Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Godzilla vs. Biollante 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 18, 2025

Kazuki Omori's "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critic Sam Deighan; archival program about the making of the film; vintage promotional materials; and more. In Japanese, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

It seems like the only thing people who like and dislike Godzilla vs. Biollante agree on is that the 1980s were undoubtedly the right decade for it. It is because only the 1980s could have attempted to legitimize an utterly ridiculous project like it. The decades before and after the 1980s produced many similar films -- like Tarantula andAttack of the 50 Ft. Woman and Kingdom of the Spiders and Gamera: Guardian of the Universe -- but the people who made and promote them and the people who went to see them were always on the same page. They all knew that these films were conceived to deliver cinematic shlock. Also, these films always targeted the correct niche audience. They did not just shoot out ideas in the dark, hoping they would resonate with people who did not appreciate what they had to offer. When the 1980s came, this market awareness suddenly disappeared. It was an interesting development because it turbocharged the imagination of various old and young directors, some of whom shot spectacular genre films, like The Entity and DeepStar Six. However, the secret of their success was not at all difficult to uncover. All they did was figure out how to package properly the shlock and the serious.

Godzilla vs. Biollante attempts to do the same and fails for several unmissable reasons. The most consequential is the decision to bring back an iconic character in an environment that instantly compromises its integrity. After Godzilla’s latest destructive resurgence, several nations rush to obtain debris from the creature’s skin, and Saradia, located somewhere in the Middle East, wins the race. While terrorists attempt to steal the precious debris, a famous Japanese scientist successfully merges Godzilla’s genetic code with that of a flower and gives birth to Biollante, another giant creature with similar superpowers, which soon after the Japanese government decides to use in a desperate attempt to save the country from its old foe. While preparing for the inevitable grand fireworks, and after they are initiated, Godzilla vs. Biollante begins mixing so much contrasting material that eventually it becomes impossible to manage it with some degree of authority. As a result, the entire Godzilla vs. Biollante acquires the appearance of a mish-mash of unused ideas from several other never-greenlighted films featuring the iconic character.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the unmissable incompatibility of these ideas is the catalyst behind many of the awkward exchanges that plague Godzilla vs. Biollante, too. For example, after the precious debris is stolen, several segments produce interesting and prophetic descriptions of the dangers of unrestricted bioengineering. (One of these segments has a suspiciously accurate summation of the ‘scientific defense’ used to legitimize gain- and loss-of-function experiments). However, they are repeatedly countered by soapy chatter creating the impression that Godzilla vs. Biollante was scripted by several writers who were quite simply not on the same page.

The final act has some decent action footage, with select parts featuring a nicely designed futuristic aircraft, so it is most unfortunate that it was not used in a more coherent and serious Godzilla film.

Godzilla vs. Biollante 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of Godzilla vs. Biollante is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-30 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #32-37 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this release:

"This new 4K restoration was undertaken by Toho Archive Co., Ltd. and created from the original camera negative. The 5.0 surround soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm original soundtrack negative.

Restoration: Toho Archive Co., Ltd."

In native 4K, Godzilla vs. Biollante can be viewed with an HDR grade. However, there is no option to view it with a Dolby Vision grade. The Blu-ray copy has a 1080p presentation of the new 4K makeover.

On 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray, the entire film looks quite a bit better than it does on this Blu-ray that Echo Bridge Entertainment produced in 2012. All visuals reveal more detail and better colors, plus their dynamic range is vastly superior. However, the new 4K makeover produces a lot of oddly inconsistent visuals, too. Some of these inconsistencies appear to be introduced by harmful digital corrections. For example, in several places edge-enhancement is very easy to recognize. You can see examples here and here. Elsewhere, there is smearing that collapses native detail. You can see examples here and here. So, if you have a large screen, more than likely you will spot areas with visuals that do not have proper organic qualities. Colors are stable. They are vibrant and healthy, too. However, this is another area of the presentation with inconsistencies. For example, cyan often becomes too strong and collapses some more delicate nuances, virtually all of which are present in darker areas. I thought that the HDR grade handled darker areas rather well. However, I also think that in places with big special effects, some of the image trickery does not look particularly impressive. This, of course, is an inherited limitation. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks impeccable as well. My score is 3.25/5.00,

Godzilla vs. Biollante 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0. (The track is encoded as DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1). Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When English is spoken, Japanese subtitles are printed on the film.

There is a lot of intense action material that sounds great. Indeed, not only is dynamic intensity terrific, separation is impressive, especially when multiple rounds of bullets are fired. The decisive clash between Godzilla and Biollante at the very end sounded great on my system. The dialog is clear and stable, always easy to follow. If there ever were any serious age-related anomalies, it is impossible to tell now. The English translation is outstanding.

Godzilla vs. Biollante 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Sam Deighan. Some of the more interesting comments address Godzilla's cultural significance and evolution over the years, the blending of various themes in Godzilla vs. Biollante, and Kazuki Ômori's career and style.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Sam Deighan. Some of the more interesting comments address Godzilla's cultural significance and evolution over the years, the blending of various themes in Godzilla vs. Biollante, and Kazuki Ômori's career and style.

• The Making of "Godzilla vs. Biollante" - this archival program takes a closer look at the conception and production of Godzilla vs. Biollante and presents clips from interviews with Kazuki Omori, special effects cinematographer Kenichi Eguchi, and special effects director Koichi Kawakita, among others. The program was produced in 1993. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (49 min).

• Behind the Design - presented here is a short archival program in which special effects director Koichi Kawakita discusses the different design concepts for Biollante and the futuristic Super X2 aircraft. The program was shot in 1993. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (3 min).

• Trailers - presented here are seven trailers for Godzilla vs. Biollante. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (10 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are five TV spots for Godzilla vs. Biollante. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (2 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring science-fiction and horror film expert Jim Cirronella's essay "Real Monsters", as well as technical credits.

Godzilla vs. Biollante 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Foreign terrorists, cutting-edge bioengineering, a grieving scientist, soapy melodrama, and yet another violent Godzilla resurgence. Is it too much for a proper Godzilla film? The final third of Godzilla vs. Biollante looks good, but plenty happens before it that is unlikely to impress loyal fans of the iconic monster. Criterion's combo pack introduces an exclusive new 4K makeover that is easy to describe as a much-needed upgrade. However, it is not as convincing as it should have been. (A separate Blu-ray release of Godzilla vs. Biollante is available for purchase as well).