Around the 1960s, the famed Godzilla franchise was targeting younger audiences for wider appeal after the radioactive dinosaur evolved from a destructive force of nature to a more heroic figure. This resulted in the creation of one of the most divisive entries in the series, "Son of Godzilla". I suppose if King Kong gets to have a child, then why not Big G. Returning to the director's chair was Jun Fukuda, who, alongside composer Masaru Sato, worked on the previous film "Godzilla vs The Sea Monster".
Plot: A group of scientists, led by Dr. Kusumi, are conducting weather control experiments on a tropical island. After one such experiment goes awry, the island's native predators, giant mantises called Kamacuras, grow supersized and soon uncover an egg. Out of the egg hatches Baby Godzilla, whose cries attract the big guy himself. As Godzilla protects and raises his newfound child, the crew endeavor to survive and escape the island.
This is one of those love 'em or hate 'em films and I, for one, am of the former. As a kid, this was one of the handful of films I watched and my fondness for it hasn't faded. I'm always a sucker for tropical settings and the premise takes advantage of it with the weather control and the isolation the characters endure, helped by Sato's catchy score. The cast features iconic actors such as Akira Kubo, Tadao Takashima, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshio Tsuchiya, and Kenji Sahara who all give good performances. Joining them is the lovely Beverly Maeda, playing a woman who has lived on the island longer than most and forms a friendly acquaintance with Baby Godzilla. With a smaller cast and no cities to stomp, the characters interact with the monsters quite a bit, making the scenes where they are attacked more personal and intense.
Now to the monsters. While Godzilla and his son (Minilla/Minya) suffer from a design standpoint with the latter looking pudgy and barely resembling his father, they make up for it in personality. The normally grouchy Godzilla mellows more now that he's found another member of his species. It's here that we see he really does have a heart and will fight to the bitter end to defend his adopted son. I can't help but find Baby Godzilla endearing with his playful nature, his friendliness towards humans, and his rough yet heartfelt relationship with Big G. In fact, the ending still gets an emotional reaction out me. Kamacuras are decent antagonists, attacking both man and monster alike. Though the puppetry behind them isn't special, they at least move more fluidly than America's "The Deadly Mantis". The bugs, however, are mere pests compared to Kumonga, a giant spider that serves as the final boss for the Godzilla duo, allowing for an entertaining climax.
This may not be one of the great Godzilla films, but it has its merits. It's meant to be a fun little monster adventure with heart and it certainly achieves that in my book. If you have children especially, this will entertain them and you might see a bit of yourself in Godzilla when he deals with his own kid.
Plot: A group of scientists, led by Dr. Kusumi, are conducting weather control experiments on a tropical island. After one such experiment goes awry, the island's native predators, giant mantises called Kamacuras, grow supersized and soon uncover an egg. Out of the egg hatches Baby Godzilla, whose cries attract the big guy himself. As Godzilla protects and raises his newfound child, the crew endeavor to survive and escape the island.
This is one of those love 'em or hate 'em films and I, for one, am of the former. As a kid, this was one of the handful of films I watched and my fondness for it hasn't faded. I'm always a sucker for tropical settings and the premise takes advantage of it with the weather control and the isolation the characters endure, helped by Sato's catchy score. The cast features iconic actors such as Akira Kubo, Tadao Takashima, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshio Tsuchiya, and Kenji Sahara who all give good performances. Joining them is the lovely Beverly Maeda, playing a woman who has lived on the island longer than most and forms a friendly acquaintance with Baby Godzilla. With a smaller cast and no cities to stomp, the characters interact with the monsters quite a bit, making the scenes where they are attacked more personal and intense.
Now to the monsters. While Godzilla and his son (Minilla/Minya) suffer from a design standpoint with the latter looking pudgy and barely resembling his father, they make up for it in personality. The normally grouchy Godzilla mellows more now that he's found another member of his species. It's here that we see he really does have a heart and will fight to the bitter end to defend his adopted son. I can't help but find Baby Godzilla endearing with his playful nature, his friendliness towards humans, and his rough yet heartfelt relationship with Big G. In fact, the ending still gets an emotional reaction out me. Kamacuras are decent antagonists, attacking both man and monster alike. Though the puppetry behind them isn't special, they at least move more fluidly than America's "The Deadly Mantis". The bugs, however, are mere pests compared to Kumonga, a giant spider that serves as the final boss for the Godzilla duo, allowing for an entertaining climax.
This may not be one of the great Godzilla films, but it has its merits. It's meant to be a fun little monster adventure with heart and it certainly achieves that in my book. If you have children especially, this will entertain them and you might see a bit of yourself in Godzilla when he deals with his own kid.