Wednesday, December 6, 2023

THE SAGA OF THE KING OF THE MONSTERS ~ PART 34: GODZILLA MINUS ONE (2023)

GODZILLA MINUS ONE (2023)


Few franchises mean more to me than the Godzilla franchise. I first encountered this character at a tender age of three or four (my memory has it at age 4 but I have documented evidence of me holding my first Godzilla toy at age 3. Memory is a funny thing). Over thirty years later my love for Godzilla has only grown greater still. My heart truly lies with the Godzilla films I grew up with, namely the Showa era films (1954 through 1975) and the Heisei era (1984 through 1995). I can remember a time when there were no other Godzilla films after Godzilla 1985 (that's how far back my fandom goes). I do enjoy most of the Millennium series too (1999 through 2004). There are ups and down, certain films I like better than others, sure, but I do enjoy nearly all of these films. 

The last twenty years of Godzilla films have been interesting and, dare I say, the most uneven and inconsistent in the entire franchise. I'd call this the "Experimental" phase of Godzilla's history. The American made Monsterverse being its own thing entirely, looking solely at the Japanese Godzilla material shows a company that doesn't quite know what to do with this cinematic icon. There's a reason why I haven't reviewed (or finished watching) GODZILLA SINGULAR POINT yet as I'm just burnt out on these "new takes" and wildly different interpretations. I'll get to Singular Point eventually, but I have no real drive to watch it, which is a first for me with Godzilla.

Shin Godzilla, the last true Godzilla film, was fine. It was another of these experimental Godzilla films that's a fine diversion for a time, but nothing I want to see regularly from the series. I have only seen one film from director Takashi Yamazaki, the director of GODZILLA MINUS ONE. That film was LUPIN III: THE FIRST and I loved it. This gave me hope for Godzilla Minus One. I'm happy to say that Godzilla Minus One did not disappoint. 

THE SYNOPSIS

During the final days of World War II a lone kamakazi pilot lands on Odo Island, afraid to follow through with his mission. While there a giant monster comes ashore. Having a chance to kill the beast, the pilot once again succumbs to fear and lets the monster live only to see it kill everyone else on the island. Finally returning to mainland Japan after the closing of the war, he discovers the devastation wrought by the atomic bombs, having lost his family home and parents in the bombing. Stumbling upon other survivors in need, he inadvertently finds himself with a new family. 

Two years later they have started piecing their lives back together, finally finding a way forward. Suddenly a monster rises out of the sea, wreaking enough damage to rival the nuclear holocaust of the war. He realizes that this is the same creature he had a chance to kill on Odo Island, now mutated and much much bigger. He finds that his nation needs him again, perhaps to once more, make the ultimate sacrifice. Still rebuilding the nation from being knocked down to zero after the war, Godzilla could take them even lower still... Minus One.

Artwork by John Dunn

INITIAL REACTION

The original Godzilla movie from 1954 was very much a film about Japan coming to grips with what happened to them, the one and only nation in history to have a nuclear bomb dropped on them. Suffering through the aftermath of poisonous radiation, an invisible killer ravaging their land and people too; Godzilla was a way of giving form to all of this. Through the film Godzilla gave them something to project all of the fear and anxiety being felt throughout the nation upon. There is no other film in the series quite like the original. The subsequent films, while wonderful in their own rights, have never quite carried the same weight or meaning.

Godzilla Minus One is the first film in the series to be set in this period, even earlier than the original film. Set in 1945 through 1947, during and immediately after World War II, allows the story to once more capture the fears and anxieties that gave birth to Godzilla in 1954. As a result Godzilla Minus One feels the most akin to the original concept and allegory of the 1954 film. At long last, this iteration feels like Godzilla, the real Godzilla. No other film in the nearly 70 year history of the franchise comes quite as close to matching the original film as Godzilla Minus One. And it feels like this could have only been achieved by setting the story in this time period. To me, if you're beginning to rebuild the franchise with a new saga, setting the first film in this time period is perfect.

KAIJU FILM OR DRAMA?

This film isn't a monster movie. This is a human drama of the highest quality, emotionally profound and culturally significant. Once more Godzilla is used as an allegory for post war anxieties, helping Japan come to grips with what happened during World War II, and displaying a hopeful message that they can move forward as a nation after this. The fact that he's a kaiju is irrelevant. He merely represents a common foe to unite them once again, but to fight for the right reasons. The guilt the Japanese carried  and how to move forward after what happened in the war is the real story here. The human characters and their journeys back from the brink of the war are the backbone of this film. This is very much a life affirming story, healing the soul of a nation. One could even consider the film a war epic with humanity at the center of it all.

That being said, there is an imbalance. This film focuses intently on the human drama, and it is precisely this human drama that connects to us as an audience, and makes this film so great. I wouldn't change that at all. Yet this makes it weaker on the monster spectacle. The monster is clearly not the focus of the film, but rather the fulcrum moving it forward. As a result of this, personally I feel this isn't really Godzilla's film. He could be substituted out easily and the movie would still play out the same way. Everyone's mileage will vary on this, some might say that the human drama here is what makes this movie great, not the monster. For me, I see this film as a fine piece of cinematic art, maybe among the greatest, but not so much as a kaiju film. 



STYLE VS SUBSTANCE

The deeper meanings of these films are essential and, for some, the reason to revisit them again and again. That opinion is not wrong, although I'd say as a piece of entertainment and kaiju cinema, it may feel deficient for some. Having a deeper meaning or not, let alone having a wonderful human story, doesn't necessarily make for a great piece of entertainment. To make up for this imbalance I would've loved to have had more scenes with the monster. No matter what your thoughts and feelings are about the Godzilla series, monsters are a central part of them, an equally key component, and this one was light on this aspect. It's what makes a kaiju film a kaiju film versus a period piece war drama that just happens to have a monster in it.

Alternatively we could look at this seeming lack of cinematic spectacle a different way. For years now Hollywood has been supplying us with cinematic spectacle after cinematic spectacle, leaning more on the spectacle and less on the substance behind the spectacle. At some point the spectacle becomes hollow, losing it's magnificence, as a result of having no substance. Conversely, Godzilla Minus One, by having such engaging and powerful substance behind it, lends its few scenes of spectacle far more gravity and awe. Godzilla Minus One relies more on substance and less on spectacle, giving its audience something truly substantial to feast upon. Quality spectacle versus quantity. More protein, less unhealthy sugars. From this perspective, Godzilla Minus One is even more amazing. The more the movie sits with me the more I subscribe to this idea, despite feeling like I needed more kaiju spectacle.  

But what of the spectacle and kaiju scenes that we did get? The monster scenes are all incredible. Every scene that Godzilla is in is either frightening, shocking, or mouth-droppingly powerful. Every scene Godzilla is in has meaning and purpose. Each scene is evolving some aspect of Godzilla or moving the story forward, not a single wasted moment. It really is a case of quality over quantity. Like the human drama, each scene with Godzilla carries weight and has impact.


A Godzilla Fan Detail 

This next part might seem minor to some, but it means a great deal to someone like me. A huge factor in every one of these films, whether American or Japanese, is Godzilla's design. As trivial as this may sound, Godzilla's design can either make or break a Godzilla movie for me. Godzilla is more than just a name you can slap on just any old character, he is a world recognized icon. Thus it makes sense to say that he has a specific image in our collective consciousness. Stray too much from this image and it simply isn't Godzilla anymore. Case and point: Godzilla 1998. The design can be played with and altered to a degree, yes, but ultimately there are particular traits that need to be maintained. His general shape, the dorsal plates, his mouth, his feet, when altered to too extreme a degree it ceases to be Godzilla. 

All of this is a longwinded explanation to justify why the design of Godzilla is so important and an aspect I place great emphasis on with each film. The 1998 iteration was so far afield it didn't feel at all like Godzilla to me. 2004's was too slim and rubbery. The 2014 iteration, the first in the Monsterverse series, missed the mark with the bland dorsal plates, alligator-like snout, and elephantine legs and feet. The 2019 Monsterverse design improved extensively, only to be undone by the 2021 iteration. Shin Godzilla was closer in some aspects yet too extreme in others. "Planet-Godzilla" also lacked specific details to really shine as a design and Singular Point took certain body features to exaggerated proportions. The design in Godzilla Minus One, however, is very good, in my opinion, one of the best designs, if not the best, since 2003. Equally iconic and a key component is his roar. His roar isn't perfect here, but it's close.

THE VERDICT

The king of the monsters has been in a strange place for the last ten years. There is something decidedly off with the Monsterverse Godzilla that makes him feel not entirely authentic. After Shin Godzilla, the Godzilla Planet trilogy, and Singular Point, I wasn't sure Toho could do a traditional Godzilla film again nor if they had any interest in doing so. Needless to say, going into this film I was worried if another beloved franchise was going to continue down a disappointing path.

Godzilla Minus One somehow managed to embrace an almost completely traditional approach, capturing the power and pathos that made the original film an enduring classic while simultaneously feeling refreshing. The film in unabashedly Japanese yet the characters' stories and struggles are universally felt and empathized with. Godzilla is terrifying and powerful, the threat to Japan and its people palpable. In summary, this movie is incredibly well made and is the great "return to form" I'd been longing for.

Overall Ranking: 9 out of 10

The only thing holding Godzilla Minus One back from being perfect is that our titular kaiju could use a little more screen time. That's all. All in all, this is the proper way to curate and care for a world beloved icon and long-enduring franchise.


For more of my thoughts on the Godzilla series and all things kaiju and related, check out the posts below

GAMERA REBIRTH (2023)

SHIN GODZILLA (2016)

SHIN ULTRAMAN (2022)

SHIN KAMEN RIDER (2023)

THE SAGA OF THE KING OF THE MONSTERS 
 
Part 8: Son Of Godzilla (1967)
Part 9: Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Part 10: Godzilla's Revenge (1969)   
Part 11: Godzilla Vs The Smog Monster (1971)  
Part 12: Godzilla Vs Gigan (1972)    
Part 13: Godzilla Vs Megalon (1973)  
Part 14: Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla (1974)  
Part 15: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)      
Part 16: The Return of Godzilla (1984)   
Part 17: Godzilla Vs Biollante (1989)       
Part 18: Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah (1991)     
Part 19: Godzilla Vs Mothra (1992)        
Part 20: Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II (1993)
Part 21: Godzilla Vs Spacegodzilla (1994)
Part 22: Godzilla Vs Destoroyah (1995)
Part ???? Tri-Star's Godzilla (1998)
Part 23: Godzilla 2000 (1999)
Part 24: Godzilla Vs Megaguirus (2000)
Part 25: GMK Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
Part 26: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Part 27: Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
Part 28: Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)       

 

LONG LIVE GIANT MONSTERS!

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Saturday, November 25, 2023

THE HORROR HARVEST: THANKSGIVING (2023)

 THANKSGIVING (2023)


We made it to the movie theater this week for another holiday horror film: THANKSGIVING. Directed by Eli Roth, Thanksgiving is the culmination of work that began WAY back circa 2006. Back in 2007 one of our favorite film experiences was a double feature presentation called GRINDHOUSE: two films for the price of one, PLANET TERROR directed by Robert Rodriguez and DEATH PROOF directed by Quentin Tarantino. And between each film were a handful of "fake" trailers for movies that didn't exist... yet. Among these trailers were MACHETE (which later became a real film in 2010) and Thanksgiving.

Grindhouse was an homage to the 70s grindhouse theatrical experience, the films themselves fully embracing the exploitation movie esthetics of the 70s and 80s, full of over the top gore, action, and spectacle complete with intentionally inserted film-grain, missing reels, and melted camera negatives. And even the fake trailers were designed and crafted to be like the insane trailers of the era. The entire Grindhouse experience from 2007 remains one of the greatest film experiences we've ever had.

When Machete became a "real" movie we went out to the theaters to support it (and Machete Kills too!). We even purchased it on blu-ray along with HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (another Grindhouse fake trailer turned real movie). And when news first dropped that Eli Roth's Thanksgiving was becoming a real movie we were stoked! The original fake trailer from 2007 was a hardcore homage to the golden age of slasher films. The slasher films from the late 70s and early 80s held nothing back and neither did this trailer. While utterly ludicrous and ridiculously extreme, the trailer was brilliant. In a way, the Thanksgiving fake trailer set a really high bar to hit if the film was ever actually going to be made. And sixteen years later it became a reality!

So, how was the real Thanksgiving movie?

In short... the fake trailer was WAY better.


THE SYNOPSIS

After a horrible accident during last year's Black Friday sale, the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts is still reeling from the trauma. The dark cloud hanging over the town takes grizzly shape as a masked killer strikes on Thanksgiving. Targeting people responsible for the events of last year's Black Friday accident, one by one citizens of Plymouth go missing. Cryptic social media posts point to a year long gestating revenge, promising that this Thanksgiving there will be no leftovers.

INITIAL REACTION

Having seen the fake trailer many times and loving it more with every viewing, a preconceived expectation was baked into this film. When Machete was made into a real movie, Robert Rodriguez succeeded in capturing the "magic" of that fake trailer in an entire film. That film remained 100% true to its inspiration. Thanksgiving, however, doesn't, leaving a lot left to be desired. At once Thanksgiving is an homage to classic slasher films yet attempting to be something new and relevant. For us here at Blood Work, the film works best went it's being an homage, but falls short when tries to be something else.

The opening sequence is quite effective and really sets the movie up for greatness. At the onset the film really recalls such classics of the genre like Happy Birthday To Me (1981), The Prowler (1981), and even Prom Night (1980). While watching Thanksgiving we found ourselves wanting to go home and watch one of these classic slashers afterwards. It was a good feeling and had us excited for the rest of the movie. It even had us feeling like this movie could become a holiday viewing tradition. But as the film goes on it loses this feeling.


A lot has changed with Hollywood in the last sixteen years, and the world for that matter, and it becomes sadly apparent as the movie continues. Many standout sequences from the fake trailer are sadly missing, but this wouldn't have been a bad thing had the film offered something equally standout or better to replace it with. Thanksgiving disappointingly feels tame compared to its fake trailer, and radically uneven throughout. There are great moments such as the attack at the diner, but then later moments feel lackluster, such as the high school attack. Then there's the "Thanksgiving dinner" scene, that comes real close to being legendary, but is then followed up by a rather standard and unremarkable finale.

And the killer leaves too many people alive! A disturbing trend we're seeing in current horror movies are that there are too many survivors at the end. Scream 5 & 6 had WAY too many people survive. Cocaine Bear had way too many people survive. And the list goes on! Have the killers gone soft? Are we seeing a resurgence of MPAA censorship like in the late 80s (which neutered many a great horror film)? Why are so many people left alive at the end of these movies? First off, it makes the killer look weak and less threatening, it also leaves the story feeling less harrowing and diluted. And, especially if you're trying to be a slasher film, there should only be one female survivor reduced to a hysterical mess (not hardened and standing badass over the killer's corpse). And, unless your name is Ash or Dr. Loomis, no male should be alive either. Thanksgiving, in another disappointing turn, leaves far too many people alive at the end, including a handful of men.

In a positive for the film, Patrick Dempsey is great in the movie. It's a nice touch having an 80s movie star in a film which, started out at least, as an 80s homage. He delivers a fun performance and is a bright spot in the movie. The entire cast is generally good in their roles, making you believe in the shallow vapid nature of teenagers. Other than the lead heroine, Nell Verlaque, they all should've been killed off though.



THE VERDICT

Thanksgiving doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It succeeds when it leans into the classic 80s slasher esthetic, but fails when it tries to be serious and modern. Eli Roth is fairly hit or miss for us here at Blood Work and Thanksgiving kinda falls in the middle somewhere. There are some great set-pieces here and there and an equal number of underwhelming moments. But ultimately this movie doesn't come close to the fake trailer from 2007. Hell Fest (2018) felt like a better tribute to the golden age of slashers and while managing to feel modern simultaneously. 

Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 1 out of 10

All in all, while I'm glad Thanksgiving is finally a real movie, it illustrates that this movie may have been made far too late. As it is, it misses the charm and, perhaps the entire point, of the fake trailer. And Michael Biehn. The great actor Michael Biehn was sorely missed. If this movie receives a wildly different and intense unrated director's cut when it arrives on home video we'll give it another shot. But as is, once is enough. We're glad Thanksgiving was finally made and we're glad we went out and supported it, but, damn, it should've been so much more than this. We did enjoy it far better than the Exorcist Believer though...

For more of our thoughts on all things horror, check out these other posts below

And drop a comment and let us know your thoughts too

HELL FEST (2018)


THE HORROR MOVIE MASTER LIST



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Monday, October 16, 2023

THE HORROR HARVEST: THE EXORCIST - BELIEVER (2023)

 THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER (2023)



There are a few legendary horror films out there that, merely mentioning their titles, still evoke shudders and chills within people. Night of the Living Dead, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Halloween, A Nightmare On Elm Street, among others. And perhaps the most infamous of them all: William Friedkin's The Exorcist from 1973. This movie traumatized a generation when it came out and continues to frighten and disturb audiences to this day. Even the freaking Academy Awards had to acknowledge how powerful this film was... and they typically hate horror movies!

Fast-forward to the last five to seven years. The new horror movie sequel/reboot craze seems to be the "requel" film. They're not remaking the original films anymore, but instead remaking the sequels. But they have to legitimize these new sequels by bringing back some actor or actors from the original film. Halloween 2018 (lovingly retitled by us here at Blood Work as "Halloween: H40" or just H40), while not the first, may have been responsible for shifting everything in this direction. Since H40 we've seen Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022), Scream (2022), Candyman (2021), and so on.

David Gordon Green and Danny McBride were the two responsible for the latest Halloween requel trilogy. Now the devilish duo are at it again, hoping to kick off a new requel trilogy with THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER. The mentality behind a requel may be (but not necessarily) that of Hollywood's hubris mindset of "we can remake the original and do it better" is over, but may be now, "we can remake the sequels, but do them better." Hollywood's hubris may have tempered a bit, but not much.

So how was The Exorcist: Believer?

'sigh' It wasn't as bad as the cutting reviews are saying. But it doesn't compare to the original.


THE SYNOPSIS

Widower Victor and his teenage daughter, Sorenne, are each adjusting to high school and the teenage years. Sorenne longs for a bit more independence and Victor just wants to hold onto his little girl a little longer before she grows up. Placing his trust in her, Victor acquiesces to Sorenne's plea to hangout with friends after school. The worst happens when Sorenne vanishes with a friend for three days. And when Sorenne and her friend finally reappear it becomes quickly apparent that something is wrong with them. Very wrong. Admitted to a psychiatric hospital, someone recognizes that what may be afflicting the girls isn't mental, but spiritual. With no other option left, Victor finally calls upon someone who might know a bit about what he's going through, someone who, a long time ago, needed an Exorcist.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Full disclosure: I have a grudge against David Gordon Green and Danny McBride for Halloween Ends. I'm getting over it, but I still strongly loathe that movie and what they did to Michael Myers in it. Truthfully, I took a small amount of pleasure in seeing Green and McBride eviscerated by audiences and critics for Exorcist: Believer. I wasn't even going to see this movie until a friend asked me to go with them. Going in with a chip on my shoulder already, I'm surprised to say that I enjoyed this film more than I thought I would.

The movie is slow to start and really takes its time getting started. This did remind me of the original Exorcist in how the film is a slow build to a horrifying third act. Just like the original film, this movie felt more like a drama to begin with rather than a horror film. To me this felt like an intentional esthetic choice to match the original. Then there were a few artistic shots and sequences that felt rather pretentious, maybe to evoke an uncomfortable feeling within the audience. Ultimately it had me wondering if DGG was trying to go for an "elevated horror" approach similar to A24 films or something that might be recognized by the Academy (in my book = pretentious BS). If not for a similar esthetic to the original, this would've annoyed me. As is, it felt mostly in line with the original.

What did annoy me was Ellen Burnstyn, or rather the writing of her character. She came across with swagger, piss & vinegar, and an overall unlikable personality. She even seems to carry disdain or resentment towards the Catholic church, a moment that really pushes her away from anything resembling a likeable character. Other than for nostalgia she added nothing to the film. I'd go so far as to say that she detracted from the film, through no fault of the actress. Yeah, was it cool to see her back? Sure. But she was utterly superfluous.



The movie does have moments worth noting. There are some frightening scenes and jump scares that land. There are some instances of gruesome imagery that lingered with me too. The little scene near the end with Catherine and the demon particularly left me feeling gutted.

And then there's the climactic exorcism sequence that composes the third act. Something about this entire sequence felt slightly off. An element that the original film had was a dread of going into Regan's room every time. As an audience member, you feared going into her room. With this film, however, this final sequence didn't really possess any tension or terror. And when it did, the tension only lasted for fleeting moments. The exorcism process also came across rather strange, as if the characters and filmmakers weren't taking it seriously. Or more likely, the filmmakers weren't committing to the idea, instead experimenting with several different and opposing viewpoints. The result was a fairly muted and muddled climax. The Exorcist is a film that deals with elements of religion, God and the Devil, and faith. Without those core tenets the story possesses no power. The filmmakers almost come across as embarrassed to even entertain such "old ideas." If you're making an Exorcist movie, shouldn't someone making the film, either the writer or director, actually believe in these things?

Without going into spoilers, the exorcism doesn't go as planned, but the demon leaves anyway. This is one of my big hang-ups with the film. The demon clearly has the advantage and the exorcism isn't really working. And then the demon just leaves? What?

THE VERDICT

Overall there were too few horrific moments that really stood out. I feel most of the dramatic moments work, with a few exceptions. But the horror elements really lacked intensity. Obviously none of the actresses playing the possessed girls comes anywhere close to matching Linda Blair's unforgettable performance. But even the structuring of the scares lacks in most cases. Putting my grudge against the filmmakers aside, there just wasn't enough here that really stood out.

Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10


What always made an exorcism movie, be it The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Conjuring, The Pope's Exorcist, and the original Exorcist is a feeling of belief after watching them. At the end you step out of the film thinking, if only a little bit, that maybe there's a bit of truth to this God and Devil thing. This movie didn't have that at all. Even if your approach is through a different religion, like Shintoism in the Grudge for instance, you still come away feeling as though maybe this stuff is real or at least contains a tiny grain of truth. Whatever the religion represented, the movie needs to evoke a feeling of belief. And this one didn't. At least for me.

For more of our thoughts on current horror films and other Exorcism-like films, check out the posts below

THE EXORCIST (1973)


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Saturday, October 7, 2023

SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: EXPENDABLES 4 (2023)

 EXPENDABLES 4 (2023)


Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, cinematic heroes like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Kurt Russell, along with so many others dominated the action scene for years. The action blockbuster film had become larger than life and so had the actors starring in them. As kids we used to ask who would win in a fight: Stallone or Schwarzenegger? Jackie Chan or Jet Li? Snake Plissken or Mad Max? All of us dreamed about a single movie where all of the great action movie stars were together on screen at the same time.

2010's Expendables felt like that dream had finally come true. Sylvester Stallone had come back and revitalized Rocky in 2006. He reminded us all that Rambo was still the king of action in 2008. And then in 2010 he showed audiences everywhere why his generation of action heroes was the best. I absolutely loved the Expendables, feeling it was one of the best action movies I had seen in years. And, for the most part, it delivered on that childhood dream... almost. Schwarzenegger and Willis were there, but only as cameos. And Dolph Lundgren drew the short straw. But still, it was a solid R rating and the action was intense.

Expendables II was highly anticipated, with the promise that Schwarzenegger and Willis would have bigger parts, Lundgren would be treated better, and Jean-Claude Van Damme would take them all to task as the villain. Sadly, that film felt watered down compared to the previous by virtue of being rated PG-13 (retro-fitted to be Rated R after fan backlash, but it was by all intents a PG-13 film). Sylvester Stallone directed the first Expendables himself, but stepped aside for the sequel, resulting in not nearly as great a film. But it was still really damn fun with some great moments. And Chuck Norris showed up too!

And then came The Expendables III in 2014. Willis was out, but Harrison Ford was in along with Wesley Snipes and Antonio Banderas! And Mel Gibson took on the role of the big bad villain. But then they added a ton of younger stars and up & coming talent, which no one wanted to see cluttering an Expendables movie. Following the downward trend, this third film, despite some great performances by Mel Gibson and others, felt the weakest of the three. At the time I was pretty disappointed in this film, but today, ten years later, I've come to still enjoy it for the fun film that it is.

At the time, given the diminishing returns for each subsequent film, I didn't feel the need for an Expendables 4. Over the years though, seeing the action film evolve with movies like John Wick, the Raid, and the last few Mission Impossible films, my mind was thinking of how another Expendables movie, updated with the action sensibilities of today, could look. And 2019's Rambo: Last Blood was brutal and amazing. It seemed to me that there was no reason why a new Expendables movie couldn't go that extra step and reinvigorate the franchise. 

Now, we have our look at a new Expendables film...


THE SYNOPSIS

Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, Gunner, Toll Road, and the rest of the gang head out on another mission to save the world. The plan goes awry, the mission goes belly-up, and one of the Expendables dies. Things get personal as the surviving Expendables gear up for a revenge mission with possibly igniting World War III in the process. Will the Expendables succeed? And who will be left alive by the end of it?

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

These movies are the equivalent of juke food and you feel good while watching. This was simply a fun movie. It wasn't great. It wasn't trash. It was a fairly middle of the road, old-fashion action fun. It did not evolve like I was hoping it would've, nor did it drop off from the bar set by the previous film. It remained decidedly consistent from the previous sequel (still not as good as the original... maybe not quite as good as Expendables II either). And the stellar cast of Expendables III (the real action stars, not those young kids) may even give E3 the edge over E4 at the end of the day.

Adding Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais were definite highlights. Having seen the Ong Bak films and The Raid films along with other films with Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais, I have a hard time believing anyone on the Expendables team could take them down. Sadly, there was no scene in which Tony Jaa launches into a flying knee attack (if you have Tony Jaa in your film, how do you not have at least one flying knee?!). But the biggest missed opportunity here was not pitting Tony Jaa against Iko Uwais. That fight would've been LEGENDARY! What an incredible shame to have not taken advantage of this. 

Stallone and Lundgren take it easy this time around and sadly don't do a whole lot in this movie, which was another real disappointment. Instead, the movie leans on Jason Statham to carry it. Statham gets the lion's share of the action and the truly standout moments. I love Jason Statham and he's always fun to watch, but these movies should be ensemble pieces and not a Statham solo act. I just wish the filmmakers would've shared more standout action sequences with the rest of the cast as most of them felt as though they could've easily disappeared into the background.


The other additions to the cast like Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Jacob Scipio, and Megan Fox didn't really leave much of an impression. Levy Tran had some neat moments next to Tony Jaa, but nothing all that grand. There really needed to be a female villain for her and Fox to throw down with, someone like Julie Estelle (who is AMAZING and could've kicked their asses). They should've also added Joe Taslim and Yayan Ruhian to round out Iko Uwais' crew (but, if they had added Estelle, Taslim, and Ruhian, the Expendables would've never survived!). And, while it was cool to see Andy Garcia again, I feel like he was wasted and not given time to shine either.

After the devastating inciting incident, the rest of the movie builds up this "ultimate enemy" that Stallone could never defeat. They even go so far as to say that this nemesis killed all of Stallone's original Expendables team (a team prior to the movies). All of this build up should've led to an epic reveal of the film's true villain. And it falls flat, at least for me it did. I was hoping for something worthy of Stallone or Schwarzenegger, like Steven Seagal or Keanu Reeves or Jackie Chan or Carl Weathers or Kurt Russell or Michael Jai White or someone with real movie history in the action realm or history with Stallone. How about Tom Cruise?! The villains of the first film were Eric Roberts and Stone Cold Steve Austin, cool but underwhelming. The villains of the second movie were Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins (Adkins is very underrated and this team-up was great). The third movie it was Mel friggin Gibson! Talk about saving the best for last. This movie really needed a great ultimate enemy and a great team of villains that could potentially defeat the Expendables. Other the amazing Iko Uwais, the enemies in this film were severely lacking.

 The opening action sequence was solid and set a pretty good tone going forward with the movie. And the moment one of the Expendables dies grabs your attention. Iko Uwais shines as the villain at the beginning. The second act drags a little bit as it sets the pieces in place for the grand finale. The finale is pretty good overall, but when you take into account the missed opportunities and potential of what could've been, it leaves a little something to be desired.

THE VERDICT

The first Expendables film showed audiences what could've been and delivered on an epic dream-match we waited decades to see. This latest Expendables film leaves audiences wondering what could've been rather than delivering another action movie dream come true. Even so, absence certainly makes the heart grow fonder, I suppose. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a warm fuzzy feeling inside me seeing Stallone, Statham, Lundgren, and the crew back together again. It was nice, like seeing old friends again. So, while this movie had its share of disappointments, I was still able to enjoy myself with this movie.

 Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10



I really do love these actors and I'm glad we were able to get four films out of the Expendables concept. But this movie I think lost sight of what the Expendables is all about. These films should be "dream casting" scenarios and action event films. It won't be much longer before the great cinematic action heroes of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s retire. No Expendables-like opportunity should be wasted. 

For more of our thoughts on action films, check out these other posts below

EXPENDABLES III (2014)

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (2019)

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART 1 (2023)

SISU (2023)

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 4 (2023)

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3: PARABELLUM (2019)

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL (2017)

ATOMIC BLONDE (2017)

BABY DRIVER (2017)

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)

SPECTRE (2015)

FURIOUS 7 (2015)

FATE OF THE FURIOUS (2017)

SNOWPIERCER (2013)

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Sunday, October 1, 2023

KAIJU CINEMA: GAMERA REBIRTH (2023)

GAMERA REBIRTH (2023)

We haven't talked about him nearly as much as we have Godzilla, but one of our all-time favorite kaiju is the titanic terrapin himself: GAMERA. The only other Japanese kaiju to ever come close to rivaling Godzilla, the Gamera films began in 1965 and saw eight films from 1965 through 1980. Another three films were released in the 1990s, arguably three of the greatest kaiju films ever made. The final film, as of yet, came out in 2006, titled: GAMERA THE BRAVE. Since then the Gamera series has lain dormant, much to our disappointment.

Gamera is unique among most kaiju as he is commonly depicted as a "friend of the children." In the original Gamera film there is a child character who has a curious fondness for Gamera, despite the dangers. The second film in the series eschews this idea only for it to return even stronger in all of the following films in the series. For the rest of the Showa era the Gamera films became specifically aimed at child audiences and even affected the Godzilla series in similar ways (there is a notable shift in the Godzilla series from serious drama to childish super heroics after the Gamera films began). Conversely, though being aimed at younger viewers, a surprising amount of blood, gore, and violence often pervaded in these films.

And the kaiju Gamera would battle were often wild and unique creature designs. Barugon had an extending tongue that spat freezing air and had a rainbow beam attack. Gyaos was a giant bat-like beast with a taste for blood (imagine if Dracula became a kaiju) and a laser beam attack. Viras was an alien cephalopod-like thing that came to earth in its own spaceship. Guiron had a giant knife for a head and shurikens that shot from his head. And so on and so forth, the creativity in the kaiju designs being foremost (and these more bizarre designs would also eventually influence Godzilla too with such kaiju as Gigan and Megalon). In all fairness though, the Godzilla franchise tremendously influenced Gamera as well. 


While the Gamera films of the 1960s and 70s have their merits, and are enjoyable in their own right, they rarely matched the quality coming from Toho and their kaiju films. The budgets for these films were significantly smaller than those of the Godzilla series and the resources available to Daiei's filmmakers were far more limited. And the focus on the children and the child actors themselves often left a lot to be desired. The Gamera series significantly improved in the 90s and 2000s, but even so there is a lot to be enjoyed from the Showa era films of the 60s and 70s.

Fast-forward to the 90s and the films became far more serious. The connection and focus on children characters was retained albeit with more mature high school students as opposed to more juvenile grade-school aged children. Then in Gamera The Brave the focus returned to grade-school children with magnificent results, being the best depiction of children in a Gamera film to that point. At last, the Gamera series had mastered the inclusion of children in their films that worked for all ages.

The Gamera film series, essentially finishing with Gamera The Brave, ended on a high note, the last four films being all high caliber kaiju cinema. And fans of Gamera eagerly awaited more, especially in the void left by Toho as America tried their hand at Godzilla. Aside from a proof of concept trailer for Gamera's 60th anniversary in 2015, the Gamera series was done.

Until now...


THE SYNOPSIS

Boco and his friends start their summer vacation from school when a host of avian-like monsters suddenly attack the city. Devouring humans in the streets, these monsters grow larger as they eat. Boco and his friends are nearly eaten alive when a colossal turtle-like creature appears to save them, a creature Boco calls Gamera. An organization called the Eustace Foundation arrives, claiming knowledge of these creatures, calling them "kaiju." More kaiju begin appearing and it soon becomes apparent that these monsters are targeting Boco and his friends. Joining the Eustace Foundation, Boco and his friends are taken to a more secure location. While en route they are attacked by several kaiju, and each time Gamera arrives to save them. But what is the connection between Boco and Gamera? And why are the evil kaiju targeting them?

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Upon finishing the series, Gamera Rebirth feels like a genuine love letter to the 60s and 70s Gamera films. Comprising a mere six episodes, 45 minutes each, each episode could conceivably be a remake or reimagining of a classic Gamera film. No new original kaiju appear in the series, instead focusing on redesigned and revamped versions of most, but not all, of Gamera's original enemy kaiju. And the kaiju  battles are one on one, presented much like how they were in the original films. Not to criticize those films from the 60s and 70s, but this series is essentially updated versions of those films with tighter continuity and a consistent human cast between them.

The story is one of the strongest aspects of the series. The series weaves in key elements from the classic films in compelling ways, feeling both respectful to those films while elevating the ideas and themes. Of particular note are the four central protagonists, the kids. These children are each given distinct personalities, deep character development, and relatable experiences. The children characters were never particularly endearing in the original films, but they are wonderful and fully-fledge characters here.


But the real standout aspect of the series are the kaiju (of course!). Gamera's new design manages to feel both fresh and exciting while feeling traditional. Reminiscent more of his 90s designs rather than the 60s and 70s, Gamera appearance in this series is nothing short of spectacular. And this extends to the other kaiju as well, each of the classic enemies receiving a new design that's exciting and respectful to the originals. What's particularly noteworthy is, while reinterpreting these classic monsters, the filmmakers never stray too far as to losing who these kaiju are. They never reach too far into the "experimental" area that the Godzilla series has traveled lately, which was much appreciated. Their powers too are given greater definition and exploration, further showcasing how amazing these monsters are. The excitement for the next kaiju keeps growing from episode to episode, building momentum as the series reaches its climax.

The biggest point of concern for this series is the animation. There are notably two aspects of the animation: 1) the humans. 2) the monsters. A cel-shaded CGI animation style (one that's popular at Netflix) is used, the same style used for the Godzilla Planet anime trilogy and Pacific Rim: The Black from Polygon Pictures. Personally we've never found this animation that attractive. For the human segments the animation is particularly poor, almost embarrassingly so. But the monster segments and battle scenes are breathtaking and utterly engrossing. It appears as though the production budget for this series was quite low and the production team made a decisive choice to prioritize the kaiju segments, lending most of their resources to render those and leaving little else for the human segments. If this was in fact the case that the filmmakers found themselves in, they certainly made the correct choice. The monster segments are near perfection and the human segments are lifted up by solid storytelling and wonderful characterizations.

It's clear that the Gamera series has never had the same budgets given to them as the Godzilla series. As such, this series doesn't quite match the production quality of even the Netflix original animated Godzilla projects (some even animated in the same style). However, given the resources available to them, Gamera Rebirth is excellent. A lot of love and care was taken into crafting this story, its characters, and kaiju. The love these filmmakers have for the original Gamera films comes across to the audience. There's even an instrumental version of the classic "Gamera March" song from the original series to top it all off.


THE VERDICT

Gamera Rebirth was fantastic. The kaiju shine like no other in this series (as they rightfully should)  with new yet reverential designs, deepened power sets, and homage to their origins. The animation is terribly uneven however, skewing favorably towards the kaiju and negatively towards the humans. But relatable and endearing characterizations strengthen the human characters, making up for the disparity in animation. The overall narrative is highly compelling keeping you watching at a faster and faster rate. Overall this whole series works very well and services the Gamera franchise wonderfully. Maybe the ultimate love letter to the Showa Gamera series, Gamera Rebirth is a great addition to the franchise.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10


While not my favorite films in the series, the Showa Era of Gamera films have always been enjoyable and fun kaiju films. Gamera Rebirth feels like a vindication of those films and of my feelings towards them. This series represents those films how we as fans see them in our hearts, with much love and excitement. Now, if only this series would receive a second season as well as a physical media release, we would be in heaven! Even better still, hopefully this series is successful enough that Kadokawa will greenlight a new prestigious Gamera film. Fingers crossed!

For more of our thoughts on giant monsters and all things kaiju, check out these other posts below!

SHIN GODZILLA (2016)

SHIN ULTRAMAN (2022)

SHIN KAMEN RIDER (2023)

THE SAGA OF THE KING OF THE MONSTERS 
 
Part 8: Son Of Godzilla (1967)
Part 9: Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Part 10: Godzilla's Revenge (1969)   
Part 11: Godzilla Vs The Smog Monster (1971)  
Part 12: Godzilla Vs Gigan (1972)    
Part 13: Godzilla Vs Megalon (1973)  
Part 14: Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla (1974)  
Part 15: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)      
Part 16: The Return of Godzilla (1984)   
Part 17: Godzilla Vs Biollante (1989)       
Part 18: Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah (1991)     
Part 19: Godzilla Vs Mothra (1992)        
Part 20: Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II (1993)
Part 21: Godzilla Vs Spacegodzilla (1994)
Part 22: Godzilla Vs Destoroyah (1995)
Part ???? Tri-Star's Godzilla (1998)
Part 23: Godzilla 2000 (1999)
Part 24: Godzilla Vs Megaguirus (2000)
Part 25: GMK Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
Part 26: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Part 27: Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
Part 28: Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)       

 

LONG LIVE GIANT M ONSTERS!

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