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Film: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Gojira VS Mekagojira)
Year: 1993
Director: Takao Okawara
Writer: Wataru Mimura
Starring: Masahiro Takashima, Ryoko Sano and Megumi Odaka
Review:
This film begins with narration that the United Nations is trying to create a defense against Godzilla. In the beginning they created a ship that is called Guardia, but then they elected to use the Mecha-King Ghidorah to build a new Mechagodzilla. It has been reinforced with a diamond/metal hull that will prevent Godzilla’s heat ray as well as has a way to absorb the energy and reflect it.
We then meet our main character, played by Masahiro Takashima. He is working inside of the Guardia, trying to find a way to re-present it back into the program. He is met two workers and is informed that he needs to report to G-force, as he has been reassigned.
Once there he meets the lead pilot, played by Daijirô Harada. He is not impressed with Takashima at all and has him begin his training. He struggles with it though. We do learn that he is interested in pterdons though.
The film then shift to an island where there is a team that is exploring. They find a skeleton to a pterdon in the rock face and then they come upon an egg. They secure it and start their study. The egg begins to glow red and the camp is destroyed by Rodan, the living pterdon. He is soon joined by Godzilla. These two giant monsters do battle with Godzilla besting Rodan. The team gets back into their helicopter and flees the island, with the egg. Godzilla turns his attention toward it and follows.
The egg is taken to a laboratory that is led by Yûsuke Kawazu. The scientist in charge of the study though is Ryoko Sano. Takashima hears about the egg and comes to visit. He takes pictures of it and asks questions. The whole time Sano tries to get him to leave, because he is not supposed to be there.
Godzilla attacks Japan and Mechagodzilla is called into action. Harada is upset because Takashima is not there. They have to call in a back-up pilot to replace him. Godzilla is dominated by the new Mechagodzilla, until they go to finish it with electrical cables. They fail and the electricity is shot back into Mechagodzilla. This incapacitates it.
While the battle is going on, Takashima stole a specimen from the lab and takes it to Megumi Odaka. She is the psychic who has connection with the giant monster. She takes Takashima with her to a school of children link her. They touch the fern to find out that a song is coming from it.
Kawazu informs Sano that the egg changes color to its mood. He ran the times she was there and it seems she soothes it. Takashima and Odaka arrive with the song and play it. This causes the egg to hatch, revealing that it is Godzillasaur. This one is not aggressive and eats plants. Godzilla is coming for it though. Sano does manage to calm it down and Godzilla leaves.
Takashima is demoted for not showing up to the battle and he takes this time to upgrade the Guardia. There is a scientist that he convinces, played by Leo Meneghetti, about how they could utilize it and combine it with Mechagodzilla, which is currently being repaired. He agrees and promotes him back to pilot it. The baby Godzilla is taken to a place where it can be studied, with Sano in charge.
The problem becomes when Odaka brings the ESP children with her, they sing the song that caused the egg to hatch. This wakes up Rodan. He flies to Japan and attacks. Mechagodzilla and Guardia are called back into action. Godzilla also returns. Can the humans stop them? Will their machines be enough or will they fall to nature? What will become of the baby Godzilla?
I do have to say that this film isn’t bad. I do like that the human race are relentless in finding a way to stop Godzilla, but always seem to fail in the end. It is good to see Rodan back, as he has not made an appearance in some time. I thought the monsters looked good, the battle scenes did as well and there was a lot of it. I enjoyed the surrounding story as I felt like it was there to supplement the major battles. Mechagodzilla is quite formidable in this one. Rodan also gets an upgrade in having a beam similar to Godzilla.
Now I did have some issues with this film though. The first issue being that I don’t understand why Mechagodzilla always malfunctions. Whoever builds it thinks it is invincible and then five minutes later it is out of commission. I don’t understand why the first battle with Godzilla, why the electricity reversed itself and then disabled Mechagodzilla. This was never really explained either. I’m confused as to why Rodan came to save the baby Godzilla in the climax. I also don’t understand the final interaction with Godzilla and Rodan. None of this is fleshed out or explained. As a story person, this bothered me.
I would still recommend giving this one a viewing. The monsters look good, the battle scenes are enjoyable and there is quite a bit of them. The acting surrounding this is good enough and the story is focused on the major battles. This film does have some plot holes that bothered me and affected my rating. This one does reference one of the previous films in the series, but that is minimal. This one can be watched alone or as part of the series. All you really need to know is that Godzilla is constantly destroying Japan and the people of Earth are constantly trying to find out how to stop him.
My Rating: 6 out of 10