Godzilla Vs. Mothra
(aka Godzilla Versus Mothra, Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth, Gojira vs. Mosura, Gojira tai Mosura)
1992; directed by Okawara Takao

For fans of Japanese kaiju (giant monster) movies, and even for those who have never seen a film in the genre, undoubtedly the biggest name in the business is Godzilla. The big G's entries over the years have been all over the map in terms of quality, but this one is definitely one of the better releases, offering both a solid story and some fun city-crushing brawls.

As the movie starts, a meteor strikes the ocean, setting off a series of tsunamis, one of which reveals a giant egg on a remote island. A trio of explorers head off to investigate, coming across the egg, and also a pair of fairy-like creatures called Cosmos. The egg houses Mothra, who, as Cosmos says, comes out to protect Earth when it is in trouble, which it is now, since the tsunami also brought forth the evil Battra, and of course Godzilla. Now, facing the threat of three different creatures, the residents of Japan scramble to stay alive.

Like most other Godzilla movies, there is also a subtext behind the plot. Here, there is some not-so-subtle directives leveled towards the viewer about the effect that humans are having on the earth. The "save the planet" messages get pretty heavy-handed at times, but since the acting (for the most part) is very solid -- especially for the genre -- the viewer doesn't become too overwhelmed with them. In fact, this is one of the unfortunately rare Godzilla movies where the exposition scenes won't have you itching for the fast-forward button. Along with the acting, the infectious soundtrack makes the monster-less scenes worth the time to watch.

Of course, what most people look for in a Godzilla film are monster brawls, and Godzilla Vs. Mothra delivers the goods in this department. The special effects looked dated back in 1992, and, frankly, they look even cheesier now. But the film-makers show some nice creativity in using what they had to work with, and come up with some nice results. The final confrontation between Godzilla, Mothra, and Battra is solid stuff all the way, giving the viewer a nice payoff, and makes Godzilla Vs. Mothra a very worthy entry for fans of the genre. And even if you're not a fan, it should still provide enough thrills and/or laughs to make a viewing worth your while.

RATING: 7