Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003, aka Godzilla × Mothra × Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS) pits Godzilla against Mothra and a damaged Mechagodzilla in another duel in Tokyo. This time, Mothra’s groupies appear to warn the Japanese that Mechagodzilla, built using the bones of a previous Godzilla, should be returned to the sea, because, well, humans shouldn’t touch the souls of dead creatures.
Kinda puts the kibosh on eating, vegan or not, ya know?
Other problems – Godzilla seemed to change during this movie, for no apparent reason – perhaps old and new rubber suits were employed; Mechagodzilla can’t get past looking like a large, plastic doll; characterization remains a challenge, although it’s somewhat improved. I liked the repair guy.
On the other hand, the special effects are much improved over the old, first generation Godzilla movies, and the destruction of Mothra is really spectacular. Speaking of Mothra, the update to this monster is quite attractive, giving it – her? – a more graceful movement and a nice color scheme. And a subtle update to Godzilla, wherein rather than just emitting the vastly bad breath, but has to build up to it, is actually a nice touch.
But in the end, the mysticism, while perhaps appropriate for the original Japanese audience (does Shintoism postulate everything has a soul?), is merely annoying to me, and so the plot seems to twist arbitrarily.
It’s pleasant in a bland sort of way, but not compelling.
