Terror of Mechagodzilla

Terror of Mechagodzilla nicely closes out that era and the final march of the giant monster at the end is simply iconic, even though it appeared in similar periods in previous films. Gojira goes alone into the ocean and we follow him from behind. Awesome. The film features great special effects scenes, especially the final showdown is action-packed, there's banging, shooting, flames, and it's a head-on collision. A fantastic action-packed and entertaining B-movie. (2015-03-08)

16) TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA – ORIGINAL SHOWA SERIES 1954-1975. The legendary Ishiro Honda is my favourite Godzilla director, but here he's a shadow of his former glory. The story seems to be told at half throttle, the first 50 minutes or so have more static debate than appropriate, with the visuals of a cheap TV production, and the plot doesn't move anywhere. The title is quite misleading, too. Most of the action revolves around the underwater lizard Titanosaurus, with Godzilla and Mechagodzilla playing only second fiddle. Of course, Honda's favourite element – aliens – couldn’t be absent. But otherwise it is surprising that the level of the special effects in Honda's films hasn't progressed an inch since the days of King Kong vs. Godzilla. This actually makes me quite cynical about the character of Godzilla himself; here, and for the last time in the franchise, he looks like some sort of plush toy from a children's show, and it's quite fun to watch him make moves that are irresistibly comic. It's not until the last 20 minutes – when Mechagodzilla is released – that Honda finally gets unleashed and the wrestling match between Godzilla and Titanosaurus is not that bad, there even fist punches and head kicks. Otherwise, though, a slightly boring experience. (2010-08-12)