DailySkew

Terror of Mechagodzilla AKA MechaGodzilla’s Counterattack AKA ,Mekagojira no Gyakushū was the last Godzilla movie of the original continuity (called the Showa Series era because of the Japanese emperor) due to Japan’s gas crisis and poor economy at the time. Of course, if you’ve been following my reviews, the quality of the movies had been decreasing anyway. Godzilla would go on hiatus until the Godzilla 1984 reboot. This is also the last movie where Godzilla appears as a hero.

Because it is the final movie, Godzilla faces two monsters, the tone is dark and melancholy, and it features the return of original composer Akira Ifukube, this movie ranks #2 in the Showa Era to many Godzilla fans. However, I believe fans overlook the non-monster scenes and bad plot. (The script was chosen from the winner of a contest.)

Plot
Well, it’s a direct continuation from the last movie, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla, which had a horrible plot. Interpol is looking for MechaGodzilla’s body parts at the bottom of the sea, but they are attacked by a new monster named Titanosaurus. After much boring investigation, it is revealed that a mad scientist who has been excommunicated from the Japanese scientific community, is controlling Titano.

After sitting through Interpol agents investigating the (presumed dead) scientist by interviewing his gullible and protective daughter, it is revealed that the spy ape aliens from the last movie are teaming up with the mad scientist to control Titano and are rebuilding MechaGodzilla 2 to destroy Tokyo.

To make a VERY LONG STORY SHORT, the aliens turn on the scientist, his daughter dies, but she is rebuilt into a cyborg to control MechaGodzilla 2, and Godzilla and Interpol team up to defeat Titanosaurus and MechaGodzilla 2. Interpol finally defeats the aliens.

The “subplot” (the hero Interpol agent falls in love with the cyborg daughter) was actually the main plot.

The Good

• Great score by the returning Akira Ifukube, of course.
• Special effects (explosions, miniatures, underwater scenes, Titanosaurus’ costume) were excellent for 1975, and probably the best for any Godzilla movie from 1954-1975.
• Titanosaurus: 1st and only appearance, and it’s a shame. He has a great roar, and looks more streamlined as an aqua monster than Godzilla. By the way, Titanosaurus is a good guy monster whom we pity in the movie because he is under the control of the mad scientist and aliens.

The Bad

• What can I say? The alien invasion storyline was bad the last time, and this time it is equally bad, but extended due to the old mad scientists and his cyborg daughter. I just don’t think it’s intellectually honest to ignore that the human parts of this movie were just as bad, if not worse, than the previous movie.
• Uneven pacing…way too many human characters in Interpol…the aliens were once again James Bond rip-offs…the romance had a tragic ending but it was way too weird to take seriously.
• The movie takes itself too seriously in general, and just doesn’t have an interesting or engaging non-Godzilla scenes. The aliens are bbbbbbaaaad cheese that I forgot all the way in the back of the refrigerator.

The Ugly

• MechaGodzilla 2 can’t hold a candle to the first one. It is being controlled by a spurned cyborg woman this time, yet winds up standing around most of the time as Godzilla and Titanosaurus duke it out. After its head gets destroyed, it looks super corny (light bulb head).

Conclusion

Great monster battles, but with the screen time focused on a bad plot, this movie is overrated. I gotta say that people feel attached to this movie and always say how cool the return of MechaGodzilla was. Yet I can’t see how someone can sit through such a bad storyline, unless they are paying penance like I am. I have to assume most Godzilla fans who rate this movie second only to the first one, fast forward through the movie to the good parts, or perhaps childhood nostalgia plays tricks on the memories. I could definitely envision someone making the mistake of thinking Titanosaurus and MechaGodzilla teaming up was an awesome movie back in the day, but the subplots kill this movie from being a cult classic for me.

I will be ranking the Showa Series in my next Godzilla post and see how it rates.