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27 reviews in total

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9 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Godzilla vs. Steven Spielberg!, 24 January 2005

Author: Brandt Sponseller from New York City

The film opens with the Japanese Indiana Jones pillaging some archaeological ruins. Just as he makes his way out of a perilously collapsing old temple, he's stopped by rifles pointed at his head. The armed men are from the government, and they're accompanied by his ex-wife. It seems that a strange meteor has crashed near a remote island, and he's been pegged to lead an expedition on the island. They encounter a strange egg, then they run into the Cosmos, two tiny fairy-like beings, who tell them that it's the egg of Mothra, who protects the earth. While taking the egg back to Japan, suddenly, Battra, another monster, shows up, as does Godzilla, in his first appearance of the film, and all hell begins to break loose, as is wont to happen in Godzilla films.

That's a bit more detailed than I usually try to present premises (although that's just the first fifteen minutes or so of the film), but I want to give you of how exquisitely bizarre Godzilla vs. Mothra is and at the same time, give some clues as to why I've titled this review "Godzilla vs. Steven Spielberg!" There are all kinds of Spielberg references (occasionally rip-offs) and Spielberg-like touches to this film. But imagine Spielberg on acid, making a live-action adaptation of some wacky kid-oriented anime, with the addition of monsters that are going to rip each other to shreds with death rays emanating from their eyes and mouths and biting each others' necks off while alien-colored blood spews out. That might sound like an atrocious concatenation to some people, but it's heavenly to me, which is why this particular Godzilla film is a 10 out of 10 for me.

It's worth noting that director Takao Okawara managed quite a few "poetic" touches in this film, including some beautiful cinematography, the wonderfully weird cocoon-building sequence, and the scene of Mothra flying out into space, trailing sparkly dust. What really works best here, though, is the bizarre combination of kid-oriented fantasy and the more adult-oriented, menacing tone of the typical Godzilla film. The design of Mothra in this film is the perfect example. It looks like somewhat of a cross between a butterfly, a Muppet, a teddy bear, an Ewok, and a Gremlin at their "cute" stage. Only it is a giant fighting monster capable of killing other giant fighting monsters, destroying downtown, or maybe even destroying the Earth. The effect isn't that far removed from the Sta-Puft Marshmallow man at the end of Ghostbusters. It's all wonderfully surreal.

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6 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Worthy addition!, 18 June 1999
Author: PlateOShrimp from Harrisburg, Pa

"Godzilla Vs. Mothra" benefits from a few added surprises, things I didn't expect but welcomed with open arms. Chalk one up for the makers of this film. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I was wrong.

The storyline (as best as I could remember, so be patient) was simple stuff. A comet hits the ocean, uncovering a Mothra egg and awakening Battra, Mothra's enemy.

An expedition on the island tries taking the egg back to Japan via large rafts pulled by a freighter. But Godzilla shows up to spoil the party. The egg hatches, and Godzilla and the Mothra larvae go at it.

Godzilla shows up in Tokyo, as does the Mothra larvae. The larvae cocoons itself to the capital building, then comes bursting out. Battra shows up. Turns out Battra wants to protect earth and Mothra wants to protect earth's people, so what the hey -- why don't they join forces to fight Godzilla, who's destroying EVERYTHING???

They do so. Battra is killed, but Godzilla is down for the count. Mothra flies into space to destroy a comet headed for earth.

A few things stick out, however. First is the positively Indiana Jones-esque scene at the beginning, a sure sign of western influence. Second is the scene where the larvae cocoons itself. The score sets the right mood, that of something natural and beautiful. This is probably the only scene in a Godzilla movie I could watch over and over again and really appreciate.

Lastly, I've grown bored of Godzilla battle sequences, but the final one here involves a fight near an amusement park. This is the first time I've seen a ferris wheel used as a weapon in a Godzilla movie. I hope we see similar things in the future.

There's a lot of things I'm leaving out here, but you get the point. This movie is entertaining, which is what I look forward to seeing in any Godzilla movie. And with those added touches, this one gets an extra thumbs up.

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Cheers for Godzilla!, 26 November 2000

Author: OllieSuave-007 from Sacramento, California USA

With this movie of the Heisei (1980s-1990s) series, I think Toho studios is on a role. With cool special effects and beautiful music, this became one of the top 10 grossing Godzilla movies. Who wouldn't like to see a rematch between Godzilla and Mothra.This movie is an update of the 1964 version of "Godzilla vs. Mothra." Mothra's egg is exposed after a storm (or meteorite) hits it. A trio of explorers try to bring the egg to Japan under the influence of a greedy entrepreneur (sound familiar?). Godzilla appears out of the ocean to attack the explorers' ship, which is hauling the egg. The egg hatches into Mothra and the two do battle. The Peanuts, who played Mothra's twin priestesses in the 1964 movie, were succeeded by the Cosmos. They talk in unison, as usual. Dressed in pink with braided hairs and wearing Mothra signs, they bring back the traditional "Mothra's Song." If you're interested on buying a Godzilla soundtrack, see if you can track down the record version of this song, performed by the Cosmos with music by Akira Ifukube. It rocks! The song is sing in Malaysian, as always. However, in the record version, the Cosmos sing a verse of the song in Japanese. With echoing concepts from the original film this movie introduced a new monster, Battra (Mothra's evil twin) out to destroy earth but ended up helping Mothra battle Godzilla. How depressing to see the main guy Takuya (Indiana Jones?) in the film rooting for Mothra and Battra while battling Godzilla at an amusement park with his annoying ex-wife Masako and his irritating (I mean irritating) daughter Midori. See how she says "nice!!!!!" when Mothra metamorphoses into its adult form. She talks to the Cosmos and Mothra like she was talking to any human being. Where's her astonishment? Somebody buy her a Godzilla toy and send her home. Most of the characters in this movie is a little off-the-wall, with the exception of Miki Saegusa. She delivers another solid performance, helping to enhance the mood of this film. She uses her psychic powers again, this time to track down the Cosmos for having been "kidnapped" by somebody.

This film also delivers a message about the importance of saving our forests. The monsters were a little funny too. Godzilla's radiation beam sounds like it needs tuning and the larvae stage of Mothra sounds like it is on roller skates. But hey, watch this movie for yourself. It is a fine source of entertainment on a boring, weary weekend.

Grade B-

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
One G-Film To Remember!!, 27 April 2009

Author: landeros-joshua from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

See this film, because it is truly one to remember. Mothra is well done here, the new version full of attacks that just make the movie more exciting when she fights. Plus a new monster: Battra, a male, vicious looking version of Mothra who is also well done. His shriek however is Rodan's, sigh. Toho, is it so hard to make new roars for new monsters? This film was directed by Takao Owara, who would go on to direct three more G-films, and he did a great job on this one that's for sure. Kazuki Omori still provided the screenplay and it came out great, thankfully no more time travel. I love the human characters here, much improved from the last film. Especially that we have a story that involves the characters personal lives. Andoh is played by Takehiro Murata, who would star in "Godzilla 2000" as the lead. Him and Takuya ( Tetsuya Besho) have a short brawl that was more comedic than dynamic, but it entertains. The Shobijin return, now called the 'Cosmos', and they sing a little too often for my taste. Luckily, Akira Ifukbe scores the film, and creates a very beautiful score. Mothra's theme sounds just great! To the monsters.

Godzilla has a new look that was spectacular, although it's kind of bulky. Mothra returns as a cute, furry, moth with new attacks. Now she can use more than speed and wind in battle. Battra is a very nicely done monster who had a lot of detail on its body. The larva form moved beautifully on land and in the Toho pool. The undersea battle was an excellent display of Koichi Kawakita's techniques. The JSDF battle with Godzilla was exciting and I never get tired of watching him demolish armies of tanks, jets and masers like nothing. One of the most action-packed Godzilla movies, plus I love the end battle where Mothra and Battra join forces to defeat Godzilla. Monsters without character are not monsters at all, and this film delivers in that aspect. The climax is excellent, not that'll spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. Although I will give you a hint: Someone dies. Someone lives. And someone afterwards must save the world from an entirely different threat.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
My company has destroyed forests. I feel very guilty., 11 July 2000
Author: m_mould (m_mould@hotmail.com) from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England

Number four in the Heisei Godzilla movies, and it's the return of Mothra!

However, there's a new monster thrown into the mix, the creature known as Battra!

Big G isn't too bad in this one. I'm not too sure about the sound of his atomic heat beam. I think it needs checking.

Mothra is back, but her larva form doesn't move in the way it did before. It's like she'd just propelled on rollers.

Battra is a very good newcomer. I don't know which form I like best, the larva or flying forms.

This is a good movie, but it's not the best.

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3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
the strings were supposed to show, 22 July 2007

Author: (winner55) from United States

There's no doubt that the strings show on the puppets in this movie; yet exactly for that reason, I suspect this was intentional. The Toho SFX crew isn't stupid - and they've successfully erased the string that wags Godzilla's tail for decades. So I can't imagine that they just slipped up here. I think the strings were supposed to show.

Why might they do that? Well let's start by getting real here - the Godzilla series is essentially a series of photographed puppet shows with spectacular explosions. But while most audiences think the emphasis here is on the spectacular explosions (that obviously need excellent SFX to be credible), in reality the emphasis is on "puppet show." Puppeteering is almost a lost art. The Godzilla series arrived at exactly the time historically when professional live-performance puppeteering disappeared from our cultures (West and East), and also at the same time that movie special effects were beginning to crank into high gear. Thus the Godzilla films record the last of professional puppeteering, but in such a way as to obscure that very fact through deployment of extravagant effects.

However, if you know what you're doing is recording puppet shows, it's inevitable that you'd want to poke fun at that very fact now and again - and the Godzilla series is filled with such moments, with exception of the first original film.

Allowing this film to be a puppet show means that different criteria must be applied to it than are applied to, say, Star Wars or Alien. Appreciation of a puppet show does not require "willing suspension of disbelief" - one can always see the strings. Instead, what the audience enjoys is the skill with which the puppeteer brings inanimate wood to life, as well as the humor puppeteers use to construct all their stories.

With this in mind, Godzilla and Mothra Battle for Earth is really a pretty good puppet show. It is beautifully designed and well-photographed; the script is rich in humor; the monsters have strong and well-defined personalities; the back-story is fairly interesting but doesn't detract from the central conflicts; and the music is just wonderful.

It is probably not all that a die-hard Godzilla fan might want; but it is certainly the definitive appearance of Mothra.

it is really intended for the young - and for the young-at-heart; like all really good puppet shows.

I enjoyed it thoroughly, and hope the reader does too; it feels good and, if you recognize what's really going on, it's an important record of a lost art; that makes it good all the way around.

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Weak entry, could've been better, 23 January 2007
Author: Donald (gore_lord_84@yahoo.com) from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"Godzilla vs. Mothra" is easily the weakest of the Hensai series, but still watchable.

**SPOILERS**

Caught by the Taiwanese government, archaeologist Takuya, (Teysuya Bessho) is approached by his ex-wife Masako, (Satomi Kobayashi) and her environment firm, headed by Tomokane, (Makoto Otake) to bring back a mysterious object found on an isolated island during a recent hurricane. Landing on the island, the team finds a gigantic egg in the there and two tiny twin women, the Comos, (Keiko Imamura and Sayaka Osawa) who claim the egg belongs to Mothra. Bringing it back to Japan, Godzilla appears and attacks the egg, causing the egg to hatch and fight it off, only to be joined by a second moth, Battra. Returning back to Japan with the stolen Cosmos, Tomokane plans on exploiting them for his company, only for them to disappear before Mothra breaks off it's attack on Japan to rescue them. Returning from within a volcano, Godzilla attacks the two moths and they fight one last time.

The Good News: This here is a weak film, but it does have some good points to it. The monster scenes are generally hard to beat. The destruction of Nagoya is a great highlight, as one landmark after another gets flattened in spectacular fashion. The TV Tower into the building looks incredible, as does the destruction of the castle. A pretty good military battle doesn't really disappoint, featuring lots of things blowing up and being shot at the creature. The best, though, is Godzilla's re-emergence from an erupting Mt. Fuji, as explosions and smoke go off in every direction and the monster is standing in the middle of it all, and the impact of it is nothing short of spectacle. The ensuing battle is quite nice, employing mazer jets and tanks in a really thrilling battle that is unfortunately over too short. Just about anything in the film, though, is forgiven in the final battle. A nice, long drawn-out affair with the tide turning for each side and getting in some really nice scenes. From the brief rampage before-hand, to the air battle between the two moths, and a really impressive set-piece involving a giant Ferris Wheel are all great scenes, although the undoubted highlight is the leveling of a building onto Godzilla. The amount of damage caused in the process and how it's realistically done makes it a real winner of a sequence that is quite breath-taking. The fight itself, which has both hand-to-hand and energy weapons being fired, there's a good flow to it and it really leaves the film with a high point. It also has a really impressive sequence with the transformation of Battra, being full of power and energy and coming off really impressively. This really wasn't that bad of an entry.

The Bad News: There is a surprisingly lot to dislike here. As mentioned, the special effects aren't that bad, but there is a lot of slip-shod work in here that's quite and easily noticeable. The fact that Mothra and Battra are just puppets in their flying forms, and Mothra as a larvae, is quite easily seen. During the Tokyo rampage, Mothra doesn't undulate like a real moth does, and as it's a major sequence that lasts for a long time, it's quite distracting and doesn't really come off as convincing. The flying model for both suffers from the lack of movement, as their legs look so stiff and rigid during flight since they don't move at all makes for more distractions. The film also has some real pacing problems. The opening really could've been trimmed down, since too much is spent with the expedition and the archaeological digs. The expedition on the island is too long, with a bunch of adventure-film scenes, such as the boating trip, the rickety bridge and the waterfall sequence being prime examples of the film going on far too long. The attack on the floating transport is just way too long. There's just scene after scene where it just shows different creatures approaching different ships time after time. It just gets old after a while. The film's biggest problem, though, is Mothra and the final battle. It gets tiring when, time after time, the powerless creature is able to hold it's own against the far larger monster when it does nothing extraordinary to do so. The fact that Godzilla can blow countless planes out of the sky with no problem in the movie yet can't score a direct hit on Mothra, who is much bigger a target and flies much slower, is pretty hard to believe and just seems to be inserted just because the film wants it to. These keep the film down from the upper echelons.

The Final Verdict: There is more towards the middle grounds in terms of the series, with a lot to lot and dislike. It's not a classic but it can still entertain with the best in the series, just don't be too surprised if there's moments that don't work as well as in other entries. A fan of either two monsters should give this a shot, while others may still check it out as well.

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Nice Movie, 11 November 2004
Author: itgagent0409 from Dickinson North Dakota

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I liked this movie and I think those twin girls are quite cute in fact I'll share the entire movie with you SPOILERS!!!!!!!: A meteor has been spotted and is going to hit a trench in the ocean as it hits it wakes up Godzilla! An archaeologist named Takuya Fujita who also likes to steal breaks into a temple in Thailand. Then he takes an ancient idol suddenly there is an earthquake Takuya barely escapes but finds himself in front of a Thai army who arrest him and take him to jail. He gets 3 visitors: Dobashi from Godzilla VS King Ghidorah, Andoh who is working with a corporation in Tokyo, and Takuya's ex-wife Masako.

Takuya is promised freedom but he Andoh, and Masako will have to explore an island near Indonesia called Infant Island. While they are exploring they have a close call with a bridge then they discover a huge egg. They want to know how it got there then 2 voices say in unison "It's Mothra's egg" then the 2 1-inch girls called the Cosmos walk from a flower. They tell the 3 about Mothra and the Black Mothra Battra they fear that the meteor has awoken Battra. The Cosmos allow the egg to be taken to Japan. Back in Tokyo scientists pick up a wake in the ocean they think that it's Godzilla but one says it's Battra. The egg is loaded onto a huge barge and sets sail for Japan. Meanwhile Battra emerges in the city of Nagoya and tears through the streets destroying tanks, and laser cannons with orange rays from his horn and purple rays from his eyes and obliterates almost all of the city.

The 3 explorers on a ship near the barge hear about what happened at Nagoya and they pick up something huge on their radar and discover that it's Godzilla. Then the egg hatches and Mothra a big brown caterpillar climbs out then Battra appear and Godzilla and Battra battle underwater as a terrified Mothra swims back to Infant Island. Suddenly an underwater volcanic eruption swallows Godzilla and Battra the 3 explorers end up in Manila in the Phillippines and Takuya and Mesako have a drink together. Then next morning the Cosmos have disappeared Andoh has stolen them and took them back to Tokyo for his boss Tomokane. Tomokane wants to keep the Cosmos but they beg not to be. Takuya and Mesako return to Tokyo and Mesako is quite mad and their daughter Midori left in care of Mesako's sister is waiting for Mesako and Midori wants to see Takuya but he has left. Mesako goes to Mt Fuji and tells her sister's husband (I forgot his name) about the Earth wanting revenge then a small earthquake rocks the mountain. Back at Tokyo the Cosmos go to a window and sing a beautiful song which summons Mothra from Infant Island into the ocean heading for Japan. Takuya snatches the Cosmos from Andoh while he wasn't there and places them in a wicker box. Mesako tells Dobashi about Mothra but Dobashi doesn't care Mothra must be attacked and killed. Mothra is attacked in Tokyo Bay by ships but destroys them. Mothra appears in Tokyo and begins destroying the city. Mesako, Midori, and the telepathic girl Miki go to the hotel where Takuya is staying. Mesako now knows that Takuya wants to sell the Cosmos for $1,000,000 he wants to be remarried Mesako says that if he sells the Cosmos it won't be possible but if he doesn't then they can work something out. Miki runs in and tells them that Mothra is getting close and the have get out of the building.

Then Mothra smashes into the building Midori begs the Cosmos to tell Mothra to stop destroying Tokyo. They tell Mothra to stop then while Mothra begins leaving the army fires at her she slowly crawls to the Diet building and curls next to it and turns herself into a cocoon. Tomokane sees what happened and ordered Andoh to get the Cosmos but Andoh refused. Then Mt Fuji suddenly erupted and Godzilla emerged Dobashi and other scientists find out that he is heading for Yokohama. Miki tells Takuya and Mesako that Godzilla is coming then the cocoon suddenly lights up then the Cosmos sing a very beautiful song as Mothra now a beautiful butterfly emerged and flew off to go kill Battra who is still alive and turned into his adult stage. Tomokane is furious and fires Andoh but Andoh doesn't care. The army tries to redirect Godzilla back into the ocean but fail. Then astonished bystanders in an amusement park in Yokohama watch as Mothra flies over them. But their awe is short lived however by loudspeakers announcing that Godzilla is approaching Yokohama and they must evacuate the amusement park. Mothra spots Battra and Battra gives chase to Mothra by firing purple rays from his eyes at her. Then Godzilla appears in Yokohama and Battra and Godzilla battle and Godzilla throws Battra wounding him and knocking him unconscious. Mothra appears and fires rays from her antennae at Godzilla and revives Battra.

Then Mothra and Battra begin battling Godzilla Mothra emits lightning bolts from her wings then Godzilla throws her and she lands next to a giant ferris wheel. Then Godzilla knocked the wheel down as it's about to crush Mothra Battra grabs the wheel and drops it on Godzilla. Then Mothra and Battra join forces and Godzilla can take no more he drops to the ground and Battra and Mothra pick up Godzilla and transport him. Godzilla bites into Battra's neck killing him Mothra lets the two drop into the ocean. The next day the Cosmos tell everyone that a giant asteroid is going to hit the Earth in 1999 and completely destroy it. Mothra must go into space and destroy it Midori asked Takuya and Mesako who are going to be remarried if Mothra will be back Takuya said that they will and until that time they must take good car of the Earth. Beautiful/Sad music plays as Mothre serenely flies off into space.

Really good movie 10/10

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EMMERICH, WHO?, 31 July 2001
Author: Chomolungma from Ontario CANADA

In short, this movie puts the team of Roland Emmrich and Dean Devlin to shame. Although put out before the North American debacle, Godzilla & Mothra: The Battle for Earth is a beautiful amalgam of classic Godzilla stomp and Mothra poeticism, but it also gives us something else; a menace by the name of Battra (The Black Mothra). Having viewed this movie several times I can say it gets better with each watching. When we first see our old pals, Godzilla and Mothra, Godzilla is safely ensconced in the Marianas Trench having a deep-sea siesta, while Mothra is serenely tucked away in her egg on Infant Island. However, after a metor crashes on the earth the egg is unearthed and we meet another baddie, Battra, Mothra's twin buried in a sea cave underwater. After a sup-plot involving an Indiana Jones-like robber, the action gets going. Mothra's egg as well as the Cosmos (the two fairy twins who keep watch on Infant Island) are being brought to Japan. The egg is being towed on a barge when the Big G appears madder than a hatter and wanting scrambled eggs. With the twins' help the egg hatches and Godzilla and the larval stage Mothra engage in battle. Godzilla none to pleased to be facing his old webbed menace. Suddenly Battra shows up to enjoin the fight. We really don't know at this point whose side Battra is on, except that she or it is one mean worm with an attitude. Mothra ducks out leaving Godazilla and Battra to go at it. The action moves to the city (of course) where the Cosmos are taken. Mothra arrives to rescue them and is met with military force. She finds the girls and is told they're out of danger and to stop hurting people. She then goes away making a'bee' line for the capital building where she coccoons herself for the next stage of the battle. During this time, Godzilla appears and begins to wreck most of the city before Mothra escapes and heads straight for the Big G. While batting Godzilla Mothra is injured and a transformed Battra comes along to help her sister. Between the two of them they get the better of Godzilla, but Battra is mortally wounded and in the most thrilling scene since Godzilla's entrance in the original Gozilla vs. Mothra (1964) they in tandem hoist Godzilla into the air and take him to be drowned in the ocean. But Battra gives her life to save the world. Mothra pays homage to her fallen sister by sealing the sight and ensuring Godzilla stays buried (which we all know won't happen). Mothra then goes out into space to save Earth from an impact with a meteor. The End. Whew!!! There's so much in this movie that it takes your breath away. The music is excellent here. Godzilla and Mothra are represented by their prospective themes and you're left with awe after the movie ends. The makers of this one really outdid themselves and I for one thank them all. A wonderful addition to the Godzilla series and is perfect staging area for the future films in this series. It also spawned a series of movies where Mothra is on her own to battle the despicable Desghidorah and her offspring from that movie goes to battle Daghara (Mothra 2) and a revamped King Ghidorah (Mothra 3). Check all of these treasures out, they're worth the time!!!!!

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Godzilla fights double the bug without the help of Deep Woods Off, 8 March 1999
Author: A.Fish

Number four in the second Godzilla wave. Big G tangles with two super insects, Mothra and Battra (Black Mothra). Excellent fight scenes when G takes on the two moth larva in the ocean and later when he fights the grown up versions in an amusement park. Overall good, but the movie could do without the Indiana Jones rip off character. Mothra's egg looks like a giant Easter egg, it's even got a swirl pattern to it. Otherwise cool FX, although in one part pieces of a collapsing building actually fall through people. Godzilla and Battra plunge into the ocean at the end, Mothra is victorious. I guess it never occurs to the military that they could get rid off the rampaging moths by lighting a 600-ft. candle.

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