Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

Toho didn't have big plans on what to with Godzilla going into the 2000s so the majority of the Millennium Series of Godzilla was dedicated to letting different directors share their vision of what a Godzilla film should be.  This ranged from the silly to the family-friendly to a return to serious kaiju filmmaking with Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.  Where that film had been successful in taking the whole Godzilla legend in a different direction Toho still preferred a tried-and-true story, so writer Wataru Mimura delivered Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and with a human plot that was almost a carbon copy of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, which he previously wrote.  

Godzilla (Tsutomu Kitagawa) attacked Tokyo in 1954 and was killed by the oxygen destroyer.  However, Tokyo was soon visited by other monsters.  As a result, a special task force was established in 1966 to defend Japan.  In most cases the mobile MASER vehicles were successful in repelling the foes but, in 1999, a new Godzilla emerges from the sea.  Like the original it is unstoppable and, in the process of trying to repel the monster, Akane Yoshiro's (Yumiko Shaku) entire unit is killed except for her.  She finds herself demoted to a desk job because of it.

Since the traditional weapons did not work, it is decided to build something that can go toe-to-toe against Godzilla.  It turns out the original's bones were recovered and the cells inside allow for the integration into an organic computer to run a new machine called Mechagodzilla (Hirofumi Ishigaki).  Over the next five years the project develops under the watch of Tokumitsu Yuhara (Shin Takuma) and, when ready, Akane is asked to pilot the machine, much to the chagrin of 2nd Lieutenant Hayama (Yûsuke Tamoi).  His brother was one of the members of Akane's unit that was killed and he has never forgiven her.  However, she does her duty when Godzilla attacks and, after some tweaking, it looks like the new machine just may save Japan.

Despite the fact that the plot is recycled - something that, after nearly 50 years at this point, I don't know if I can fault a Godzilla film for - this turns out to be one of the stronger entries.  While the previous film was quite dark this one is pure entertainment and, though Godzilla himself isn't in a good portion of the film, the main battle takes up the last third.  Akine Yashiro is one of the more memorable protagonists from the latter-day films.

The same issues as in the previous movies still persist.  The suits and the miniatures look great but any time CGI is used it is intrusive and looks about five years out of date.  That is because, although these movies were successful, Toho still refused to give them proper budgets.  The result is amazing practical effects work undercut by computer graphics that look like they were done as someone's college project. 

I do like Mechagodzilla's design despite the fact that he doesn't launch his fists and the absolute zero weapon is creative despite the science, as usual, being laughable.  Thankfully this doesn't have much of the corny "we must all save the planet" dialogue as some of the others, and it does have a rather beautifully filmed and poignant ending.  Also, unlike the others in this series, it has a sequel. 

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

Time: 88 minutes

Starring: Yumiko Shaku, Shin Takuma, Kana Onodera, Tsutomu Kitagawa, Hirofumi Ishigaki

Director: Masaaki Tezuka