Gamera daikaijû kuchu kessen

Having recently seen this "Cult Classic" (and it's only a few years old,too!)I've found it to be a true contender for Godzilla's crown!! Gamera gets the facelift he's so desperately needed from the original series (as any MST3K fan will testify to!),some better SFX,a COHERANT storyline,believable acting (!)and just sheer fun! See this movie if you love big monster movies,and see it even if you don't!!

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 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

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.

Thank goodness SOMEone saved the giant turtle from languishing in MST3K territory. This film is fun,smart,and visually stunning, Well-written and only the 1st in a trilogy that never lets up and never disappoints. I'm a Godzilla fan and I gotta admit this is better than many of THOSE!!