Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Blu-ray Movie Review

More mech, more lizard.

Note: 'Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla' is currently only available as part of a bundle with 'Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.'

When Godzilla -- or, better said, a creature that resembles Godzilla -- rises from the ocean floor, the Japanese military kicks into high gear and deploys a secret weapon known as "the maser" to intercept. Unfortunately, the weapon fails to stop the creature. The result is massive destruction, and the military finds a scapegoat not in the weapon but rather in a surviving maser weapons operator named Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku). It's back to the drawing board for the Japanese. Their solution: to retrieve and build upon the skeleton of the Godzilla the Japanese defeated in 1954. Out of the remains they create a bio-weapon with a heavy metal exterior they dub "Mechagodzilla." It's capable of destroying targets on a molecular level and holding its own in close combat. When the living Godzilla creature returns, Mechagodzilla is sent to intercept. Unfortunately, the machine goes haywire, leaving the Japanese to wonder what, exactly, it is that they've created and if it can stop Godzilla once and for all.

Mecha

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla stomps onto Blu-ray with a good looking 1080p transfer. Though it's a bit soft and flat, it takes on a usually handsome filmic appearance that reveals not only facial and clothing lines with commendable accuracy, but also Godzilla hide and Mechagodzilla metal. Colors are even and pleasing, not really popping off the screen but presenting the film's daytime scenes with notable accuracy and ease. There are some errant edge halos scattered throughout and a few minor print wear issues, but overall this is a clean, well-preserved, and cinematic offering from Sony.

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla rampages onto Blu-ray with native Japanese and dubbed English soundtracks, both presented with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 encode. Other than the dialogue, which is firmer and more natural in Japanese (and the English dub is terrible not in technical presentation but rather in actor delivery), the tracks prove largely identical. Both are huge, delivering the goods with a strength and intensity befitting a movie of this variety. Crashes, explosions, monster shrieks, and all sorts of monster-on-robot mayhem fills the listening area with a barrage of heavy hitting sound effects, including a very healthy surround support structure. Likewise, music plays with a wide presence and constant surround element. Heavy and light atmospherics both work in harmony, whether minor background details or a thrashing thunderstorm heard near film's start. This is a potent and entertaining track that befits the movie very well.

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla contains only Original Trailer (1080i, 1:36).

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is all about fun. It's not as serious as Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, but it makes up for it with a joyous pacing, epic battles, and tons of destruction, all in classic, and somewhat cheesy, Godzilla fashion. Sony's Blu-ray release of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla delivers solid video, big audio, and no real extras of note. Recommended.