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.

Get ready to crumble because there goes Tokyo! Finally, some continuation in the Millennium series. Previously, Godzilla once again faced off against his mechanical double in "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla." Both monsters return alongside Mothra in one hell of a battle between man, monster, and goddess. The result is Godzilla Tokyo SOS.

Plot: One year after the epic battle between monster and machine, Mechagodzilla is still undergoing repairs as is Tokyo. Meanwhile, Mothra, Earth's insect guardian, demands that the bones of the original Godzilla creature, currently inside Mechagodzilla, because apparently humans should never touch the souls of the dead. Soon enough, Godzilla returns, forcing the government to make rushed adjustments and send in their mech after the beast with Mothra's help. Can their combined might defeat the King of the Monsters?

Basically, it's Godzilla vs the world and I just love it. This is practically a fan's dream battle as Godzilla faces both Mothra and Mechagodzilla at the same time, the latter two being challenging opponents. The action scenes are totally crazy as these monsters beat the living (and metal) crap out of each other and buildings everywhere get smashed and blown up. The designs of the creatures are just excellent from Godzilla's awesome Hensei/Millenuim hybrid look to Mothra's insectoid features.

The story is pretty interesting, though most of the new human characters are not as charismatic as the ones from the previous film who also show up here. What's really cool, though, is veteran Godzilla actor Hiroshi Koizumi returning as his character Dr. Shinichi Chujo from the original Mothra movie! He has a prominent role here and it's so nice to see an old face from the original series. The music is also a real treat, especially the classic Mothra song sung by none other than the twin fairies, the Shobijin.

Nothing much to say other than this Godzilla film is a blast. With epic action scenes, an intriguing story, good cast, and a surprise creature cameo, this is sure to please any fan and beyond, so check it out. All hail the King of the Monsters!

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.

The acting is bad, the plot is simplistic and most of the music is very generic (I saw the movie 5 min ago and I already forgot how the music was). The monster-fight (while not bad), is nothing special, either.

Overall, this movie is pretty boring.