Surprisingly, Godzilla vs Destroyah is one of the best Godzilla movies that I’ve ever seen – more than men in costumes. Read on to see why!
Review | Editorial Review | Quotes | Trivia | Cast
movie review of Godzilla Vs Destroyah (1985)
At the same time, the current Godzilla is suffering from what can best be described as atomic heartburn. His organic nuclear reactor is going wild, driving his temperature ever-higher. This will eventually cause a nuclear meltdown, a “china syndrome” that will be catastrophic for all life on planet Earth.
As if that’s not enough, there is another problem developing from the use of the Oxygen Destroyer many years ago. Apparently, it has caused the mutation of a primitive life form over the years. This has led to the formation of Destroyah, a group of human-sized monsters. There’s an excellent scene, reminiscent of the movie Alien, where the Japanese army is trying to find the creatures, with limited success. One of the underlying themes of the movie is the unintended consequences of Man’s creations. Not limited to the atomic bomb.
All grown up
Another plot thread is the maturing of “Baby Godzilla”. Also known as Minilla, who has finally grown into an adult Godzillasaurus. He is ready to take his place in the world. Which is a good thing, given that the Destroyah is the most deadly opponent that Godzilla has ever faced.
I’ll not give away the ending of the movie, but I will give full credit to the producers of the movie, for making a very daring decision. I truly enjoyed Godzilla vs. Destroyah, not just in a “reliving my childhood by watching a cheesy monster movie” way, but as an enjoyable movie in its own right, and I recommend it.
Editorial review of Godzilla Vs Destroyah, courtesy of Amazon.com
Godzilla’s nuclear-powered heart is waning, threatening not only himself but mankind. But before going to that monster island in the sky, he must first battle his most forbidding foe to date: Destoroyah. Destoroyah makes Biollante, Space-Godzilla, and Rodan look like washed-up sparring partners as he dukes it out with Godzilla Jr. and Pop. With chilling powers that are sure to remind you of the creature from “Alien,” Destoroyah wreaks havoc, and everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard must give everything, including his life, to defeat him. Easily among the best of all Godzilla movies, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah eschews much of the series’ campy humor for a dark and poignant vision that infuses the long-running series with new life at the same time that it lays to rest a beloved monster. —Tod Nelson
movie quotes for Godzilla vs. Destroyah
Miki Saegusa: I think this is going to be Godzilla’s last fight.
Miki Saegusa: My job is done now Godzilla.
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: I know Micro-oxygen and it doesn’t have that kind of power.
Army General: Then what does?
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: An Oxygen Destroyer!
Night Watchman at Aquarium: The water seems to be eating away at the fish!
Yukari Yamane: Forgive me. You seem like a romantic.
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: Well maybe I am a romantic.
Major Sho Kuroki: What radioactivity!
Miki Saegusa: Godzilla won’t let this be its final fight.
TV-Reporter: But, what happened with the physics experiment that you conducted here?
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: It’s at the bottom of the ocean, where a brilliant scientist is quietly sleeping.
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: Godzilla’s gone. He’s turned Tokyo into a ghost town.
Yukari Yamane: And, it looks like we paid for it at the end.
Dr. Kensaku Ijuin: Paid for what?
Yukari Yamane: All of it. All of man’s stupid use of nuclear energy.
Trivia for Godzilla vs. Destroyah
- Emiko Yamane is played by Momoko Kôchi, the same actress who created the role in Ishiro Honda’s Godzilla (1954) (U.S. title: Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956)). This was also her last film role. She died of cancer three years later.
- This was the last Godzilla film on which producer Tomoyuki Tanaka worked. He was the only person to produce all of the previous Godzilla films.
- Contains brief scenes that pay homage to the original Godzilla (1954). Such as Dr Yamane’s stegosaurus model. And during the simulated Tokyo meltdown sequence (where they show what will happen if Godzilla explodes) Godzilla walks by the Wako Building and the Diet Building. Two building he destroys in the original film.
- The final film in the Versus/Heisei Godzilla series. The third movie series (or Millennium Series) begins with Godzilla 2000 (1999).
- Koichi Kawakita came up with the idea of killing Godzilla.
Cast of characters
- Takurô Tatsumi … Dr. Kensaku Ijuin
- Yôko Ishino … Yukari Yamane
- Yasufumi Hayashi … Kenichi Yamane
- Megumi Odaka (Godzilla Vs. Space Godzilla) … Miki Saegusa
- Sayaka Osawa … Meru Ozawa
- Saburô Shinoda … Professor Fukazawa
- Akira Nakao (Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.) … Commander Takaki Aso
- Masahiro Takashima (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II) … Major Sho Kuroki
- Momoko Kôchi (Gorjia, aka Godzilla) … Emiko Yamane
- Shigeru Kôyama … Army General
- Ronald Hoerr (Godzilla Vs. Space Godzilla) … Professor Marvin
- Kôichi Ueda (Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.) … Night Watchman at Aquarium
- Takehiro Murata (Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah) … Yukari’s Editor
- Shelley Sweeney (Godzilla Final Wars) … G-Force Technician
- Akihiko Hirata (Rodan) … Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (archive footage)
- Kenpachirô Satsuma (Godzilla vs. Gigan) … Godzilla
- Ryo Hariya … Destoroya
- ‘Hurricane Ryu’ Hariken … Godzilla Jr. / Police Officer
Additional Cast
- Kenzo Ogiwara … Nomura
- Kenji Sakama … (as Sakama Kenji)
- Takashi Shimura (Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster) … Dr. Yamane (archive footage)
- Akira Takarada (Ebirah, Horror of the Deep) … Ogata (archive footage)
- John Gallock … Cathay Pacific Pilot (uncredited)
- Haruo Nakajima (Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People) … Gojira (archive footage) (uncredited)