Movie Name: Godzilla vs. Destroyer
Rank: 4 godzillas
 

Review:
WHAT A RUSH!!! O.K. -- here's the plot in a nutshell [and it's a very big nut]:

Godzilla shows up in Hong Kong glowing bright orange and giving off steam. Scientists theorize that the big G has simply absorbed too much radiation over the years and heading toward a thermonuclear explosion so big it could devastate all life on earth. One of the first clues is the fact that Birth Island, where Godzilla and "Little" Godzilla were last seen, has completely blown up and Little Godzilla is nowhere to be found! Godzilla starts heading toward a nuclear power plant to "refuel" and the Japanese Self Defense Force sends out Super X3 to stop him with cadmium missles and a new "freezing laser" gun. Don't ask how a laser beam can freeze. They are successful in stopping Godzilla temporarily. When he revives six hours later, not only has his core temperature dropped, but he also turns around and heads back out to sea, much to everyone's amazement [they all figured he'd go after the power plant again]. Well, it turns out that Little Godzilla isn't dead afterall. He's now mutated into a half-size replica of Godzilla himself and is "officially" renamed "Godzilla Junior". Seems he is heading back to Adona Island, where he was born, and Godzilla is going to join him there. Meanwhile, back in Tokyo, strange things are going on. Scientists trying to develop something called "micro-oxygen" have started encountering bizarre and destructive creatures who seem to be using the micro-oxygen as an offensive weapon. The creatures start off small, but soon grow to dangerous size. The SDF is called in, and everything is taken care of. For a while, that is. Seems that the scientists have actually been trying to replicate Dr. Serisawa's most horrifying creation -- the Oxygen Destoyer! Dr. Serisawa died to protect the secret of its creation, but scientists are ever an inquisitive bunch, aren't they? Anywho, the bizarre creatures are actually microorganisms which were affected and subsequently mutated by the Oxygen Destroyer which has been festering in Tokyo Bay all these years. The bad news is that the critters are still running loose out there. The good news, however, is that they cannot stand extremely cold temperatures and can be killed off that way. Still with me? O.K. -- turns out that Godzilla isn't "cured" afterall. His heart starts to increase in temperature and it seems as though he is now going to melt down and take most of the planet with him! Oh no! Then, someone has a bright idea -- if the Oxygen Destroyer defeated Godzilla in his first incarnation over 40 years ago, why not let the Destoyer-spawned critters finish off Godzilla now, and then we can kill the critters with our new "freeze laser". How to get Godzilla to Tokyo, though? No Jet Jaguar to fetch him, this time. Then, another bright idea -- use Junior to lure him! So, against Miki's wishes, Miki and another American-trained telepath go out to find Junior and convince him to go to Tokyo, knowing that Godzilla will follow. Final stretch here, I promise. Junior shows up in Tokyo at about the same time Destroyer reappears, now mutated into one gigantic creature. The two duke it out, taking much of Tokyo with them. Junior seems to be holding his own, but Destroyer just keeps reforming and getting bigger and nastier. Godzilla shows up, in time to watch Destoyer critically wound Junior. Godzilla tries to revive Junior with an infusion of his radioactive breath, but apparently to no avail. Godzilla and Destroyer then go mano a mano. Godzilla seems to have the upper hand, but is fast approaching melt-down temperature. Suddenly, Godzilla reaches the critical temperature and starts the melt-down! Radiation is given off in waves and Godzilla's spines actually start to dissolve! Destroyer is rocked by the force, and the SDF steps in to deliver the coup de grace. No hope for Godzilla, though, even though the SDF tries to freeze him again. Godzilla slowly disoolves into a puddle of Radioactive goop, and the word collectively holds its breath... Suddenly, the radiation levels begin to drop dramatically, almost as if something was absorbing all the radiation. From out of a cloud of smoke and haze appears Junior, now mutated to full Godzilla size and emitting a roar just like Godzilla. The end, or only the beginning?

Oy -- that was long! Anyway, I really enjoyed this movie. I especially liked the way they integrated clips from the first movie, in flashback form. One of the actresses played the girlfriend of the scientist who developed the Oxygen Destroyer in the first film, and she recreated her role here. The title monster certainly didn't look like your usual "guy in a rubber monster suit"! My only complaint is that they had to give the Destroyer a double jaw, a la "ALIEN", and it looked rather contrived. Overall, though, the special effects were a real knockout, right up there with "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla". I definitely think this is one of the best Godzilla films ever made! Although I really don't believe this is going to be the "last" Godzilla movie Toho ever makes (latest reports indicate that Godzilla vs. Destroyer made more $$$ in the theaters than the previous two movies -- why kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?], this would certainly be a great note on which to end the series!


CREDITS

Gojira tai Desutoroya [Godzilla vs. Destroyer] (1995)


CAST
Miki Saegusa.............Megumi Odaka
Emiko Yamane.............Momoko Kochi
Kenichi Yamane...........Yasufuni Hayashi
Yukari Yamane............Yoko Ishino
Kensaku Ijuin............Takuro Tatsumi
Professor Marvin.........Ronald Hea
CREW
Exec. Producer...........Tomoyuki Tanaka
Producer.................Shogo Tomiyami
Director.................Takao Okawara
Music....................Akira Ifukube
Special Effects..........Koichi Kawakita
Screenplay...............Kazuki Omuri

Running Time: 103 min.

U.S. VERSION:
Released direct to video by TriStar Pictures
Running Time: 103 min.