Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Blu-ray Movie Review

It came from outer space.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 4, 2014

Note: 'Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla' is currently only available as part of a two-pack with 'Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.'

"We can only speculate that it's some sort of huge monster."

Well, duh. It's a Godzilla movie, and unless it's the miniaturized females known as "The Cosmos," there's nothing small to be found. Huge monsters define the series, huge battling monsters give it entertainment value, and huge entertainment value has made the series legend. This time, the mighty Godzilla must do battle with his likeness that was formed in space and born to destroy Earth. Once again, Japan finds itself in the crosshairs. Buildings will tumble, monsters will fall, and man will witness one of the most epic clashes since, well, the last clash when Godzilla battled man under the protection of highly advanced robotic technology.

Too much hot sauce.

Following the intense battle with Mechagodzilla and Rodan, Godzilla has retreated once again to the relative safety of the waters off coastal Japan. In the downtime, man has reworked his mechanical ally, learned from the previous battle, and introduced a more advanced robot, dubbed "MOGUERA" (Mobile Operation Godzilla Universal Expert Robot Aero-Type) that will certainly withstand the rigors of combat and emerge victorious. But that's not man's only option. There's hope that Godzilla may be destroyed with the help of a blood coagulant, delivered by a high-tech bullet that must be fired into the creature's only sensitive spot: the armpit. Additionally, there's an effort underway to control the monster through telepathy, with the help of advanced technology. Psychic Miki Saegusa (Megumi Odaka) is contacted by "The Cosmos" and informed that a new threat is approaching Earth: Spacegodzilla. The Cosmos warns that it's Spacegodzilla, not Godzilla, that must be destroyed. With the shift in focus, and with Godzilla's child captured by Spacegodzilla, the battle shifts to the city of Fukuoka from which Spacegodzilla draws its enormous power. It will require the combined efforts of Godzilla and MOGUERA to secure even a chance at defeating perhaps the deadliest foe yet.

Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla follows classic franchise formula, at least at the core level, showcasing battling monsters and a final act duel that's appropriately large in scope and special effects. It's a much lighter movie on its surface, however, demonstrating a high energy level and an almost frolicking pace. The picture packs in the situational humor, playful action, and comic relief in most every sequence. It's one of the series' most mindlessly fun entries. It manages to divert from the rather standard, through still relatively light, avenue of broad-stroke entertainment and find a levity that's absent, or at least not quite so prevalent, in previous entries. That may irritate core franchise fans, but through the exaggerated humor the film manages to maintain a hint of novelty even as it once again mostly goes through the motions for its chaotic monster action scenes, which are mostly interchangeable with those from other films considering the strict adherence to the same style of photography, visual effects, and scene structure.

What's more, the film manages to inject a bit more raw emotion into the proceedings, leaving behind mostly procedural stuff and finding some feeling in character interactions with one another, be they human or monster. Though there have always been at least a hint of something deeper in the films, either overtly or covertly, Godzilla vs, Spacegodzilla manages to engender a broader spectrum of feeling for the duration. There's a very real, though very simplistic, emotional conveyance from the monsters, notably in "Little Godzilla," that adds some weight and depth to the action beyond mostly mindless slaughter. The film series seems more dramatically effective when it embraces subtle contexts, but Godzilla vs, Spacegodzilla at least plays to the strengths in the directions it takes and constructs a largely satisfying experience that embraces action and places it in the forefront but that offers significantly more beyond the mayhem.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla features another good 1080p Sony transfer. The film can appear a little dim and drab in places, but on the other end of the spectrum it offers a fairly wide range of bold colors, particularly in the form of brightly colored clothing and dense jungle greens. Black levels don't waver too far one way or the other, though some of the later, darker battles look ever-so-slightly washed out. Detailing is quite good. The image isn't consistently razor-sharp and up to modern standards of excellence, but light grain helps to define a film-like picture that reveals crisp, accurate textures, from faces to clothes, from sands to cities, from creature skins to metallic robot coverings. The image suffers from the appearance of occasional examples of dirt and debris, though it's very light and mostly unobtrusive. Otherwise, the transfer is rather strong all around, a proficient, enjoyable experience in every regard.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla features a rather good and energetic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Sony's audio presentation lacks musical vigor and volume to start, but it picks up substantially after a rough opening. Generally, music enjoys effortless spacing and natural placement, supported by high-ranking clarity. Surrounds are used effectively and regularly, whether for light bursts of city atmospherics or in the creation of dynamic action effects when monsters blast and slam one another over extended periods of time. Godzilla shrieks and other higher pitched sound effects enjoy a more robust flavor and precision than heard in previous titles like vs. King Ghidorah and vs. Mothra. There's also a good punch and crispness to gunfire. Dialogue plays with good, effortless pronouncement and placement. The English dub track, also presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, doesn't lose much in translation. Dialogue isn't quite so shallow as it was in previous films. Music and sound effects remain more faithful, too, with the English track not losing much in the way of balance or heft along the way. Still, the original is the way to go. It's supported by optional English, English SDH, and French subtitles.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla contains only the following teasers and trailers: Teaser 1 (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 0:32), Teaser 2 (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 0:32), and Theatrical Trailer (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 1:36),

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla changes pace and tone from the last few films in the Heisei series. There's significantly more levity and situational humor as well as noticeably more emotional depth. However, the movie remains, at its core, a basic Godzilla film, featuring yet another oversized foe and a massive three-way battle in the final act. Solid visual effects and several nifty ideas make this one of the most entertaining and accessible films in the Heisei series. Sony's Bu-ray release of Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla features solid video and audio. Once again, fans will be disappointed with the absence of relevant supplemental content. Recommended.