Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Space Godzilla.

Just listen to how that rolls off the tongue. Space Godzilla. What a great title. Not just Godzilla, but SPACE Godzilla!

Sadly the movie isn’t nearly as cool as it's title makes it out to be.

The twenty-first Godzilla film released by Toho Studio, the movie opens with a group of scientists on a remote island., where they are attempting to control Godzilla with a hot young telepath. Also on the island is the brother of the solder who fired the rocket in Godzilla's mouth in Godzilla vs Biollante - currently out to avenge his brothers death.

Meanwhile in space, NASA picks up an object fast approaching earth, allowing the American scientist the chance to utter the best line in a giant monster movie ever: "We were unable to come up with an explanation for this. We can only speculate that it must have been some sort of Huge Monster."

Your tax dollars at work, folks!

Anyway, the poor NASA guy was proven right a few moments later when Space Godzilla shows up and lands on Godzilla's island, just in time for the telepathic control experiments to go kablewie. The two Godzilla's fight and Godzilla is forced to retreat. (Although to be fair, he lost because he was defending his young offspring Godzookie, also an inhabitant of the island.)

After the battle Japanese Scientists discover that the space monster is actually a clone of Godzilla. Apparently a G-cell was transported into space either by Mothra on accident on when Biollante was destroyed a couple of movies back. This errant G-Cell drifted through the depths of space, fell into a black hole, came out of a white hole, and being irradiated by cosmic rays which accelerated the growth process to a fully grown mutated Space Godzilla.

Wow. And I thought Star Trek had some messed up science.

Meanwhile, in a subplot that goes absolutely nowhere, the Japanese Mafia captures the Hot Young Telepath and take her to their base, where they hope to force her to place Godzilla under their control. Now this strikes me as JUST a little bit of overkill, for The Yakuza to lay claim to a giant monster - but then I'm not a Japanese Mob Boss, so what do I know?

Our Stoic Hero, His Skidkick and the Brother out for Revenge arrive at the Yakuza hideout and rescue her just in time for Space Godzilla to show up in the heart of Fukuoka. Destroying the city in a matter of minuets, Space Godzilla begins creating a crystal fortress, shards erupting from the ground. (I'm making the sequance sound far more exciting that it actually is). Moguera arrives, followed by Godzilla. The three rumble, the humans aboard Moguera franticly push the buttons of their little robot, heroic sacrifices are made and Godzilla whups final and decisive butt before walking off into the ocean. The end.

You know, when watching a Godzilla movie, there are many sins I am willing to overlook. The plot can be paper thin. The acting can be two steps above community theater level. The science can be rubbery made up jargon that only sounds remotely like authentic technical terms. The characterization can consist of an actor coming on set, pointing to a spot on the rear projection and shouting "Look! It's Godzilla!"

I am willing to endure all that and much more, provided that Godzilla delivers on two fronts:

* Lots and lots of monster-on-monster action!
* High quality (for the era, at least) and well done special effects.

Sadly, Godzilla vs Space Godzilla fails on both of those accounts.

While I am willing to forgive seeing the wires holding up Mothra back in the 60's - that was just the limitations of the technology then - I'm not so willing to let wires slide in the 90's. Frankly, I saw too many flying monsters held up by far too many wires. Sloppy, fellows, very sloppy.

Wires aren’t the only special effect that misfires. Moguera's first encounter with Space Godzilla in the asteroid field belongs more in a Ed Wood movie than a million dollar Toho film in the 90's. I could produce better work in an afternoon with an 8mm camera and some painted Styrofoam rocks. Dreadful!

The suit for Godzilla looks pretty good, but the suit for Godzilla's son looks diabolical! It's fortunate then that Godzookie doesn’t get a lot of screen time. The Moguera suit looks marginally better than Godzookie, but exponentially had more screen time.

The music - often the most hit or miss aspect of a Godzilla film - is a total miss. The score is lackluster and tepid, with no real monster themes (new or old) and pretty much sails along in the background as white noise. The direction, from first time G director Kensho Yamashita is uninspired. Ok, not everyone can be Inshiro Honda, but to drag your feet in a listless manner like this is criminal. He even manages to make the monster fights boring!

There were some well done parts. Godzilla defending Godzookie from Space Godzilla's attack was rather well done and kind of touching. My roommate said "What? Lizards don’t have protective feelings for their offspring!" to which I replied, "Yeah, and they don’t shoot radioactive fire from their mouths, either." But these few moments are not nearly enough to save a halfhearted attempt at a movie.

AND THE WINNER IS:
Godzilla, victorious.

AND NOW YOU KNOW:
The brief cameo of Mothra imparts wisdom like "If you fight together, as one mind, then you shall be victorious" and some nonsense about the power of love, but none of it is carried through as a theme.

THE END. . . . ?
Just one movie away from Godzilla's death - so no, no major upset here.

THE DVD:
It's an anamorphic print that's seen better days. There's a lot grain and scratches to the film, and it's a overall soft presentation. Only one audio track - English, which is unfortunate. No extras to speak of - not even a trailer. The only bright point of this DVD is that it's a two pack with Godzilla vs Destoroyah - a much better movie.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
It really pains me to hate a Godzilla film. Even at it's worse, I can usually find some redeeming qualities in it, or draw some visceral pleasure in watching men in rubber suits smash models with pyrotechnics going off around them. Even these simple pleasures are denied me here.

This review is part of my "Thirty Days of Godzilla" review blitz, where I watch every single Godzilla movie made. Check out the rest of the Godzillathon:
* Godzilla: King of the Monsters
* Godzilla Raids Again
* King Kong vs Godzilla
* King Kong Escapes
* Mothra vs Godzilla
* Godzilla vs the Sea Monster
* Godzilla's Revenge
* Destroy All Monsters
* The Terror of MechaGodzilla
* Godzilla: The Animated Series
* Godzilla vs Biollante
* Godzilla vs King Ghidorah
* Godzilla vs Space Godzilla
* Godzilla vs Destroyah
* The American 1998 Godzilla
* Godzilla 2000
* Godzilla vs Megaguirus
* Godzilla: Final Wars

Recommended: No

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12