Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002) User Reviews

Awesome

[AwesomeWolf · 8/10 · 29 December 2004]

Version: Japanese with English Subtitles (Madman's R4 DVD)

'Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla' opens with a typhoon hitting southern Japan, and then a giant monster turns up to lay waste to a small town - everyone runs away - except for the one guy who thinks he can save his house from being stepped on - and the 'Anti-Megalosaurus Force' is called in, and eventually runs away, but not before their commander, Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku) accidentally causes the deaths of several of her troops. Soon we learn the monster is Godzilla, and according to this movie's time-line, Godzilla attacked Japan only once, when he first appeared in 1954. Other monsters have attacked Japan since, but none have been as destructive as Godzilla.

With Godzilla's reappearance, those wacky Japanese scientists come up with their best plan yet - they're going to build a Mechagodzilla, with added firepower, and controlled by a 'DNA Computer' using DNA extracted from the original Godzilla's skeleton. Apparently by doing this, Mechagodzilla can think like Godzilla, and will have a reaction time markedly better than that of a normal computer. Obviously this a bad idea, but these Godzilla movies need bad-ideas for the movie to proceed.

On the human side of things, Akane Yashiro is assigned to the Kiryu Squadron (Mechagodzilla Squadron), and is met with hostility from her comrades their. Tokumitsu Yuhara, one of the Mechagodzilla scientists spends most of the movie chatting up Akane, while Akane tries to get Tokumitsu's daughter, Sara, to open up to her. Awww, how sweet.

Enough of the love-ins, lets get down to some city crushing! The plot is simple, and like several other Godzilla movies, makes some interesting points that it completely skips in favour of monster action (in this case, Japan's rearmament is mentioned, but only briefly), of which is there is plenty. In their respective adventures, Godzilla and his mechanical cousin destroy a few cities and make a mockery of Japan's defence forces (just another day on the job for Godzilla), and get down to one way-cool giant-monster fight scene at the end. Did I mention the fight-scene at is way-cool?

My only problem with the movie is the use of the Godzilla suit: there are times when it is plainly obvious that the Godzilla suit is empty, and not for any complicated reason - he just stands there motionless. Otherwise, there was a fair amount of CGI effects, but they were done well enough for me to say "this movie is awesome".

8/10 - This movie is awesome. Godzilla fans should check it out.

Mechagodzilla is back, again.

[OllieSuave-007 · 7/10 · 4 June 2007]

This is the third Godzilla film of the Millennium Series. It is made as a direct sequel to the original 1954 Godzilla film, and, in my opinion, is the best film to do so in the Millennium Series. Godzilla's first appearance in this movie has him rising out of the ocean, scaring a couple of soldiers, and beginning his rampage in Japan. As a result, government officials talk about Godzilla's first attack in 1954 and how it was destroyed by the Oxygen Destroyer, alarmed that this monster has mysteriously returned. They even referenced the monsters Gaira from "War of the Gargantuas" (1966) and Mothra from "Mothra" (1961) as having invaded Tokyo in the years after Godzilla's first attack.

In this film, we have, again, a female soldier seeking revenge against Godzilla for killing colleagues of hers. After monsters having appeared in the past, the Japanese government salvaged the skeletal remains of the original Godzilla to make a robotic version of the monster called Mechagodzilla. Filled with missiles and state-of-the-art weaponry, Mechagodzilla is Japan's number one defense against Godzilla. Mechagodzilla was proved to be a tough opponent for Godzilla and, in a plot twist, it appeared that the original Godzilla's spirit lives in the robot. This added suspense to the story.

We get to see a movie with a brilliant score by Michiru Ôshima and great special effects by Yûichi Kikuchi. Masaaki Tezuka did OK in the directing; however, he focused too much on the human characters, leaving us limited monster action (Godzilla was also portrayed as a little weak). But, some of the heroism and sacrifice made by the human characters, especially by the antagonist of the film who ended up putting his own life on the line to rescue the female lead, were pretty entertaining. I also enjoyed the touching friendship between the little girl and the female soldier, adding a nice touch of heartfelt drama. As an added treat, Toho brought back veteran actress Kumi Mizuno, who played "Miss Namikawa" in "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" (1965) and "Daiyo" in "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster" (1966), and actor Akira Nakao, who played "Commander Takaki Aso" in the Godzilla "Heisei" films, to appear in this movie.

Overall, this is a well-paced story with some nice monster action, but mostly towards the end.

Grade B-

Good But Flawed

[gigan-92 · 7/10 · 3 May 2009]

I must admit, I had my worries. So many good and bad reviews. First off, I just want to say both Godzilla and MechaGodzilla, or Kiryu as he's called, looked incredible. This has to be one of the fiercest looking Godzilla suits since the Heisei era. My favorite of the Shinsei era. Plus his heat ray was remarkable, the way it charges up. Kiryu looks cool as hell and has some of the most impressive weapons yet seen in a robot monster.

Anyways, Mazakki Tezuka returns to direct and he did an excellent job. Wataru Mimura provides a great screenplay, as usual. Akira Nakao returns, one of my favorite G-actors. Akane is played by Yumiko Shaku, a beautiful actor that gave a very emotional performance. The love story is awkward because there's a huge age difference between her and Dr. Yahara ( Shin Takuma), but it still works. Sara, his daughter, was a bit annoying at times but it helps the story along greatly. Godzilla, despite this being the shortest G-film since the Showa era, gets a lot of screen time. The many battles against JSDF are incredibly well done and I love the Maser Tanks!! The battle in the rain looked awesome and I would love to see a monster battle in the rain in the future. Prior to rumor, you don't have to wait that long for the title monsters to meet. Unfortunately, when they do Godzilla just sits there like a statue, not even flinching. Only the hit from the Maser rays in Kiryu's mouth make him wake up and react to what's going on. This was PATHETIC and I don't know what the staff was thinking but they must have been high to think it looked good.

Moving on, then Kiryu goes on a fantastic rampage that looks bad-ass as hell. The drive of Michuru Oshima's music and sound of explosions combine to make a very cool scene. I love that part of the story, Kiryu being part Godzilla, part man's machine to destroy him. How he turns evil, it's just great. In the end, the two meet again, after some nicely done rampage scenes. The first battle makes you wonder, but Tezuka delivers and Yuichi Kikuchi's SFX really kick ass! The CGI is excellent and MechaG even engages in a physical battle with Godzilla. His best weapon is that electrocuting machete, nice. At the climax, we finally see a weapon that really wounds Godzilla. I love that scene, seeing that bloody crater in his chest.

The movie is well done and could've been a ten star film, but a few things brought it down, all blasting a star off. First off, Godzilla being a statue when they first fought and secondly, Godzilla isn't exactly what I want him to be. Sure he gets screen time and all, but he's hardly ever mentioned in the dialogue. Plus he hardly interacts with the human characters, and he seems to be more of a afterthought if you ask me. The sequel, "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." , had the same problem. I don't know what went wrong here, because "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus" was a remarkable achievement, and yet I felt Tezuka lacked here. In actuality, Kiryu is the main monster, not Godzilla. This was kind of a bother to me. He's basically a villain without character. The film is still a very good one, but the story should've revolved more around Godzilla. The characters just don't talk about him enough.

A quintessential Godzilla movie; great for kids and kids-at-heart

[BrianThibodeau · 25 August 2004]

GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (2002) Like others in the Godzilla series, this new entry establishes itself as a direct sequel to the 1954 original, even using digitally altered footage from that film, as well as clips from MOTHRA and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS to once again illustrate Japan's troubled history with unruly giant creatures. When Godzilla once again threatens her shores, Japan's female prime minister (Kumi Mizuno) calls together her greatest scientific minds, including cyber-biologist Tokimitsu Yuhara (Shin Takuma), whose inclusion in this group gives his precocious daughter Sara (Kana Onodera) a backstage pass to witness the creation of a new bioweapon developed using the recently-uncovered original Godzilla bones.

The elite JSDF team assembled to pilot the machine is augmented by the lone survivor, Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku), of an eight minute opening Maser-gun battle with Godzilla, her presence made all the more uncomfortable by the vindictive suspicions of a teammate whose brother perished in that disaster. Christened Mechagodzilla, this robo-beast amounts to the re-arming of Japan, something the rest of the world finds rather dismaying, and when the unit's memories of its demise in 1954 are stirred by Godzilla's roar, the battle's a draw, the combatants stand down, and the Prime Minister's out of a job. When Godzilla returns, there's no choice but to reprogram MechaGodzilla and send it back into battle, during which, not surprisingly, Akane herself must take the helm to not only save her country and discourage the naysayers, but to prove to herself - and, of course, to young, conveniently motherless Sara - that no life is worthless. Both of the 'final' shots in the movie - take your pick; there's a sequence after the closing credits - are fitting.

GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRUS director Nasaki Tezuka returns to the series with a highly worthy effort, finding a pitch-perfect blend of suits and CGI in his impressive battle sequences, while allowing for reflection (as always) on Japan's nuclear-tainted history, nodding to the ever- increasing empowerment of women in Japanese society (though neatly reminding us that they, too can fail on a large scale before earning redemption) and, as in GODZILLA 2000 and many others in the series, cleverly constructing a modern family dynamic between the pilot, the scientist and his daughter.

People groused that Shinsuke Kaneko's GODZILLA, MOTHRA, KING GHIDORA: ALL OUT GIANT MONSTERS ATTACK, while simultaneously jump starting a moribund franchise with still-vastly-improved visual flare, lacked the dynamism and realism of his 90's GAMERA trilogy, but they were missing the point. Save the first film, GODZILLA has always been for kids, maybe not as young as the original GAMERA series of the 60's, but kids nonetheless. And, I suppose, kids-at-heart. The stories can be pure formula, the character dynamics refried from earlier entries (in fact, many of the most subtle FX in this movie, simple dialogue scenes on catwalks around the Mechagodzilla hangar with the behemoth in the background, are simply more convincing updates of scenes we saw in the 70's), but as long as there's enough razzle-dazzle and a vicarious point-of-entry for the kids, the movie's probably a done deal in the eyes of Toho executives. Here, the Sara character is our vicarious tour guide to the inner workings of the JSDF and all its stoic patriotism (even her friends, walking home with her from school, are slack-jawed at her privileged access to headquarters).

Where the GAMERA updates were intended to make full use of the character's added features (mainly flight) and the advances in modern special effects and high-concept screenplay writing to draw in more savvy audiences, the Millennium Godzilla series, like those that came before, have always retained a comparatively simple modus operandi: appeal to the kids, and make the adults wish they were still kids. On this level, GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA probably surpasses the previous three entries and at a lean, nicely paced 96 minutes (88 in its American incarnation I'm told; WHY DO THEY BOTHER!), it's certainly the easiest on the behind and quietly sets up the sequel, GODZILLA, MOTHRA, MECHAGODZILLA: TOKYO S.O.S. (2003). I give it an 8.

Monster faces Machine once again!

[kevinxirau · 7/10 · 23 March 2012]

Now this is definitely cool. At this time, Toho is once again reviving some of their classic creatures to costar with the King of the Monsters, this time the mechanical doppleganger Mechagodzilla. Like the other films of the Millennium series, this one is a direct sequel to the 1954 classic, but it also makes references to other classic Toho films. Get ready to crumble because this is Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla!

Plot: Nearly fifty years after the attack on Tokyo back in 1954, a second Godzilla creature has risen from the depths to challenge mankind. Desperate, the government assembles the greatest minds of Japan to create a weapon to defeat the beast: the cyborg monster Mechagodzilla (also called Kiryu for some reason). Piloting the massive mech is Akane Yashiro, a fairly complicated woman struggling to find her place in the world. But when Mechagodzilla starts to have a few nasty glitches, can the government find a way to bring it under control? It all leads up to the thrilling building-smashing showdown between Godzilla and his mechanical double.

This is a fine entry to the giant-sized series. The Godzilla suit is fantastic, one of the best ever and Godzilla himself is an awesome force of destruction. Mechagodzilla has an impressive design, a cool set of weaponry, and is actually given something of a personality. Most of the effects and miniatures are excellent and the action scenes are a true delight to watch.

The human characters are actually pretty interesting, which is something one hardly gets in the Godzilla films. Akane is surprisingly complex and has lots of good emotional qualities. She's kind, sympathetic, tough, and level-headed, which makes her far more superior to the arrogant and vengeful female lead of "Godzilla vs Megaguirus." The other characters are good to like Dr. Yuhara and his daughter who befriend Akane. Dialog between the characters is fairly top-notch, hardly any exaggeration even in the English dubbing. I just wish that they'd stop calling Mechagodzilla "Kiryu."

While this movie may leave you wishing for a little more, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is a satisfying entry in the classic Toho film series. At least it has a sequel (Godzilla Tokyo S.O.S.) unlike the other Millennium films. Overall, not bad so check it out. All hail the King of the Monsters.

Toho kept a good momentum after GMK within the Millennium series.

[FilmExpertWannabe · 6/10 · 24 April 2011]

GMK changed gears from the mediocre predecessors that were Godzilla 2000 (1999) and GvM (2000). But thankfully, Toho didn't allow for there to be just one great G movie in the Millennium series, so they launched the Mechagodzilla pair of films, this being the first. Remaking a classic monster can be tricky. Toho decided not to revamp the origins of Mechagodzilla this time. The plot is much like 1993's Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II in that Japan built the giant mech to defend themselves against Godzilla.

Actually, I'm sorry I even brought the 1993 film up. This one is so much better. Unlike the Heisei series Godzilla, the Millennium Godzilla (and his foes) can actually physically fight and some fun scenes are carried out here. Godzilla looks good, his menace toned down just a tad from his previous Millennium suits. They also returned Godzilla's atomic ray back to a blue color, whereas Godzilla 2000 and GvM had deviated from the rest of the movies by giving him an orange-ish atomic ray. Mechagodzilla looks good, far more sleek, agile, and athletic than the 1993 version and more like the 1974-1975 MG. Special effects work is also great.

There are a few minuses in the film, however. Character development was rather lacking and followed Godzilla vs Megaguirus too closely. One strange piece to the film, and I don't know if it applies only to the region one release, is Mechagodzilla's name. They start out calling it Mechagodzilla but quickly begin calling it Kiryu and keep that name for the duration of the film (and in its direct sequel, 2003's Tokyo SOS, they go back to calling it Mechagodzilla or Mecha-G). Why they started referring to it as Kiryu is never explained and is a little odd.

Nevertheless, this is a good film, even without the human character strength that was a bit better in GMK that came before it. It's easy to see why Toho decided to keep this universe going with a sequel as opposed to just starting over again like all of the other Millennium series Godzilla films. I rate it 7/10.

Slight but amusing

[dr_foreman · 6/10 · 22 January 2004]

After the giddy heights of "GMK," the Godzilla series returns to pleasant mediocrity with this strangely "Top Gun"-like entry. Godzilla himself has a very minimal role; most of the film deals with the construction of new version of Mechagodzilla, who looks rather like a glorified Transformer. The battle scenes are pretty cool (especially the missiles!), but as another reviewer observed, Godzilla is motionless in several shots and looks either like a big action figure or, during one especially embarrassing moment, a cardboard cutout (for the curious, it's when he blows up one of the jets). Still, I liked the heroine and the fun flashbacks to the old Godzilla, so on balance I'd have to say this is above-average for the series. I just don't understand fans who tout this as a "return" to the classic Godzilla after the controversial GMK - a return to cheesiness, you mean?

a good return for Mechagodzilla

[y-02311 · 6/10 · 18 February 2020]

This movie is pretty good, if you like tokusatsu or kaiju, watch ut

Best of the millennium Godzilla movies

[ebiros2 · 9/10 · 10 January 2009]

The story starts with truck load of unknown object being moved out of Tateyama city. Shortly after that, Godzilla appears in Tateyama city. What's the connection ? The object that was moved out of Tateyama city was the remains of the original Godzilla that attacked Tokyo in 1954. Japanese special defense force JXSDF (Japan Counter-Xenomorph Self Defense Force) attacks Godzilla but it's weapons are ineffective against the Godzilla. Prime minister Takushoku (Kumi Mizuno) assembles a team of scientists to build a robot based on the original Godzilla's skeleton named Kiryu (Mechanical Dragon) to counter Godzilla's attack.

This movie had good special effects, the Mecha Godzilla (which only Dr. Uhara and his daughter refers to in this fasion in the movie) 's design was by far the best of all Mechagodzillas. They really took the effort to get the details right on this movie with cool looking cargo planes Shirasagi (White Heron) to transport Kiryu from its base to battle ground. Yumiko Shaku's performance as Akane Yashiro was engaging, and acting was believable. The plot was good and the score which was performed by Moscow International Symphonic Orchestra was in my opinion best of all Godzilla series.

This Godzilla was just as entertaining as the original Godzilla of 1954 which it pays homage to. None other Godzilla film even comes close to the quality of finish this movie has except for the 1954 original, and for this reason, movie scores a high mark.

Good enough

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 29 July 2021]

A typical Godzilla movie. He's the bad guy once again here and fighting a mechanised version of himself. I think this is the fourth film in the series I've seen with that same premise. It's serviceable enough; on the plus side, it has a super fast pace and is quite action packed compared to some, which makes it an easy watch. On the downside, theres some awful flying CGI used to animate MechaGodzilla and the characterisation is wafer thin, but we don't watch these films for that anyway. There are better movies in the franchise, but this is good enough.

Not Bad But Not Great Either...

[jmaruyama · 5/10 · 24 August 2003]

(Some Spoilers Ahead) - Why Toho and Tezuka felt it necessary to revisit and redo `Godzilla vs. Mecha Godzilla' is anyone's guess, considering that it has only been nine years since the 1994 movie which was in itself a remake of the 1974 movie. The Mecha Godzilla (or Ki Ryu [Mechanical Dragon]) is quite a different beast from both the 1994 and 1974 versions. In 1974, Mecha G was an alien cyborg creation built to masquerade as Godzilla and be his every equal. In 1994, Mecha G was built by the Japanese Defense Force (G-Force) using the salvaged remains of one of Mecha King Ghidorah's heads and 23rd Century Technology. In this version, the Japanese Government once again builds Mecha Godzilla but this time using the skeletal remains and DNA information extracted from the 1954 Godzilla (1st Godzilla) and then building a mechanical framework over it. Continuity is thrown out the window as Tezuka's G x MG refuses to acknowledge any of the previous Godzilla movies except the aforementioned original 1954 Godzilla movie (although surprisingly G x MG does mention in passing events which took place in `Godzilla vs. Mothra' and `Sanda Tai Gaira' [AKA War of the Gargantuas]).

Taking a page from Kaneko Shusuke's 2002 `All Out Monster Attack', Tezuka infuses G x MG will an abundance of impressive CGI and other digital effects. Not all the effects are great mind you and some are just embarrassingly bad (MG jumps around like `Kangaroo Jack' in some points) but there are a few cool action scenes. The model and costume works are good and there are some noticeable improvements, especially to Godzilla's look and the various military hardware including the new and improved MASERS.

Tezuka also apes Kaneko's use of one-shot and extended cameos for various recognizable TV and Movie stars (blink and you could miss cameos from the likes of Suzuki Kenji, Tanaka Misato, Mizuno Kumi, Kamiya Makoto, and Yanagisawa Shingo). And finally Japanese Baseball Superstar and current NY Yankees star Matsui Hideki (whose nickname is `Gojira') finally gets to appear in a Godzilla Movie as himself.

While Tezuka unfortunately does not have Kaneko's fair of drama and visually style, he still crafts an enjoyable story similar to his previous work on `Godzilla vs. Megaguirus'. As with G x M, Tezuka has another female heroine front and center, this time played fairly well by plucky `Princess Blade' star Shaku Yuriko. Shaku basically plays a variation of Sigourney Weaver's `Aliens' character Ripley or Linda Hamilton's Sara Conner character in `Terminator 2' complete with the muscles.

G x MG seems more suited to Anime than film as Mecha Godzilla bears more than some passing resemblance to Bandai/Sunrise's `Gundam' (Mecha G's armaments and backpack look like direct rip offs of some of the stuff you'd see in the Gundam Animation Series). Even the story seems like a variant on Head Gear/Sunrise's fan favorite series `Patlabor' with Shaku's character of Yashiro Akane basically playing a live action version of Patlabor's lead female pilot Noa Izumi. Coincidence? Perhaps but it's worth noting.

While thankfully Baby G doesn't appear in this version, M x MG is none-the-less not much of an improvement over its predecessors, albeit the digital effects are quite impressive. Godzilla x Mecha Godzilla is fun entertainment but doesn't really improve upon the franchise at all, just follows the standards that were set before it.

IS THE 26th GODZILLA, ETC.............? MOST DEFINITELY!

[bbrasher1 · 10/10 · 22 August 2003]

Better than last year's GMK, in fact, (still, I give that one ****). After the original Godzilla is destroyed in 1954, Japan has become the stomping ground (pun intended!) for a host of other kaiju over the years(featured in brief flashbacks). A special branch of the Japanese Defense Force is created to counter this threat, resulting in the creation of MechaGodzilla, a biomechanical monster created from the dna recovered from the remains of the original Godzilla. After it's initial encounter with Godzilla, the thing goes berserk when it "hears" Godzilla's roar which triggers a genetic memory in the robot's control system, causing it to go on a rampage.

GODZILLA vs MECHAGODZILLA returns the Big G to his sci-fi roots. The beginning is very similar to that of GODZILLA vs MEGAGUIRIUS, which is no surprise since it's directed by Masaaki Tezuka, who also directed GxM. The acting is superb, and the special effects are top notch-light years ahead of any premillennial G-films, or even GODZILLA '98 for that matter. I won't give away the ending, but it does leave room for a sequel currently in production in Japan, so stay tuned.

Rating: ***** out of *****

Godzilla vs. mecha-me redux

[jamesrupert2014 · 7/10 · 4 February 2018]

In this militaristic revision of Japan's troubled history with kaiju, Godzilla attacked once before, in 1954, and was defeated by Serizawa's oxygen destroyer. Other monsters have since attacked (Mothra and Gaira ("War of the Gargantuas", 1966)) and Japan's response to each attack is to develop newer, more powerful weapons. Now Godzilla has returned and a new weapon is needed, so tissue from the original Godzilla's skeleton is incorporated into a giant mecha to create a cybernetic "Mechagodzilla" (that this is the third incarnation of a "Mechagodzilla" is not part of this film's alternative history). Similar to the previous films in the millennium-series, Godzilla is a simply rampaging monster that needs to be destroyed (the concept that he's just a misunderstood dad, or that he is our guardian, or that he is our friend was (fortunately) put aside for this series). "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" (number 27 in the canon) is a pretty typical Godzilla outing. There is some backstory about the cyborg expert Tokumitsu Yuhara (Shin Takuma ) who is brought in to help design Mechagodzilla and his daughter Sara (Kana Onodera, she's OK - kids in Godzilla movies just keep getting less annoying) as well as Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku), a Mechagodzilla operator with a personal vendetta against the big guy, all of which exists simply as a scaffold to support the kaiju scenes. Both Godzilla and his cyborg doppelganger look pretty good, especially when trashing cities, as do the "White Heron" transport/command and control aircraft. I always thought the mechagodzillas looked silly when flying, so was pleased to see this one being towed into battle (later it turns out that it can fly, and, once again, looks silly doing so). The battle scenes are a mixed bag - despite having the ultimate Godzilla weapon installed in the mecha's chest, the crew seem obligated to fire numerous useless cannon, missiles, ray guns, etc. before activating the 'absolute zero' canon. The battling colossi look OK when grappling or blasting each other with death-rays, but the scenes where Mechagodzilla jumps over Godzilla or spins him around by his tail look 'fake' in comparison and detract from the overall quality of the brawls. The film's score is also a mixed bag, with some good (and familiar) themes mixed in with the grating 'fanfare' music that accompanies shots of Mechagodzilla. Acting (including English subtitling in my version) is on par with other film's in the series (although I got tired of Yumiko Shaku 's po-faced Akane and her heroic pose at the film's close was pretty trite). While neither as imaginative or well-executed as 2000's "G. vs Megaguirus") or as off-beat as 2001's "Giant Monsters All-Out Attack", this latest version of Godzilla fighting his robotic-self is an entertaining enough entry into the long running daikaiju franchise.

Needs a stronger plot, but not bad for a Godzilla movie

[phantopp · 5/10 · 1 February 2013]

The government of Japan has created the ultimate weapon against "Godzilla" (Tsutomu Kitagawa), a cyborg built using advanced DNA technology, with the remains of the original "Godzilla" killed after its attack in 1954 (a reference to the original movie) found on the Pacific Ocean floor. The cyborg, called "Kiryu" (Hirofumi Ishigaki), had missiles, and a ray that froze whatever it struck.

Like most movies in the series, this one has strengths and weaknesses.

The special effects are pretty much a plus in this movie. Despite the movie being 11 years old now, the special effects have pretty much held up. Green screen effects don't stand out that bad for most of the time, but it does briefly a few times. The arsenal of "Kiryu" are pretty believable special effects, including the launching sequence of the "absolute zero" ray. "Godzilla" itself looks a lot bulkier than previous versions, but pretty realistic.

The score of the movie is pretty good, but not really memorable. It helped enhance the fight scenes pretty well, without overwhelming them.

One big problem with the story was, as usual for a "Godzilla" movie, the human cast plot lines. We get to see no more than motive to destroy the beast, but not much else when it comes to character development. Their interaction with each other is pretty good though, but their relationships aren't really expanded on.

"Godzilla" itself never really appeared as a threat to the Japanese population, which was nothing more than collateral damage. "Godzilla" was much more focused on his enemy, "Kiryu" than the people whose nuclear advancements created it. "Godzilla" basically ignored any part of Japan it stomped through. It also barely put up a fight against "Kiryu", and appeared fairly weak for the one with top billing.

Overall, this is not a great "Godzilla" film, but fans of the series will find it no more than acceptable. If you never seen one of the movies, don't start with this one.

Another Godzilla Movie!

[Karkuen · 4 September 2003]

This Godzilla movie has a better storyline than any of the other originals. The special effects used were excellent, however the Godzilla and MechaGodzilla (Kiryu) costumes were similar to the ones used in the early Godzilla movies.

The performance of Japanese Pop Idol Yumiko Shaku (Yuki from Shura Yukihime/The Princess Blade) was great, she really portrayed her character (Akane Yashino)'s emotions well.

The overall its a good movie to watch for fun!

"It's huge and getting bigger by the minute".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 17 June 2016]

I was prepared to suspend my self imposed two drinks limit per picture for this Godzilla entry, but when all was said and done, this didn't strike me as being too bad. Or maybe I've been beaten down enough by prior flicks in the franchise to consider this one as a bit of an upgrade. The story line made effective use of the original 1954 Godzilla, and even threw in an enhanced scene in which the restored skeleton of the original offered an insight on how to defeat the latest version. They called this anti-Godzilla super weapon a 'Kiryu', with the inclusion of an absolute zero weapon as an added bonus. So I was thinking about that when it struck me - what if the name the Japanese scientists came up with was meant to be a goof on the way American films fracture the way they speak? Think about it - was 'Kiryu' a mispronunciation of 'kill you'?

Ok but inconsistent

[DanteRiggs · 7/10 · 20 March 2021]

Some good moments, some cringe moments, decent action and anime-like cliches, one plot hole (or rather they adress it a very shallow way), an extremely forced romantic subplot... All in all, it's a decent (and formulaic) Godzilla movie.

Final rating: 6.8/10

Awesome

[darkdementress · 7/10 · 23 April 2021]

20 times better then the new movies!! Actual likeable and well written characters and although the godzillas are people in suits the action is pretty cool! Also the explination for how things work is believable. Rather watch this then that kong vs godzilla.. My god it was bad..

This is a worthwhile addition to the Godzilla monster universe that's an absolute must see

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 29 March 2023]

Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla (2002) is a movie that I recently watched on a random streaming service. The storyline follows the Japanese discovering the skeleton of the original Godzilla from 1954. They use these bones to build Mechagodzilla and face the real Godzilla and hopefully destroy him forever.

This movie is directed by Masaaki Tezuka (Godzilla vs. Megaguirus) and stars Yumiko Shaku (Godzilla: Tokyo SOS), Shin Takuma (Godzilla 1985), Kô Takasugi (Godzilla: Final Wars) and Yûsuke Tomoi (Kamen Rodger Agito).

The premise for this movie is okay and I liked how their tied in previous Godzilla pictures into the storyline. MechaGodzilla was really good and I enjoyed the way he was depicted. The military vehicles, weapons and battles with Godzilla were great. I did miss the Godzilla theme music, though his intro was still good. The cinematography and models were solid and the final battle was excellent.

Overall, this is a worthwhile addition to the Godzilla monster universe that's an absolute must see. I would score this a 6.5-7/10 and strongly recommend it.

Is the 26th Godzilla film TRULY any good? Hell yeah!

[HankCoolV · 10/10 · 14 August 2003]

This film had everything a Godzilla film needs: a bunch destruction, Godzilla fighting another monster with incredible results, and of course, a little camp! The special effects in this film are unbelievable, they are just getting better and better... basically equal to America! There are so many highlights in this film I can't think of all them; the scene with Mechagodzilla falling under the moonlight was fantastic, and as MG is falling, the energy sockets on its back burst flames, resulting in the greatest flying kaiju scene since Gamera 3! Some of you may be thinking "well the special effects are good, but that is not the most important thing in a film." Well, this film had quite a bit of drama which surprisingly was touching, and it all mixed in a Godzilla film very well... connecting the theme all together!! The music and acting was excellent, as simple as that.. The fight scenes between godzilla and Mechagodzilla were great, often having grappling and punching instead of constant beam battles like in the Hesei series. Godzilla's 26th film is one of the greatest G-films of all, almost beating Godzilla, mothra, and King Ghidorah!! Director Mr. Tezuka is directing a sequel to this film, which features two mothra larvae, one Mothra adult, Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, and the giant turtle Kameba, all in an all-out war! It will be great, and will probably top Shusuke Kaneko's Gamera series as long as Mr. Tezuka uses his creative talent of directing, creative camera angles, and spectacular Specail FX!!

The Apology for Godzilla X Megaguirus

[xamtaro · 7/10 · 14 May 2020]

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is the fourth Godzilla film in the "millenium era" that started with Godzilla 2000. It is the second Godzilla movie by director Masaaki Tezuka, after his previous (and relatively unimpressive) GODZILLA X MEGAGUIRUS, and this entry retreads a lot of ground covered by that movie. So much that it's plot could be considered a remake of GXMegaguirus only with Mechagodzilla. After the first Godzilla that attacked japan in 1954, there have been attacks by other giant monsters prompting the formation of the Anti Megalosaurus Force (AMF), an elite tactical unit given sci fi technology and tasked with fending off such attacks. A failed sortie against a new Godzilla in 1999 had prompted Japan To use the bones of the previous Godzilla to create Kiryu, a titanic robot in the form of Godzilla: a Mechagodzilla.

Equipped with missiles, beam weapons and the dangerous "absolute zero" freeze cannon, Kiryu is a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately their first battle awakens the memories of the Godzilla whose remains form a part of Kiryu and the giant robot causes just as much damage as the monster it was designed to stop. While awaiting the next attack, the AMF scrambles to ensure Kiryu is able to remain in control. It's similarity to GXMegaguirus comes in not just the setup of a deadly uncontrollable new weapon that leads to more trouble than it is worth, but also the characters. The 2 main characters are Akane Yashiro, a soldier and survivor of the failed 1999 sortie racked with guilt and vowing revenge against Godzilla, and Tokumitsu Yuhara, an optimistic jokey scientist who helped with the creation of Kiryu.

Both of them are rehashed from the characters in GXMegaguirus Kiriko Tsujimori and Hajime Kudo, complete with the scientist trying to get friendly with the cold and distant soldier. Fortunately, the character development here is more gradual and the characters themselves more likable than Director Tezuka's prior efforts.

The addition of Tokumitsu's daughter and her bond within Akane gives the soldier an emotional anchor to slowly warm up to. Akane's character arc of at first being looked down upon by fellow teammates but slowly winning over their respect to be treated as an equal mirrors a very real challenge women in male dominant professions continue to face. The overall tale is much more focused on the human characters with a very pro-humanist slant. Godzilla himself is devoid of personality, reduced to merely being "generic threat to humanity", an obstacle that a country can overcome through unity, dedication and ingenuity.

It is decidedly more in the "feel good" category as compared to the more nihilistic GODZILLA, MOTHRA, KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL OUT ATTACK. Depending on one's taste, this could be seen as an improvement over something that was too dark or as a step backward into more idealistic "happy and kid friendly" territory. A more objective improvement is in the special effects. Miniatures of the buildings, vehicles and city are breathtakingly detailed. Green screen effects are also more polished than what came before.

However with detail comes a trade off, and that can be seen in the monsters themselves. The well crafted giant monsters move very stiffly; melee fights consists of awkward flailing or pushing or hugging each other while pyrotechnics go off behind them.

Director Tezuka tried to get around these limitations by enhancing the footage with CGI and filming in a certain style involving over the top feats. This all only adds to the often cartoony feel of the battles like one scene when Mechagodzilla flies at full speed to tackle Godzilla away. Mechagodzilla comes to a complete stop upon hitting Godzilla and just stands there while Godzilla is sent careening into the distance. It is like something out of Looney Tunes! Like Kiryu of the story, GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA is not without some kinks. For all it's good special effects, characters and themes, you have the cartoony battles, the often over the top acting, and the cliche ridden story that we have seen twice already.

For me, I found it very entertaining despite its shortcomings. It is a competent movie and while I did prefer something darker, I do appreciate the entertainment value of this one.

Remake Of A Sequel

[boblipton · 4/10 · 12 April 2022]

This is the 2002 remake. It's a very handsome production with Godzilla looking like he's the result of some good CGI, as scientists produce a mechanical version of the screen monster to battle the atomic-breathing lizard which has "cursed" Japan.

It's hard for me to judge the quality of the humans' acting, since the inane translations looped into their mouths is, to put it mildly, distracting, but the set design and camerawork are first rate.

good monster movie as it is

[r-c-s · 8/10 · 29 December 2005]

This is a classic monster movie as it is supposed to be. SFX are definitely 2000ish and show no big shortcomings. As well, this movie is about monsters levelling cities, or men in suit levelling cartonbox cities: pure&simple. The character development is left to a minimum, but we don't miss it. Other monster movies try to thicken the plot with poor results: here they keep it low profile. There are not many subplots (unlike say Final Wars ) and that makes it less cluttered. Fights are very good and this time Kiryu can actually beat the hell out of Godzilla. Kiryu is no less than some cyborg engineered from the 1954 Godzilla cells & built around that skeleton by a scientist who could syntetize trilobites out of fossil cells i guess. There is the subplot about the scientist & his child daughter still mourning her mother's loss; there is the army girl outcast after a mistake of hers triggers the death of other soldiers, but it's pretty much all there.

One of the better ones

[Couchzilla · 7/10 · 23 September 2023]

Another Godzilla movie. I was expecting your usual humans talking about stopping Godzilla with some okay characters and an okay story, but this one managed to actually impress me.

The story line is actually good and entertaining and the characters are well written. The monster designs are also great. I really enjoyed the pacing of this movie it flowed a lot better than some of the other Godzilla movies I've seen before.

I got a little bit of an Evangelion vibe in some scenes which I love. If you're looking for a fun Kaiju movie that is a bit different from the rest of the Godzilla movies I'd highly recommend "Godzilla Against MachaGodzilla"

Godzilla series is wearing thin

[SimonJack · 5/10 · 26 September 2018]

The Japanese made Godzilla and remain the masters of the monster that first appeared in the 1950s. But these later films are fast diminishing as enjoyable sci-fi. The main reason is all the rest of the stuff that's in the later films. By this fourth film, and third in the Japanese assembly line, the plots are more about martial arts, far-out scientific research, romance, strange heroes, dysfunctional families, etc.

The fright factor of the original rampaging monster is now gone. And that makes the scenes of widespread destruction little more than play at CGI and special effects. These later films try to add some underlying humor. But that mostly fizzles. In this film, a woman becomes the main hero as the only pilot able to lead a special weapon and ship to tackle Godzilla.

The fight between Godzilla and its mechanical duplicate is more boring than interesting. There's nothing new here, and the advantages of fright, technology and plot from the original are all gone. The human interest sidebars provide some interest, but this film otherwise isn't a sci-fi thriller.

By the ending, it seems that ToHo plans another sequel. It might better let the Godzilla phenomenon die out quietly.