As a fan of the anime, and its far better comic book source material, the first live-action Guyver was a painful experience. Surely any "Power Rangers" criticism is more applicable to that first film, with its campy dialogue and fight scenes, silly-looking creature designs, and overblown ending battle. While it hits a surprising number of plot points from the source material, it's a bad movie.
Guyver 2 still has some goofy Zoanoid designs, mediocre acting, and distorts the relative strength of human, Guyver and Zoanoid to keep a human fighter from becoming scenery and to keep the Guyver from plowing through too many rubber suits the movie couldn't afford. But it takes itself more seriously and employs some Hong Kong-style wire work and just a little CG to show you why the Guyver stands above the Zoanoids. This film too covers many major plot points from the manga comics, taking some liberties to bring together elements of the very beginning and very end of the comic's U.S. release and provide a satisfying ending battle.
Dark Hero makes just one direct reference to the preceding film that might justify a viewing. But if you followed the comics closely enough to be interested in the movies, you'll get it anyway and can spare yourself some suffering. Guyver 2 is a much improved film with some solid cult film qualities and enough substance to bring in fans of the Japanese original as well as the folks who stumble into decent B-movies channel surfing through evening cable.
6/10
Guyver 2 still has some goofy Zoanoid designs, mediocre acting, and distorts the relative strength of human, Guyver and Zoanoid to keep a human fighter from becoming scenery and to keep the Guyver from plowing through too many rubber suits the movie couldn't afford. But it takes itself more seriously and employs some Hong Kong-style wire work and just a little CG to show you why the Guyver stands above the Zoanoids. This film too covers many major plot points from the manga comics, taking some liberties to bring together elements of the very beginning and very end of the comic's U.S. release and provide a satisfying ending battle.
Dark Hero makes just one direct reference to the preceding film that might justify a viewing. But if you followed the comics closely enough to be interested in the movies, you'll get it anyway and can spare yourself some suffering. Guyver 2 is a much improved film with some solid cult film qualities and enough substance to bring in fans of the Japanese original as well as the folks who stumble into decent B-movies channel surfing through evening cable.
6/10