Review Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters film review by Huge-Ben
Written By Huge-Ben on 2018-01-17 11:55:03
Upon finally watching the newly animated film, and the first animated Godzilla film in Toho's history-Gojira Kaiju Wakusei or as we know it as Godzilla Monster Planet in English, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Polygon Pictures and Toho Animation. The film is good, but how good is it?
Before I begin to write my spoiler filled review, I want everyone to know that we all have different opinions on this film and while we might not agree, I will be delivering a review that I think would fit for this new film. So, if you have not watched this film just yet, please don't read any further as this review contains spoilers.
The film opens up with our cast in outer space with our main character Harou Sakaki being taken prisoner for defying military laws. As Harou is locked away, he notices a spacecraft just blowing up for reasons unknown. He cries out with a loud voice and then the title of the film shows up. This reminded me way too much of Megaguirus' opening and I wasn't for sure how the film would progress. After the title disappears, we are given flashbacks as the movie recalls the monster invasion on planet Earth with such monsters as Kamacurus, Dogorah, Dagarah, Hedorah and the biggest threat of mankind Godzilla himself. During the flashbacks, our Alien allies are shown and they want to coexist with us humans on earth, and in return they promise to wipe out Godzilla. They had constructed a mecha form of Godzilla in-ala, MechaGodzilla. However, it wasn't operational. While the flashbacks still continue, we see our main character Harou as a child asking where his parents are with him holding his grandpa's hand. His grandpa assures him that they will arrive and not to worry. However, at the space-airport station, Godzilla shows up and destroys one of the transport ships with just one blow of his atomic breath. As the alarms sound off, the humans begin their departure from earth, leaving it abandoned.
The flashbacks disappear and we return to the current time period with Haruo waking up from this nightmare and we are introduced to another character that happens to be an Alien Priest named Metphies (if I recall correctly). Here, Harou is given some data he requested on Godzilla so he can continue his own personal studies on the creature. Metphies then goes on to talk with other characters about returning to earth. While doing some calculations on Godzilla, their computer analysis comes across an unknown author on the rest of Godzilla's structure. The unknown author is revealed to be Harou and in return for this missing information they needed, it is requested for him to be released from prison. When the time comes to return to earth, the characters do a hyper-space like travel, and it leads them to earth. They send our transmitters to analyze the earth, one of which comes across Godzilla and is destroyed. Upon doing their research, they discover that the earth is now 20,000 years older than what it was when they left. Some of the characters had never seen the earth before and even gazed upon its beauty.
It is during this time that Haruo realizes they have returned to earth and says that "This is our planet and we will take it back." The deployment of heavy artillery begins and upon reaching the earth's atmosphere, they begin to lay down the fire power with warheads. This is very similar to Kong Skull Island in a way. So, now our characters finally land upon the earth and operations begin undergoing to find Godzilla so they can take him down.
Each operation is divided in teams that consist of A,B,C and D operations, with each operation having different tasks to complete. One operation is to set a trapping zone for Godzilla, while one operation is to lay down the fire power on Godzilla and led him to the trap zone. As Haruo and his comrades come across some ruins that have survived for such a period of time, they soon discover that the earth has not forgotten the human race. As all seems calm, it actually isn't. Pretty soon, our winged creatures called Servum-Selvum in English, show up and start attacking our characters. A few of these Servum creatures are killed off, but not without killing a few characters and doing some great damage to their ships and such. The Servum leave 10 dead and 35 injured. While the search for Godzilla continues, it doesn't take long until Godzilla is finally spotted during a seemingly earthquake eruption which is actually Godzilla's footsteps. In his attempt to find out what Godzilla's weakness is and how to kill him, Harou takes matters in to his own hands by being released from his handcuffs from Metphies, he then takes his own spacecraft-like pod and begins to attack Godzilla single-handedly. His efforts are useless as he tries to examine Godzilla's attack phases in his search of his electromagnetic powers. It is here that Colonel Leland takes his own strategy to find out the weakness. He obtains the data when Godzilla activates his power in an atomic breath attack, and Leland then says his final words "This planet can go to Hell." So, Godzilla kills Leland, but not before Leland obtains the information they needed to find Godzilla's weakness.
It is discovered that Godzilla's weakness lies within his dorsal fins. As the characters remember Leland's sacrifice, Haruo is then given the commander position and leads his comrades into a seemingly final battle with Godzilla. The strategy is to trap Godzilla and while he produces his electromagnetic shield, the characters will try to destroy his dorsal fins in time and then finish him off with artillery fire power.
As the battle operations undergo their phases, more lives are lost at the expense of Godzilla. While airborne, the Servum show up again diverting some of the characters away so that they can fight the Servum and others still pursue Godzilla and led him to the trapping zone. More warheads are dropped on Godzilla, which then does lead him to the trapping zone. Eventually, Godzilla is cornered and the trapping operation takes its affect. Godzilla is trapped in a mountain layer from feet up to the neck line, leaving Godzilla somewhat helpless, but not completely. He still fights on using everything in his arsenal as he can. As the plans on finding out his charging phases and when exactly he uses his power is discovered, and they look for a way to strike at the right moment. But, Godzilla is far from finished. When their plans to destroy him seem like it is hopeless as soon as they destroyed some of his dorsal fins from artillery fire, he then starts to regenerate his lost dorsal fins and tries to regain his power necessary to continue to fight. This leads Haruo to once again take matters in his own hands. In one of the ground Mecha units, he uses it to jump on Godzilla's back and injects an EMP close range attack to stop his regenerating and stop his electromagnetic powers all together. This attack is successful and Godzilla is now vulnerable to the arms of death. More and more ground Mecha units move in to finish Godzilla off with more close range EMP attacks. As Haruo is knocked to the ground, Godzilla turns his attention to Haruo and much like GMK, Godzilla goes on to use his atomic breath which when he activates it, it blows up on Godzilla killing himself.
As the victory seems accomplished, it is soon realized that this Godzilla they just killed is not the same one that drove them off the planet to begin with. Instead, it was an offspring or even a son of the original Godzilla that drove the humans off the planet. Right on cue, the 300 meter Godzilla, known as Godzilla-Earth shows up, and all Hell breaks loose. Haruo and everyone try to evacuate the area before Godzilla can attack them, but it is useless. Godzilla-Earth activates his 900 gigawatt super oscillatory wave attack and knocks all airborne crafts out of the sky. Godzilla-Earth then pursues to use his atomic tail swipe attack that levels the mountains and everything else along with it. As Haruo looks on at Godzilla, the credits begin to roll, but after the credits, we see Haruo with a native setting up for part 2 of this trilogy. End.
Despite some criticisms I have for this film, I have to say it was a lot of fun. I don't find the overall score to be too exciting or memorable as the only one I found ok was the score titled "Godzilla" itself. The score sounds like something out of God of War which is ok at the least. Godzilla's true origins are still somewhat a mystery. We know he has radiation within him, but we still don't know exactly where he came from or how he exists. The characters are engaging, especially Haruo. The animation, although in 3-D, are not exactly what I prefer, but of course I'm not the biggest anime fan there is either. This is part 1 of the trilogy however, and maybe I shouldn't be too harsh on it. It is a fine addition to the series though. I have watched both the English dubbed version, and the original Japanese version with English subtitles. I will admit that I prefer the original Japanese version of any Godzilla film over their atrocious dubbings any day.
I look forward to owning this in my collection when the time comes for a blu ray/DVD release and look forward to watching it on Netflix again. Overall, I give this a 6/10 rating. It is no masterpiece like Shin Godzilla, little lone Gamera 3, but it is definitely not the worst movie ever. I also look forward to part 2 and part 3 when the time comes. A good start to a trilogy.
