Gamera daikaijû kuchu kessen

This updated version of the 1960's terrifying terrapin is by far better than the showa films that precede it. Gamera first showed its fangs in 1965 in the movie Gamera (1965) as a response to the popular Godzilla series. for the most part these films were bad.

The 1990's revival of the sabre-toothed tortoise is a brilliant addition to the Kaiju Eiga.

The acting in Gamera: Guardian of the Universe is Excellent. Each Actor and Actress portrays there own character well and seem to enjoy playing the part.

The storyline is very good. The inclusion of what humans are doing to the planet being the reason for why the Gyoas waking up was a good plot device. Also the myth of Atlantis/super-civilisation having created the two monsters, Gamera and Gyoas was a good touch.

The soundtrack was good but I do have some complaints about its use. During the final battle scene I feel that the music played was not completely appropriate for a battle of titans.

Overall a good film with some minor flaws. Gamera: Guardian of the Universe is a great film that can be enjoyed by anyone a kaiju fan or not.

And by the way the next two are even better

Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe is a pretty good movie, I would have to say just about on par with the Godzilla films from the Hesai series. It has more plot than most kaiju flicks, and has pretty good suits. If you view it as what it is (namely, the first in a trilogy) then it is a pretty good first part. It develops the theme that will continue with the next two instalments, and does a good job of convaying the many plot twists and new developments. While both of it's sequals surpass it in almost every way, this is still a very good movie. Another plus is that it is the only one of the trilogy that has aired on TV, albeit in a cropped and dubbed version.

After watching just about all the kaiju monster movies, it was time to see the Gamera movies in order. The photography/cinematography is excellent for this film, and the modeling maybe second to none. Maybe due to the scale of Gamera, I'm not sure, but the detail was superb. I love the point of view shots and camera movement through the miniature sets. I wish they would use this effect more. I was amazed at the detail of the utility poles with wires connecting them, increasing the realism and providing depth to the shots. The monsters are also very well done and Gyaos and Gamera have risen to the top of the best looking kaiju suits to date. Some CGI shots worked, while others didn't, but for its time, above par. You can see why Toho wanted Shusuke Keneko to direct its Godzilla GMK movie, which may be my all time favorite Big G movie. The pacing is good, and although the movie is not flawless, the fun factor is through the roof! I can't wait to see the others in this series as they are rated even higher on IMDb.

This film is the first of the newer Gamera monster movies, revived from their 1960 counterparts. The Gamera movies are produced by Daiei Studios, a rival of Toho Studios, which produces all of the Godzilla films. Though I am a Godzilla fan, I have seen a few of Gamera's movies. This one serves as a great introduction to restart the series, bringing us terrific special effects and a chilling music score-nothing like the extreme cheese and camp effects of the kiddie Gamera films in the 1960s and 1970s. We see the suspense built up, bit by bit, as the monsters' origins are depicted in this film. Gamera first emerges from a mysterious rock in the ocean, while Gyaos rises from a remote island: suspenseful introduction to the two monsters. And, this movie puts in a little more element and depth we do not see in the Godzilla films. For example, when the threat of Gyaos emerges in Japan, we actually see the aftermath like stores being closed, the stock market plummeting, food and produce growing scarce and, of course, citizens fleeing for their lives. In addition, people actually freak out when famous landmarks are destroyed, like the Tokyo Tower. In the Godzilla films, human reactions are hardly depicted when famous buildings are crushed. Some downsides are that a few of the characters were pretty annoying, especially the "Mr. Saito" character, played by Hirotaro Honda. I just don't dig his hair-the way he combs it over! And, much of the acting was pretty cheesy.

In this film, we get to learn about the past of these two monsters, and why they end up in fierce battle. And, another notable mention is that the girl named Asagi, played by Steven Seagal's daughter Ayako Fujitani, is the direct link to Gamera's power. She possess this rock which is the source of Gamera's powers. They both also share the same physical feelings, for example, if Gamera gets zapped in the arm, so does she. This is a very interesting concept, and probably echos that of psychic Miki Saeguesa (Megumi Odaka) of the Godzilla "Heisei" series. Overall, a very entertaining film with non-stop monster actions.

Grade B

If I had to chose one Japanese monster movie, it would be Gamera Guardian of the Universe. The original Gamera films were intended for a child audience. While not a children's film, this is a fun film for all audiences.

A young girl forms a psychic Bond with a monster. Other monsters attack. The good monster beats the living hell out of the bad monsters. Pretty simple. What is so good about this film is, of course, the fact that is is so well balanced when it comes to human suspense and monster action. Most Japanese monster films have this tendency to sacrifice one for the other. This one doesn't, and all action sequences are top notch. Gamera fighting Gyaos in a Stadium, or saving some kids on a Bridge, its the type of movie that will have you cheering.

This, the first in the Gamera Trilogy, has some minor enviromental undercurrents. This is welcome, because we all know how sometimes films like to get preachy. This enviromental theme is apparent in the entire trilogy, but is always on a subdued level where it does get to you, instead of annoying you.