This movie isn't a favorite of mine but it has grown on me over the years as I've watched it, usually a once per year viewing. Observations, both positive and negative -
Thumbs up:
1. actress Misato Tanaka, who plays "Major Kiriko Tsujimori" of the G-Graspers, the anti Godzilla unit of the JSDF. Tsujimori is brave, feisty, determined, and dedicated to her craft. She's physically not imposing at all, a slender, petite and slightly built woman, albeit with the attitude of a 1000 lb gorilla: get in her way and you'll get flattened.
2. the Godzilla theme during the first Godzilla vs G-Graspers sequence: this was the first time it was used. I thought it was great when I first heard it and I still feel the same way about it now.
3. many action/effects sequences are IMO quite good: the swarm of Meganeura(spelling?) that attack Godzilla on the island, the initial skirmish between Godzilla and the G-Graspers, and the sequence where Major Tsujimori latches onto part of Godzilla's dorsal to avoid drowning. All very cool shots! I especially liked the effects used to render the smaller meganeura swarm: the flying monsters would definitely have overwhelmed anybody sent to try and eradicate them from Terminix or Orkin Pest Control.
4. seeing Yuriko Hoshi again
5. the rendering of the "Dimension Tide": some nice effects are used to bring this machine to life
6. the battle between Godzilla and Megaguirus: overall I thought it was nicely choreographed, save for the leap and subsequent pile driver-like tackle by Godzilla on Megaguirus. Megaguirus was a tough opponent, blasting Godzilla about the head with its large claw like appendages, stabbing Godzilla in the torso and partially draining the monster king of energy, and dragging Godzilla headlong along the ground into a building. It also, absorbing some of Godzilla's energy, managed to launch a powerful, rolling fireball at G, turning Godzilla's own energy, temporarily, against him.
Thumbs down:
1. wires are clearly(and painfully) visible during Megaguirus' first appearance out of the flooded city and its first airborne attacks. Not good.
2. the movement of Megaguirus, a dragonfly-like monster, during some of its flying sequences made the creature look stiff and reminded me Battra and other flying Heisei G film monsters that looked unwieldy and cumbersome when supposedly in flight
3. some of the matte shots, as Godzilla makes landfall and an eventual battle with Megaguirus, looked shaky
4. a couple of underwater shots of Godzilla swimming looked more like something out of a video game
Overall, I like Godzilla Vs Megaguirus just fine. It entertains and holds my interest when I watch it once a year or every eighteen months. I have the Sony Region 1 DVD. This film is also available on Region 2(Yesasia.com) and region 3(DDDHouse.com).
The film's trailer:
