7/10
Gojira tai Hedorâ (1971)
26 December 2011
After the absurd travesty of the previous installment, Godzilla needed something familiar yet fresh. We got a film that has split many a fan. It brings a dark warning about pollution, as Godzilla's latest foe is created from man's ignorance. As Godzilla arrives to destroy the monster, should we take this as a suggestion to use nuclear mistakes to clean up current ones? Probably not, as is delightfully portrayed in the stunning opening shots as a young boy plays with a Godzilla action figure. This clearly illustrates his place as a commercial saviour of the world. Hedorah is a great villain. He can change forms, and really causes a lot of damage. His gunk and gas is able to physically deform humans forever. This dark reveal is presented in the opening scenes as a father and son are scarred. The whole film has a bizarre 60's funk thing going for it. Bizarre musical interludes, PSA cartoon segments, and scenes that would fit into an Austin Powers movie. It's darker than some of the previous Godzillas, but it's also a lot more fun at the same time. A nice offering for the series, though the flying segment at the end should have been cut.
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