Godzilla vs. Megalon

Godzilla vs. Megalon, or Gojira tai Megaro, was the only film in this venerable Japanese series to be geared specifically for children. Godzilla is a legendary hero, and protector of Japan, rather than the Island of the Rising Sun's destructor. He is called upon by the android, and Ultraman look-alike, Jet Jaguar to fend off the attack of the giant interstellar cockroach, Megalon, and that fiendish villain from Star Hunter M Nebula, Gigan. The fight that insues is exciting, funny, and at times, a little bloody, but in the end we all know how it ends.

For the younger viewers, Godzilla vs. Megalon is up their alley, and when I was a kid, this is the film that made me believe in Godzilla and see him as a hero.

Highly recommended.

The villains of this film are beings from the underwater kingdom of Seatopia, frustrated with humans' nuclear-bomb testings, which ravaged their kingdom. Therefore, they sent their monster god Megalon, an over-sized cockroach, to destroy mankind (pretty sensitive, couldn't they just reach out to the humans and let them know they live downstairs, so therefore, quit with the bomb testings?).

Toho utilized the overused alien-invasion plot again, making this film the a rush-through production job. Tons of stock footage were used and the plot was very plain. This film is basically an "aliens and monsters invade Earth, and Godzilla and a robot arrives and defeats them and saves Earth story." There are no subplots, significance, irony and female leads. What made up for this movie, though, is the monster wrestling-like battle at the climax. After getting pretty beaten up by Gigan at the previous fight in "Godzilla vs. Gigan," Godzilla this time really gave Gigan a taste of his own medicine. Even giant-beetle Megalon couldn't hold up a strong battle against Godzilla. Jet Jaquer was Godzilla's partner-in-crime, a giant robot made to capitalize on the Ultraman and Zone Fighter trilogies that were popular in Japan by the time this movie came out, so I guess Godzilla deserves the right to have a robot as his sidekick at least once. Unfortuntately, Jet Jaguar wasn't emphasized enough. There should have been more scenes depicting him as a "superhero" (like saving a life or stopping a robbery like most superheros do). It still bothers me why the Seatopians need to steal Jet-Jaguar and use it to guide Megalon to Tokyo. In previous Godzilla movies, monsters just find their way to the city and start trampling. Why the heck does Megalon need a tour guide?

To sum it all, a rushed film with lots of stock footage and sub-par characters. But, an exciting monster battle at the end.

Grade C

'Zilla Vs. Megalon really is up there with Plan 9 From Outer Space: this is car crash cinema that you just can't take you're eyes off. Favorite moments include the lamest car chase in cinema history, the amazing non-explanation of Jet Jaguar "going large" and the staggering psychedelic abode where our heros live.

A very strange film.

Godzilla Vs Megalon is often regarded by Godzilla fans as the low point of the series. Indeed,in terms of conventional movie making,this is indeed a bad film. Stupid plot,zero characterisation,shoddy effects,awful music,you name it. There's even a brief bit where the actors stand still waiting for 'action'-obviously no one cared to edit this out. However,sometimes a bad film can be fun,and this is a case in point.

The film is so fast moving and action packed it's as if all the so-called 'dull'bits have been edited out. No slow build-up to the monsters here-the human part of the story is a constant series of vehicle chases,fights and kidnaps. The friendly flying robot Jet Jaguar has such a goofy charm that can't really dislike him,despite the shameless pandering to small kids,and Megalon and the previously seen Gigan really make a surreal pair of evil monsters. As with Godzilla Vs Gigan,the film is rife with footage from previous Godzilla films,but you have to almost admire the nerve in scenes like Megalon's attack on Tokyo,where all the exploding buildings are from the Ghidorah attack sequence in Ghidorah the Three Monster,the filmmakers almost getting away with it because Ghidorah's ray looks a bit like Megalon's. Oddly enough,the uncut version {many versions are badly cut} is surprisingly violent considering the target audience.

The phrase "so bad it's good"was made for this movie. Badly made in every way,and with no artistic merit whatsoever,but inspite of,or maybe even because of this,it's FUN!!!

I've seen every Godzilla movie at least once, but this one is something of a special case. They say this film was started and completed in the same month, which is an incredibly short amount of time for a feature film to be made. I can't say it has the best plot, basically Atlantis is pissed out of nowhere and sends a giant bug to attack Japan of all places, while "agents" of their Caucasian race attempt to take control of a simplistic Robot that looks like a gymnastics instructor. Well, all that put aside, the movie isn't actually that terrible. It was fun to see Gigan in another film besides his own, I feel he was always a bit under rated.