Invasion of the Neptune Men Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Invasion of the Neptune Men Blu-ray Movie Review

Invasion Of The Neptune Men is considered by some as one of the worst films ever made. Invasion Of The Neptune Men was featured on the cult comedy TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Even despite the claim to fame as being a “bad movie”, the Toei film still has a cult fanbase with genre fans. Produced by Hiroshi Ohkawa (Miyamoto Musashi, Flying Phantom Ship), Invasion Of The Neptune Men stars Sonny Chiba, Ryûko Minakami, Mitsue Komiya, Seiichirô Kameishi, Rin'ichi Yamamoto, Kappei Matsumoto, Takashi Kanda, Shirô Okamoto, Junji Masuda, and Hidemichi Ishikawa.

Shinichi Tachibana – Iron-Sharp (Sonny Chiba) is a Space Hero who fights a group of alien invaders. The alien invaders have come to Earth to wreak havoc and cause chaos. Even with the dangers of the alien enemies, the Space Hero joins forces with a group of kids to fight the aliens.

Tokyo is under attack. Is Iron Sharp capable of defending Tokyo? The alien invaders have a unique metallic shape and look – going by the name of Neptune Men.

Sonny Chiba is the star of the show. Chiba fans will want to see Invasion Of The Neptune Men for Chiba alone. Chiba is a good enough reason to see Invasion Of The Neptune Men and its b-movie science-fiction adventure story.

The supporting cast of characters includes Tanigawa Yoko (Ryûko Minakami), Saito – Scientist (Mitsue Komiya), Yamagata Yukichi (Seiichirô Kameishi), Colonel Fujimoto (Rin'ichi Yamamoto), Dr. Tanigawa (Kappei Matsumoto), Defence Chief Takita (Takashi Kanda), Eiji Shindo (Shirô Okamoto), Dr. Tamiya (Junji Masuda), and Dr. Yoshimoto (Hidemichi Ishikawa). The supporting cast adds to the fun. An impressive cast of players.

The score composed by Hajime Kaburagi (Karate for Life, Red Pier) and Chumei Watanabe (Mazinger Z, The Haunted Castle) is an engaging one. The score adds to the charms of the old-school science-fiction film. There is plenty of energy to the score and it is an enjoyable genre score.

The cinematography by Shizuka Fujii (Point and Line, The Escape) is well-done and it highlights the visual aesthetic of the production. Fujii is a gifted cinematographer. The cinematography is black-and-white – gorgeous and filmic visuals.

The production features art designs by Tôru Narita (Ultraman: A Special Effects Fantasy Series, Ultraseven). Invasion Of The Neptune Men has a better-than-expected production design, too. The production designs are over-the-top but have the b-movie charm that makes genre fare so entertaining.

The special effects direction by Nobuo Yajima (Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot, Kamen Rider Black) is worth commending, too. Goofy? Sure. The special effects are fun anyway. Despite the bad-movie reputation, some genre fans will delight in the style of the special effects.

Featuring a story by Akihiro Watanabe (Ninjutsu wakashu: Tenma Kotarô, Kijo keizu), Invasion Of The Neptune Men was written by Shin Morita (Prince of Space, Ninja in Moonshade). The script has the science-fiction elements essential for b-movie territory. As silly as it may seem, it is enjoyable and audiences may appreciate the “so bad it’s good” vibe of the script.

Directed by Kôji Ohta (Tokubetsu kidô sôsatai, Ano kumo ni utaô), Invasion Of The Neptune Men is written off by some because of its bad movie reputation. Even so, Invasion Of The Neptune Men is surprisingly entertaining. Even if one considers it a bad movie, the filmmaking is fun and there are inventive aspects to the production. Well worth seeing for genre enthusiasts.

Invasion of the Neptune Men Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Invasion Of The Neptune Men is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The transfer on the release is excellent and showcases the great black-and-white cinematography. The presentation shows crisp and pleasing high-definition visuals.  An impressive scan of the feature-film. Some specks on the print are visible. This is not a new restoration or remaster – but an excellent looking scan of the film. Shout Factory also provides noteworthy encoding.

Invasion of the Neptune Men Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles). The release features solid lossless audio encoding. The audio presentation provides a crisp and clear soundstage. The lossless clarity provides a more immersive audio experience. The English subtitles are well-done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Invasion of the Neptune Men Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:22)

Invasion of the Neptune Men Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Invasion Of The Neptune Men is an entertaining cult science-fiction feature and one that genre fans won't want to miss. Genre enthusiasts will appreciate the goofy style of the filmmaking. Worth seeing for Sonny Chiba fans, too. Despite an exaggerated "bad movie" reputation it is quite fun and has plenty of "so bad it's good" moments. The Blu-ray release provides a solid transfer and lossless audio. Recommended.