Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

Movie Info

It’s Godzilla and he’s waving at me!!!

Men have come to 1992 Japan from the future with a warning…Godzilla will completely destroy Japan!  With a plan, the Futurians are going to head back in to 1944 when Godzilla saved Japanese soldiers from the Americans and was transformed into beast that Japan knows in 1992.  Unfortunately for Japan, the Futurians may not have Japan’s best interests in mind.  Creating King Ghidorah, King Ghidorah is threatening to destroy Japan in 1992…and Japan’s only hope might be Godzilla who has just been erased from existence!

Written and directed by Kazuki Ōmori, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (ゴジラvsキングギドラ or Gojira tai Kingu Gidora) is the eighteenth film in the Godzilla series.  Following Godzilla vs. Biollante in 1989, the movie is considered the third film of the Heisei series.

Don’t smell King Ghidorah’s breath in the morning

I grew up on Godzilla and spent many a Saturday morning watching the classic films (along with the god-awful cartoon with Godzooky).  By the ’90s, I had outgrown “new” Godzilla films, but I have always had a soft spot for the big green lizard and bad movies.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is unnecessary complex.  The story has all this time jumping and multiple plotlines.  I like that Godzilla isn’t simply “good”, but a necessity in this film since Ghidorah is more dangerous.  This alone might have worked as a plotline but the movie added the danger of the Futurians who have a speed running android with them.

It’s like the Bionic Man meets a crappy T1000!!!

Oddly enough, the movie had controversy.  The movie’s presentation of Godzilla’s attack on the Americans in World War II was where criticized, and the idea of the future trying to “destroy” Japan because it has become an economic superpower also claimed to be a fear of outside countries.

It is a classic Godzilla movie in appearance.  The effects are slightly better than the movies I grew up on, but they are still essentially the same and the same style.  It is a guy in a big Godzilla suit kicking and punching Ghidorah.  I do like things like the speed run by the android and that the movie is filled with weirdness, but it won’t win everyone over.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah isn’t anything special.  It is simply another Godzilla film.  If you like Godzilla, you’ll probably like the movie, but if you don’t like Godzilla, there isn’t anything new to win you over.  Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah was followed by Godzilla and Mothra:  The Battle for Earth in 1992.

Followed By:

Godzilla and Mothra:  The Battle for Earth (1992)