Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Blistering performances.

By 1993 the Heisei era of the Godzilla series was well in swing. Here production company Toho bring back Mechagodzilla, Rodan and sadly - they birth Baby Godzilla. Plot is nutty of course, top level government organisation want rid of Godzilla, so using various mechanics and creature science from previous Godzilla foes, construct a new Mechagodzilla, who is soon to be souped up to be Super Mechagodzilla. Carnage, telepathy, hidden brains and maternal instincts do follow.It's actually one of the better films from the Heisei wave. Standard city destruction via model work is always good fun, but it's nice to find the effects work is of a much better standard than from previous instalments. The action sequences are smartly constructed by Takao Okawara, with the crowning smack-down between Zilla and Metalzilla absolutely joyous, a fun packed blend of cartoonish chaos and death ray destruction. Akira Ifukube once again provides an outstanding musical score, and while you will search long and hard for acting performances of note, it all just falls into place in the grand scheme of things.Now if only we didn't have that goddamn Baby Godzilla! So cute! So annoying... 7/10

Takao Okawara's 1993 "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" sounds like a job for Maury Povich and his legion of paternity-testers. Why, you ask? Because two of this film's four monster stars are locked in a bitter custody dispute over a child that they both claim is theirs. And this film marks the return of three classic giant Japanese monsters who haven't been seen since Godzilla's earlier first-generation Showa-Era adventures. And this movie is just so damn cute, in addition to being action-packed with breathtaking special effects and Akira Ifukube's thunderous music score. But, like I said, at its center, however, is the mother of all kaiju custody battles. This is one case I think Maury Povich would be very interested in playing the referee.In 1992, immediately following the events of the horrendous time traveling adventure that was "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" (1991), the United Nations brings together the United States, Japan, and Russia to use the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah to construct the ultimate in anti-Godzilla weaponry. Two years later, they come up with the cyborg-monster Mechagodzilla.Now if you remember, kiddies, the last time Mechagodzilla appeared in a "Godzilla" film, was 1975's "Terror of Mechagodzilla" (direct sequel to 1974's "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla") and there it was the Big Guy's primary antagonist - constructed by evil ape-like aliens intent on planetary conquest. This U.N.-backed mechanical doppelganger, however, is on the side of good, and is more than powerful to take on two monsters at the same time if need be. Admittedly, when comparing the two monsters to each other, this newer Mechagodzilla is considerably less powerful than its malevolent Showa-Era counterpart, yet this monster is still able to succeed in almost sending the Big Guy to his maker on at least one occasion in this film.Meanwhile, on a small Pacific island, a band of Japanese and Russian explorers have discovered the remains of a prehistoric dinosaur nest and two eggs. One has already hatched, bringing to life the flying monster Pteranodon Rodan. Naturally, Rodan thinks that this other egg is his brother and he is determined to protect it all costs, when Godzilla shows up and also lays down claim to the egg. The explorers manage to get out of dodge with the prehistoric booty, while leaving Godzilla and Rodan to duke it out.Back at their headquarters, the researchers led by Azusa Gojo (Ryoko Sano) try to crack this mystery open but before they can, out springs the cutest little baby Godzillasaur you could ever lay your eyes on. The baby monster, affectionately named "Baby" by Azusa and the others including her bumbling would-be boyfriend Kazuma Aoki (Masahiro Takashima) and psychic Miki Saegusa (beautiful Heisei series regular Megumi Odaka), comes to think of Azusa at its mother because she was the first thing the newborn Godzillasaur had laid its eyes upon its birth. Pretty soon, though, Godzilla comes looking for his child, and is more than willing to lay waste to all of Tokyo if that's what it takes for him to get what he wants. And soon the anti-Godzilla forces are out in full swing with Mechagodzilla (and Aoki's previous invention, the flying warship Garuda, which can combine with the cyborg to become Super-Mechagodzilla) ready to take on both Godzilla and a newly powered-up Fire Rodan (which now has many of the same powers as Godzilla including a heat ray)."Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is a strange title for this movie since it is not technically a sequel to any of the films ("Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" and "Terror of Mechagodzilla," remember) produced during the Showa Era. It is instead, a follow-up to the previous film, "Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth" (1992). While I maintain that "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989) remains the towering achievement of the second-generation Heisei-Era films, "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is definitely one of the better films to come out during this time, and with good reason.What makes this film so special, I think, is that it injects some much-needed "cuteness" into the kaiju-style proceedings, which is something that hasn't been done in a while. That cuteness, however, does not descend into needless kiddie territory (like the later Showa-Era films did, with Baby's ridiculous predecessor Minilla). "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" maintains its deadly serious a**-kicking attitude, while still leaving a little bit of room for you to go, "Awww" at Baby. Because that is what Baby Godzilla gets out of you, even for those film critics who may not have been issued hearts at birth. And the film's ending still pulls at your heartstrings because Baby has become attached to his surrogate mother Azusa Gojo, and vice-versa, but they both know where he ultimately belongs - with his father - which will be good for both him and the rest of humanity as a whole."Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is perhaps the most touching "Godzilla" creature feature to come out in a long while. It's not perfect, but it's special because it's able to maintain a strong sense of parental sentimentality without becoming the stuff of idiotic kids' fanfare; this is still strictly territory for adults. It also provides some stellar kaiju battles between two warring parental figures - Godzilla and Rodan - and the violent intervention of a third monster, Godzilla's cyborg doppelganger, Mechagodzilla. Master cinematic composer Akira Ifukube's score accentuates the hardcore monster-mash action, and is appropriately hard-hitting and tender and bittersweet at all the right moments.Oh, and in the words of Maury Povich himself, "In the case of Baby Godzilla, Godzilla, you ARE the father!" {Loud audience applause}8/10

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla is another Hesei Film that reintroduces some classic Godzilla Monsters. Overall it is a great action packed film with a great story as well.A new weopon is created, Mechagodzilla, to battle Godzilla. Meanwhile a expedition to an island discovers a glowing egg. That night a giant flying reptile, Rodan, attacks the groups camp and goes after the egg. Godzilla appears and does battle with Rodan, and Rodan is killed. THe egg later hatches into a little Godzilla and attracts Godzilla towards Japan. Mechagodzilla is sent to do battle with Godzilla, but will it be able to stop him? This time Mechagodzilla is not the villain. Rather than being an instrument of destruction used by aliens to destroy Earth, Mechagodzilla is a machine created by humans to stop Godzilla. I like how Godzilla gets to be the bad guy and Mechagodzilla is the good guy. A sort of role reversal from the Showa Series to the Hesei Series.Mechagodzilla has an impressive arsenal. Mega buster in his mouth, laser cannons in his eyes, rockets, electrical shock cables, and armor that absords Godzillas heat ray and uses it as a power source for a powerful energy beam. Wow. THis arsenal is amazing. Definitely one of the most powerful monsters ever in a Godzilla film.Rodan gets to show up too, another great monster. Rodan however is the same size as he was in the showa series so unlike Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah who get larger in the Hesei Series, Rodan is the same size as he was so he is a bit smaller than Godzilla. I guess they wanted to portray him as a light fast monster. Rodan looks really cool in this film. HE gets a Pteranadon style face that looks evil. Eventually in this film he turns into Fire Rodan and gets to fire a uranium heat beam. So Rodan gets in a lot of good action and is a great addition to the film.Also a baby godzilla is in this film. It is pretty cool and acts like a young dinosaur. Unlike Minya from the Showa Series this baby is not just a joke and it actually looks like Godzilla.Monster action is in abundance. Lots of awesome energy weopons lighting up the screen. Loads of destruction. Nature vs Man. Nothing beats it.THis is one of the best of the Hesei Series, along with Godzilla vs Biolante. Mechagodzilla and Rodan both are in it. Awesome. A must see.

This film proves what I suspected all along - Godzilla is a female.As the movie opens, Godzilla and her recently divorced mate Rodan are engaged in a rather ugly custody battle over the unhatched egg of their daughter, Baby. This fight is one of the most fun in the later Godzilla series, a real throw-back to the classic wrasslin' matches as King Kong vs. Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Gigan.Anyway, a group of human scientists (from Japan, the center of the universe in Godzilla films) offer Baby a foster-home in Kyoto. Tired of the shouting and fisticuffs between her parents, she accepts.Godzilla knocks Rodan for a loop (not keeping up on his alimony, I suspect) and walks all over him (typical female); then, since she's not literate enough to write "Dear Abby", and not social enough to hire a lawyer (assuming one can call hiring a lawyer a "social" act), she wanders off the trailer-camp to search for her blood kin.Meanwhile some loopy scientists build a big rubber-"love"doll for Rodan, but worried he might get angry and start spitting fire at them, they coat it with metal and diamonds.However, when Rodan shows up, he's furious that the humans would try to foist this gaudy 'ho on him, and he's not at all happy with the foster home being made out of plastic model buildings, so he lights a doobie and smokes most of Kyoto with the fumes. Now we're really flying high! However, the Super-Godzilla "love"doll has some sex-toys rodan's never played with before, including a hunka plasma energy shot straight for the heart - Rodan looks down for the count, and Baby may just end up in a bawdy house, or, worse, a spinster in a convent. Who's gonna pay for her schoolin', after all? And who's gonna marry a red-eye reptile, for heaven's sake? Wait! - What's that big "thumpa thumpa thumpa" noise? Yes, it's Momma G., stompin' Tokyo - I mean, Kyoto - again; and she's mad! The gaudy "love"doll" drills Big G. with plasma-dildos up the rump, where she keeps her second brain (don't laugh! - everybody needs one), and it looks like Mecha-babe will rule! - but don't count out the old boyfriend yet! Yes, true love wins out: it's Rodan to the rescue - and I won't spill the rest of the sushi, but expect a very pretty mother-daughter reunion, while a choir of angels sings Japanese love songs in the background. What? Monster movie? You never been in a New York State divorce court, huh? The script is silly, the cast is in top form, the special effects are groovy - Rodan not only looks better in this film than he has in the old series, but better than his brief appearance in the later "Final Wars. The action is pretty snappy, and when it slows down, some comic relief is provided with both slapstick elements as well as real wit.Great fun for this genre.