Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

The Millennium-Era series of "Godzilla" features - released over a five-year period between 1999 and 2004 in Japan - is an interesting film series, to say the least. I have been slow in getting to it, having grown up on both the Showa-Era (1954-1975) and Heisei-Era (1984-1995) "Godzilla" film series. The first film I ever saw from the Millennium Era was 1999's "Godzilla 2000" - which, as I remarked in another review - was the last film I ever saw at the now-defunct Cineplex Odeon at my local shopping mall before it closed down forever in early 2000. I was 14 when that movie came out and when the Cineplex Odeon finally closed its doors.

Just yesterday, I watched "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" (2002). Today, I just finished watching its direct 2003 sequel, "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." When I remarked how interesting the Millennium Era is, I mean that it's interesting in that like the Heisei-Era "Godzilla" films, it completely disregards all the films that came before it - pretending that they never happened - and instead goes right back to "Gojira" (1954), the gloomy black & white monster flick that started it all. But unlike the Heisei Era, each film in the Millennium series is a stand-alone feature that not only disregards all previous "Godzilla" features from different eras, but each film in the Millennium Era prior to it is also disregarded. So, in other words, "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" disregarded the three films that preceded it.

"Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" is the only film to have a sequel, which is "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." "Tokyo S.O.S." is a better film than its predecessor, and also a unique one. Since "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" and "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." are stand-alone features that started 45 years after "Gojira" - these two films are unique in that they also include a loose continuity of sorts with other non-Godzilla-related Toho "kaiju-eiga" (Japanese giant monster films), namely "Mothra" (1961) and "War of the Gargantuas" (1966); for this sequel, "Mothra" is the film most referenced and shares the greatest continuity, and it also includes a few references to "Godzilla vs. Mothra" (1964) - the latter film of which has the benefit of being Godzilla's last portrayal as the bad guy in the Showa-Era film series.

"Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." is set in 2004, one year after Godzilla ravaged Japan, but was thwarted by the Japan Self-Defense Forces' (JSDF) Mechagodzilla, a.k.a., "Kiryu" (meaning, "Machine Dragon" in Japanese). Mechagodzilla, as you remember, was built around the remains of the first Godzilla that was killed in 1954, and shares that long-dead monster's genetic memories. Though Mechagodzilla managed to save Japan from Godzilla, the monster cyborg was heavily damaged and needed to be repaired.

Now, the JSDF is pondering whether or not to deploy Mechagodzilla into the field again, being that its most powerful weapon, the Absolute Zero, is damaged beyond repair and without it, Mechagodzilla will not be able to defend the country against Godzilla. Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) mechanic Yoshito Chujo (Noboru Kaneko) is on vacation at his uncle's house when he's visited by the Shobijin (Masami Nagasawa and Chihiro Ohtsuka), the miniature twin fairies who act as guardians for the benevolent insect monster-god Mothra. Chujo's uncle is none other than Dr. Shinichi Chujo (the late Hiroshi Koizumi), the Japanese linguist who first discovered Mothra and the Shobijin on their native Infant Island and witnessed Mothra's subsequent destructive rampage in Japan 43 years earlier in 1961.

The Shobijin have come to warn them that because Mechagodzilla is built around the skeletal remains of the original 1954 Godzilla, that this is why Godzilla keeps returning to attack Japan. If Mechagodzilla is returned to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, then Mothra will gladly take its place to guard Japan from Godzilla's attacks. Meanwhile, Godzilla surfaces once again to attack Japan, and Mothra joins the fray. Pretty soon, though, the JSDF also realizes that Mothra alone will not be enough, and that they have no choice but to deploy Mechagodzilla once again into battle - but the question remains of whether or not the mighty Mechagodzilla will survive another lethal encounter with Godzilla?

Maasaki Tezuka returns behind the camera to direct this stellar follow-up to "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla." The greatest thing to be said about this feature is to see Hiroshi Koizumi, a regular during the Showa Era in numerous Toho kaiju-eiga, reprising a role he first took on over 40 years earlier. As a supporting player to a younger generation of cast members, Noboru Kaneko makes for an effective leading performer who is dedicated to his job and knows every inch, inside & out, of the cyborg creature that he has been charged with maintaining. He also has a close friendship with Kiryu pilot Azusa Kisaragi (Miho Yoshioka) - having replaced Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku) from the previous film and who appears here in a brief cameo. I was a little startled to learn that Yumiko Shaku wasn't going to be the lead in this sequel, as I did find her replacement in Miho Yoshioka to not be as engaging or sympathetic as she was in "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla." This was really my only serious disappointment with this flick.

"Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." has some stellar monster battles, a beautiful reappearance of Mothra, and an awesome mix of old & new (in more ways than one). This was the last film before the all-out monster battle royale that was this series' epic closer, "Godzilla: Final Wars" (2004).

7/10

The one thing that gets me is how some reviewers rate movies, but only tells the parts that they hated. What about the rest of the movie. This one is much better than the first (Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 2002) by far. The story is very interesting this go around. The people of Japan are warned that if they do not dismantle Kiryu then Mothra will not fight for them rather against them.

This movie also has key elements from previous movies such as Mothra, and Godzilla vs Mothra, while still staying true to the 2002 flick. The special effects get better with each movie especially Godzilla's thermanuclear blast. The monster battles in this one were good as well, some reviewers think Godzilla has to be super evil to have good monster battles, shame on them. Mothra did her parts to hold off Godzilla until Hio and Mana (the larva) shows up.

I won't spoil the movie or the ending for you, but the doorway for Godzilla Final Wars has been busted open. Again don't trust reviews from critics whom couldn't tell you the difference between Godzilla and Zilla. This is a definite buy and an enjoyable movie. Who says you have to be a kid to appreciate the action of a Godzilla movie? Check this one out, you won't be disappointed.

This is a continuation of the previous Godzilla movie, but where the previous movie was one of the best Godzilla movie, this one falls way short. The biggest culprit is the poor choice of actors which Toho seems to be an expert at. They had a pretty good combo in the previous version with Koh Takasugi, and Yumiko Shaku, but this one had bunch of kids which really had no acting abilities which really drew all life out of the plot. This is shown in the fact that this movie had such a poor turnout at the box office in Japan (13 million dollars) , that it was officially decided that the next Godzilla movie Godzilla Final Wars will be the final Godzilla movie.

The story plot was boring, and also annoying with all the young actors trying to steal the lead which added to the unfocused plot. I think it was a bad idea to make a mechanic the main character of the movie. He was having a hard time being a hero. The guy who should have been the hero - the pilot of Kiryu was a horrible actor and he wouldn't have engaged the audience to a degree Yumiko Shaku did. Music was way down from the previous movie.

Special effects was pretty good, and might be the best part of this film. Mothra's depiction was the most realistic of all Toho movies. But somehow I can't get used to the millennium Godzilla's face. It has no expression, and I don't get the sense that it's such a big menace. Godzilla looks small throughout the series after Godzilla 2000.

So nothing as its center piece, this movie falls apart as plot moves forward.

Godzilla: Tokyo SOS is the only film of the Millennium series that is preceded by another film. Picking where Godzilla X Mechagodzilla left off, the Japanese Defense Force is in the process of repairing Mechagodzilla after his last outing with Godzilla. Yoshito Chûjô, played by Noboru Kaneko, is an mechanic working on Mechagodzilla and was visited by the tiny twin fairies of Mothra, the Shobijin. They warned him that the people must return Mechagodzilla to the sea, for the dead must not be disturbed (Mechagodzilla was created from the bones of the original Godzilla). If the people do not heed to their warnings, Mothra will declare war on mankind, which I think is a departure from Mothra because she has always been depicted as a benevolent creature. But, without Mechagodzilla, Japan has no defense against Godzilla.

This film provides many references to previous Toho films, including bringing back the two character leads from Godzilla X Mechgodzilla, containing footage from the previous movies and even bringing back Kameba, the gigantic turtle from "Yog, Monster from Space" (1970). Perhaps the most notable mention is the return of Professor Shinichi Chujo, played by Hiroshi Koizumi, from the original 1961 Mothra movie. Koizumi reprises the role he did 42 years earlier, and delivers drama about Mothra's previous attack on Tokyo and referenced photographs from his trip to Infant Island in the original Mothra film.

The movie is filled with drama and heroism. The part where Chujo's grandson made the Mothra sign to call her for help was one of my favorite scenes. Michiru Ôshima gave another brilliant music score and Eiichi Asada did an awesome job on the special effects. Mechagodzilla's rockets and Mothra's wing attacks were among my favorite special effects in the film - all contributed to exciting action-packed monster mayhem. Some downsides to this movie is that as this movie also serves as a sequel to the original Mothra movie, Mothra and her larvae were not emphasized enough. Godzilla was also portrayed as very weak - in some of the battle sequences with the robot, Godzilla just stands there as if he is letting Mechagodzilla attack him. And, Godzilla rarely gets any chance to do some city stomping. As with most films in the Millennium series, this movie focuses on the military - an element that gets repetitive. But, on another note, the cast of characters are likable for the most part and Mothra's design is this film is my favorite of the monster, though she is really overused by this time.

Grade B-

I agree with reviewers who write that the film is competently made and reasonably entertaining, but I also agree that with this movie, the series seemed to have gotten stuck in a rut.

In fact, towards the end of what is known as the "Hesei" period of Godzilla films, the film-makers of the series developed a formula which became standardized for the "Millenium" phase: as the movie opens, we find the humans worried about a possible attack from Godzilla. Then they either build another monster, or have one flown in. The two (or three) monsters have a big fight in down-town Tokyo, Godzilla is tossed back into the sea, the end.

Of course, all genre films use formulas and conventions. But the stronger entries in any genre are precisely those in which the film-makers try out new approaches and variations to these formulas. In the so-called "Showa" phase of the Godzilla films (1954- 1985), there were plenty of multi-monster wrestling matches and attacks on Tokyo, etc.; but there were also some weird experiments, some that worked (Son of Godzilla is highly entertaining, if one doesn't ask for much) and some that didn't (Godzilla's Revenge). But the real point is that they were different, and challenged their viewers to decide whether the differences ought to be kept or scratched for the next episode in the series.

But with Tokyo S.O.S, it became clear that the 'Millenium" series writers and directors could only rarely innovate or improvise. The fight scenes in Tokyo became pretty much same-old same-old, film-to-film, and this is a dangerous thing to do when your protagonist is a guy in a rubber monster suit. When we see the same thing, film after film, we start getting bored, and when we start getting bored, we get distracted, and notice things like, hey, isn't that really just a guy in a rubber monster suit? Tokyo S.O.S. isn't quite down to this level; it is very professionally made. But there's no doubt that by the time it was made, it was time for something new.