Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tôkyô S.O.S. (2003) Directed by Masaaki Tezuka

It's definitely true that most Gojira movies in its core are all really alike each other. Yet most of the movies still vary heavily in quality, mostly due to some fine little nuances and details, that most of the later movies all seemed to get right though.

The foremost thing that makes all of the later movies out of the long running series such perfectly watchable ones are its human characters. They are truly some well fleshed out and likable characters, who carry the movie for the most part and let Gojira and his pals play second fiddle. It in a way allows the monsters to be more like monsters and the human characters to be more like human characters, instead of all being some cartoon-like and shallow characters.

That also means that Gojira is a full blown villain in this movie again, though at the same time the movie also still successfully manages to make us sympathetic toward him, pretty much just like the first 1954 "Gojira" movie already did as well. After all, who's the bigger monster? The monster or those responsible for his creation (us humans)? That's one of the things that always made the Gojira character such a great one; he's never just another movie villain and monster, not even when he's leveling cities to the ground. The movies often seem very simplistic and straightforward but most themes in it are never as black & white as they may seem at first sight. Like often is the case within Gojira movies, this one is also dealing with themes such as moral and environmental issues and repeatedly raises some questions, without taking anything away from the entertainment.

So don't worry. There is plenty of entertainment and action in this movie. After all, it's a movie that stars Gojira, Mothra and Mechagodzilla in it, so of course there are plenty of fights and buildings getting demolished to the ground in this movie. The action is all pretty good and spectacular and the kaiju fights are thrilling to watch. For the first time ever I can also say that the CGI truly adds something to a Gojira movie. The CGI looks pretty convincing, especially for the scenes involving Mothra. It's still nothing as polished or convincing looking as for a more modern and bigger budgeted movie but it's all perfectly acceptable looking nevertheless, even by today's standards.

It's simply yet again some great quality entertainment. It seems like more or the same again but the story still has plenty of great new angles and elements in it, that help to make even the most formulaic and cheesy Gojira moments in this movie come across as fresh and enjoyable.

8/10

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