Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

Movie Info

That’s a spicy meatball!

The world must stop Godzilla, and the Japanese Self Defense Force has been set up to do it!  The test of a special black hole satellite gun accidentally creates a wormhole that releases a prehistory dragonfly called a meganulon into modern day Japan.  Now, the Japanese Self Defense Force has to deal with Godzilla and the evolved Megaguirus…and only one of the giant kaiju will be left standing!

Directed by Masaaki Tezuka, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (ゴジラ × メガギラス 消滅作戦 or Gojira tai Megagirasu: Jî shômetsu sakusen which translates to Godzilla x Megaguirus:  G Extermination Command) is a sci-fi action thriller continuing the long-running franchise.  Following Godzilla 2000 in 1999, the series is part of the Millennium series and was fairly well received.

Join the Japanese Self Defense Force! See the world and almost destroy it through really crappy plans!

When you watch a Godzilla movie, you expect Godzilla battling a big monster…and you get it.  This movie though it follows Godzilla 2000 doesn’t follow the Godzilla 2000 storyline and instead takes the story in a direction following Godzilla’s original attacks where the military began developing weapons to deal with him…and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus does deliver as a classic Godzilla story.

I do kind of like in this movie how the Japanese Self Defense Force pretty much screws itself in this film.  Their desire to destroy Godzilla unleashes the meganulon which becomes Megaguirus and then they have to deal with both of them.  In this sense, the movie feels a bit different than most of the “vs” Godzilla movies in that Godzilla isn’t necessarily called upon to defeat Megaguirus, but instead the problems are multiplied (and Godzilla is still a threat in addition to being the only hope).

Megaguirus: Dragonfly of Death!

Like always, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus isn’t going for realism.  The movie still relies heavily on old techniques mixed in with some newer computer animated styles.  The Godzilla movies are generally all about Godzilla’s enemy monster and his design and Megaguirus is a decent looking creature.  I always like some of the more natural looking enemies than the complete fantasy enemies (though I still like the crazy looking Gigan).

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is for fans of Godzilla only.  Most probably wouldn’t appreciate the film and by no means is it a good film.  The Godzilla revival has made Godzilla once again more accessible and I hope that someday that they’ll just put out the Godzilla movies in big packs of “series” like the Millennium series.  Godzilla vs. Megaguirus was followed by Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah:  Giant Monsters All-Out Attack in 2001.

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Preceded By:

Godzilla 2000 (1999)