Picking up a bit after we left off last time, Kiryu is undergoing repairs following its fight with Godzilla. During this time, though, we discover the hidden continuity this film and its predecessor have had: apparently Mothra (the original debut of the insectoid monster) is canon here, as we meet a man who helped the Shobijin – Mothra’s twin fairy harbingers – escape capture those decades ago. They return to him to warn him and the rest of the Japanese establishment that Godzilla will continue to return to wreak havoc on Tokyo due to the use of its ancestor’s/relative’s bones in Kiryu’s design. Should the bones not be returned to the sea from whence they came, Mothra will reenact her destructive tour of the city from back in the early ‘60s. Otherwise, her help could be counted on against the King of the Monsters.
I didn’t mention it before, and I feel real bad about it, you guys, but Mothra’s fairies did not accompany her the last time she made in appearance, in GMK (though apparently there was a nod to their existence in a throw-away shot of a pair of twins marveling at Mothra flying through the air – a shot I definitely missed during my viewing). This time, though, since we’re bringing back some classic continuity, they’re back, and they’ve got their signature egg-hatching song with them as well. Since the adult Mothra and Kiryu have their hands full (all eight of them) with Godzilla, the egg over on Infant Island hatches, and the two larvae head off to aid their mother, who winds up sacrificing herself to preserve her young (her final moments in glorious, flaming agony is a sight to behold, lemme tell ya). Oh, and the fairies have telekinesis now, not just some odd form of telepathy. I didn’t know where else to put that little tidbit.
There isn’t much to say about this film, to be honest. It’s pretty much as strong and entertaining as its predecessor, but the human plots aren’t quite as interesting or well-done as last time out. We still get some awesome battles, including some harsh body damage to Mothra, so that’s a plus. It’s just that the plot is somewhat thin and straight-forward, and everything was set up so well last time, that I’m at something of a loss this time. It’s good. ‘Nuff said, really.
Next time, there might be too much to say, as Godzilla faces his 50th birthday in bombastic style. Aw yeah!
Allusions of Grandeur 