After seeing the 90's Gamera films recently (ok, I got a lot to catch up on...) and thinking "Wow, these meet - and in some cases beat - some of the Godzilla films of the past 15-20 years, hope there's more on the way" I finally got a chance to see this, now that there's a DVD release with English subs. The story as a continuation from the last films makes some sense, thankfully, if you outright ignore the 'cliffhanger' end of "Revenge of Iris" aka Gamera 3.
I was enjoying it as a sort of cheap lighthearted affair with lots of character dead end developments, right up until "the children" were shoehorned en masse into the film as a plot device. (you'll see what I mean if you haven't already - big forehead slap and groan) It's not that I mind yet another Kaiju sell out (the big G certainly had his day) but after watching the Star Wars franchise got his way (and SW was just as big an influence on my childhood as Godzilla et al) it's just a little too disappointing.
And am I to understand they're going to make more of these sort? I hope not, but if so IMO there should be a progression of sorts back to the big bad turtle I love so well.
I was enjoying it as a sort of cheap lighthearted affair with lots of character dead end developments, right up until "the children" were shoehorned en masse into the film as a plot device. (you'll see what I mean if you haven't already - big forehead slap and groan) It's not that I mind yet another Kaiju sell out (the big G certainly had his day) but after watching the Star Wars franchise got his way (and SW was just as big an influence on my childhood as Godzilla et al) it's just a little too disappointing.
And am I to understand they're going to make more of these sort? I hope not, but if so IMO there should be a progression of sorts back to the big bad turtle I love so well.