Mosura tai Gojira (1964) Directed by Ishirô Honda

Finally a Gojira sequel that's definitely worth recommending!

Of course I can't call this movie a great one but it's definitely very entertaining to watch! And really, this movie is about as good as a movie involving a giant moth versus a giant lizard can get.

It's good to see that the film-makers put some more effort into the making of this movie again, which is something I just can't really say about the previous two sequels. The story works out as better and more engaging again, which is really due to the fact that the film-makers approached this movie as a more serous one and all of the goofy comedy that was present throughout the previous sequel "Kingu Kongu tai Gojira" luckily is gone from this one. It makes the human characters far more likable as well and in a strange way, since the movie is taking itself mostly seriously, the movie works out as more entertaining as well.

Perhaps it's just easier to get into a movie involving giant animals fighting each other, with guys in suits standing on a miniature set, once the movie is taking itself and its subject seriously. Rather than working out as something ridicules and fake looking, it's actually something awesome and fun to watch instead. Really, the fights are all better and more exciting to watch than any of the other previous Gojira fights. And it's not just because Mothra is an awesome adversary but also really due to the fact that the movie has some pretty decent looking effects. The miniatures are all quite convincing looking and it isn't constantly all that obvious all throughout that Gojira is played by a guy in a rubber suit.

This movie is also definitely more like the first and original 1954 "Gojira" in the sense that it isn't just trying to tell a simple monster story. The story has some depth and messages in it again. Granted that most of it doesn't really work out as anything too effective but it's nevertheless good to see that writer Shin'ichi Sekizawa was trying a bit harder again this time. The movie therefor also feels more creative and effective than any of the other previous sequels, that came before this one.

They also succeeded in turning Gojira into a threatening and convincing monster villain again. It's awesome to see him attack and cause chaos in the cities, when he comes stomping in again. He still almost gets outclassed by Mothra though, who's a great new addition to the series and franchise. It doesn't sound all that threatening; a giant moth but she's a great monster in this movie, who's also definitely a worthy adversary to Gojira and gives him a real hard time. No wonder they brought her back again for many of the sequels and she even has her own line of movies.

A very entertaining and good to watch sequel.

8/10

Watch trailer