Godzilla Versus Destroyah
with Takuro Tatsumi, Yōko Ishino, Yasufumi Hayashi
Written by Kazuki Ōmori
Directed by Takao Okawara
by Paul Lee
It seemed a very unlikely prospect, the demise of the world’s most powerful and destructive monster, Godzilla. He’s destroyed his last cities, breathed his last nuclear blast, and cashed in his monster chips. Starring in what Toho Studios claims to be his final movie, Godzilla Versus Destroyer, the atomic-spawned dinosaur has made the passage to the Monster Island in the sky. It is a sad occasion for monster fans across the planet.
For over forty years, Godzilla has been the most massive monster in movie history, both in stature and popularity. He has entertained audiences around the world since his debut in Tokyo in the 1957 classic Godzilla, King of the Monsters. Even today, Godzilla is adored by millions of fans in Japan and around the world, despite his penchant for laying waste to any city in his path. The new Godzilla is possibly more popular than ever due to his recent appearances in six movies between 1984 and 1994, battling such foes as Biollante (the plant/Godzilla mutant creature), King Ghidorah (the three-headed, golden, dragon-creature), and his toughest nemesis and evil doppelganger, Space Godzilla. But, according to the folks at Godzilla’s parent, Toho Studios, they have run out of ideas for the Big G, and in his new movie, his passion for nuclear nibbles has caused him to melt down.
I had a chance to view a bootleg copy of Godzilla Versus Destroyer and see the sad occasion of his death. To sum it up briefly, it is revealed that over the years, Godzilla has consumed too much nuclear material and the huge amounts are finally taking a toll on his body. Not only is Godzilla a risk in destroying cities with his usual panache, now he’s a walking nuclear reactor ready to hit critical mass.
Meanwhile, another danger faces Japan. A group of creatures, somehow related to the “Destroyer” bomb that destroyed the first Godzilla in 1957, are generated (I never did understand how he came back from being disintegrated back then). A bunch of the crustacean-like monsters bind together to form the massive Destroyer, Toho’s most frightening, hideous, and over-the-top creature by far. Destroyer seems to have no other purpose but to kill Godzilla and wreak even more havoc. The Japanese have their hands full with this one.
Godzilla’s son Minya, who is a smaller version of his father, shows up to aid his dad and battle the smaller form of Destroyer. Minya is pummeled and almost killed by the mutant creature. A terrific battle ensues between Godzilla and the full-size Destroyer as Godzilla’s core heats up even more. Destroyer is defeated by our favorite saurian, but Godzilla’s temperature hits meltdown, and he disintegrates into a pile of nuclear skin and bones. But that’s not all. At the film’s finale, it seems Minya has soaked up his dad’s radiation, saving Tokyo from nuclear disaster, and is left standing in the ashes roaring much like his pop. Could it be that Minya will take his father’s place?
