivals should be so respectful. After watching this, I was sad that it was not feature-length. I keep telling myself that the creator gave it what it needed, no more, no less, but the greed in me wants more.

Great approach to the Kaiju genre

[mabuse786 · 8/10 · 26 May 2009]

I fully enjoyed this movie and just stumbled over it by renting it. I think it's a small gem. I had the feeling it is made with great love and understanding of the Kaiju genre and it is full of small and also bigger citations of this movie genre. Even it is nearly 24 minutes short - without the credits, it tells a complete story. Desperate scientist lost his daughter by accident during an experiment and fights against the space monster and looses his life during the battle. The monster is all new but also familiar as is the whole scenery of the movie. It takes place in 2025 but is full of references and anachronisms to the 50s and 60s. An all new movie featuring some great ideas but breathing every second the feeling of the 'old' movies. Wonderful but only something for real fans. But if you are a fan, you will love this movie.

Toho for Toho haters.

[takatomon · 10/10 · 24 June 2010]

this film has much better action & is better looking than the fake looking toho crap that's an insult to a 5 year old's intelligence. the story itself, too, is an improvement over the mindless dribble in toho classics. there's a real backstory & credible motives for the scientist in this one if not why a monster from space would attack a city.

it has great attention to detail and scale with the same oversaturated colors look of old toho movies. the CGI is so good, that you might think it is an older movie at times except the jets & sets don't look like toys, but the film is faithful to the retro visual style of the 60s films.

the only real giveaway that it's CGI is the character animation. it isn't up to the standards of a full length feature, but this would make a great one if it was ever redone.