6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Godzilla returns to terrorize Japan! This time, however, Japan has two new weapons to defend themselves. The Gryphon, a high-tech ship, and the Dimension Tide, a device that creates artificial black holes! During a test of the Dimension Tide, eggs appear in the city of Shibuya and hatch into terrifying Meganurons! These creatures need water to grow and flood the city of Shibuya by breaking underground water veins. As they multiply and grow, they start to feed on the energy of humans. After gathering enough energy, they transform in to giant dragonfly monsters called Meganuras! And now they target Godzilla for energy to feed to the larva of their queen, which eventually hatches into the terrifying 60-meter Megaguirus who also begins to attack Godzilla for his energy. Now a 3-way battle between Godzilla, the Megaguirus, and humans begins! Will Godzilla win? Will humanity survive?
Starring: Misato Tanaka, Shosuke Tanihara, Masatô Ibu, Yuriko Hoshi, Toshiyuki NagashimaSci-Fi | 100% |
Foreign | 99% |
Action | 74% |
Fantasy | 72% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Note: 'Godzilla vs. Megaguirus' is currently only available as part of a two-pack with 'Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.'
Goodbye, Heisei, hello, Millennium. Though the second film in Godzilla's Millennium series following Godzilla 2000, Godzilla vs.
Megaguirus is the first to be released on Blu-ray in the United States. The picture certainly sets a tone that's noticeably different from the
admittedly tonally uneven but largely identifiable Heisei series. Millennium's Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, as the series' name suggests,
pushes the franchise
into a new timeframe of moviemaking, still relying on some classic Godzilla structures and stylings but offering a more frenetic, fast-paced
sort of experience that's less focused on dramatic subtlety and story nuance and more focused on kinetic action. The end result is a movie that's
actually slower than most of its predecessors, a film that's too reliant on motion and less reliant on feeling. It lacks the grit of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, the wit of Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla, the action of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, and the splendor of Godzilla vs. Mothra, though it does share something of an origins
story vibe with Heisei's Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. In short, it's a film with little rhythm and
not a lot of purpose, one of the franchise's most forgettable entries.
Shoo!
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus arrives on Blu-ray with, surprisingly, one of the lesser efforts amongst the eight-film batch Sony has released in this run. That's not to say it's a poor effort. On the contrary, it's mostly on par with the other films of its era, just looking a little flatter -- quite a bit, at times -- and lacking the color definition and moderately intricate texturing of the other films. Light grain is present but so too is some noise. The image also looks a touch smooth in places. The image often lacks pinpoint definition and, in fact, offers some downright muddled and smeary textures, notably seen on clumps of vegetation. Clothing and skin details are only revealing of the most basic lines and definition. Creature close-ups do reveal adequate, detail-revelatory definition. Colors aren't at all bold, but then again this stretch of films isn't particularly vibrant to begin with. This transfer handles basic shades -- a purple car, a red shirt -- well enough in bright light but there's no punch to this palette. Black levels are never too far off in either direction -- crush or pushing a shade of purple or gray -- and skin tones appear natural. The transfer exhibits occasional spots and speckles in addition to its grain structure. This is a watchable transfer but hardly an example of Blu-ray at its pinnacle and certainly a tick below other recently released Godzilla films.
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus returns the Sony Godzilla releases to the 5.1 well. The included native Japanese and English dub DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtracks are the best in the series to date. The Japanese track offers full, rich music, nicely spaced and immersive through the back. Clarity is quite good and there's a tangible weight to the track. Action sound effects are nicely implemented, featuring rockets that whoosh around the stage, creature screeches and other high-pitched sounds that push hard and clean through the system, and heavy crashes and stomps and collapsing buildings that replicate the chaos with the sort of energy that listeners should demand of a movie of this nature. Still, it lacks precision attention to detail; many of the sound effects aren't perfectly defined and come across as structurally muddled, but the effort is commendable. Dialogue plays evenly and accurately from the center. The included English dub isn't far off from its Japanese counterpart, offering much of the same in terms of volume and dynamics and richness of presentation. Even the dialogue plays naturally enough for a dub. As always, English, English SDH, and French subtitles are included.
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus contains only the film's Teaser Trailer (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 1:10) and Theatrical Trailer (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 1:22).
Audiences in search of easy monster movie entertainment will find some satisfaction in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus -- it's big and loud to a fault -- but those hoping to enjoy the monster bashings within the contexts of greater dramatic and emotional purposes will be left wanting. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is too frenetic and too modern, a movie that jumbles classic Godzilla motifs with accelerated action, light Horror elements, cheesy situational character interactions, and a disturbing absence of depth. It's a serviceable excursion into the newly redefined world of Godzilla, but the film lags far behind even the worst from the previous Heisei series. Sony's Blu-ray release of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus features decent video, strong audio, and limited supplements. Rent it.
(Still not reliable for this title)
ゴジラvsデストロイア / Gojira vs. Desutoroiâ / Godzilla vs. Destroyer
1995
ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ 大怪獣総攻撃 / Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidorâ: Daikaijû sôkôgeki
2001
ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS / Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tôkyô S.O.S.
2003
ゴジラ×メカゴジラ / Gojira x Mekagojira
2002
ゴジラvsメカゴジラ / Gojira vs. Mekagojira
1993
ゴジラvsモスラ / Gojira vs. Mosura / Godzilla vs. Mothra
1992
ゴジラvsスペースゴジラ / Gojira vs. Supesugojira
1994
ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム / Gojira ni-sen mireniamu / Godzilla 2000: Millennium
1999
ゴジラ ファイナルウォーズ / Gojira: Fainaru uôzu
2004
ゴジラvsキングギドラ / Gojira vs. Kingu Gidorâ
1991
ゴジラvsビオランテ / Gojira vs. Biorante
1989
ゴジラ / Gojira / The Return of Godzilla
1984
Daikaijû Gamera
1965
ゴジラ対ヘドラ / Gojira tai Hedora / Godzilla vs. Hedorah
1971
地球攻撃命令 ゴジラ対ガイガン / Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan / Godzilla vs. Gigan
1972
Mosura 3: Kingu Gidorâ raishu
1998
ゴジラ対メガロ / Gojira tai Megaro
1973
怪獣総進撃 / Kaijû sôshingeki
1968
1995
ゴジラの逆襲 / Gojira no gyakushû
1955