I saw Shin Ultraman...

Gamera alumni, director Shinji Higuchi and writer Hideaki Annno, have hit it out of the park with Shin Ultraman: an affectionate retelling of the silvery visitor from The Land of Light. 

The new movie is presented in a dry-humored manner, though it's by no means a spoof. It simply dispatches a wry view of its classic foundation within modern times (like Hitoshi Matsumoto's Big Man Japan, but nowhere near as sardonic). In addition, Shin Ultraman's visual style is served by state-of-the-art CGI, but for nostalgic purposes, much of it reflects the Showa era, and that's a good thing for fans who appreciate unpretentious, old-school imagery. 

Takumi (Shin Godzilla) Saitoh plays Ultraman, aka Shinji Kaminaga, the heir-apparent Shin Hayata, working as an executive for the kaiju detecting S-Class Species Suppression Protocol (SSSP, the heir-apparent Science Patrol). Kaminaga's human/alien merger occurs after Ultraman kills him during a battle with the Blue Meanie-ish Neronga. Once the symbiotic resurrection is complete, it then only takes the hoisting of a handy Beta capsule to transform a mere mortal into a formidable champion. (Billy Batson look out!)

Kaminaga is a stoic sort, perhaps because of his acquired, alien anchor, but he's still decent to his coworkers, who include Masami Nagasawa's Hiroko Asami (Kaminaga's eager "buddy"); Hidetoshi Nishijima's Kimio Tamura (a unit leader); Tetsushi Tanka as Tatsuhiko Munakato (a unit chief) Hayami's Ymi Funaberi (a biologist); and Daiki Arioka's Akihisa Taki (a physicist and Star Trek/Thunderbirds collector). Asami is the stand-out among them (the Akiko Fuji for this niche), who shares cheer, awe and humility throughout. (It's easy to say that we experience Ultraman's journey through her eyes.) 

The adventure is divided into four segments: 1) the rise of Ultraman as a kaiju fighter on Earth; 2) the manifestation of Zarab (Kenjiro Tsuda) a shape-shifting alien who wishes to besmirch Ultraman; 3) the appearance of Mefilias (Koji Yamamoto), a glib alien who eclipses Zarab by implementing "peaceful" means to conquer Earth (i.e., turning Earthlings into brainwashed kaijin through Beta technology); and 4) Ultraman's surreal clash with the seemingly impenetrable monster-anomaly, Zetton, which in turn introduces us to Koichi Yamadera's Commander Zoffy, Ultraman's sublime superior (in a portion that manages to expand one's mind while tugging at one's heart). 

The chapters unfold with a swift, organic flow, each delivering its own throwback-referencing punch, though the Zetton/Zoffy finale hits hardest, echoing and amplifying 1960s Ultraman's philosophical lore, while injecting some stimulating, god-and-man/Christ-like allusions where it can. 

The movie also finds time to insert a political slant, though doesn't pigeon-hold any precise politician or political party in doing so. It simply shows current "leadership" as a puppetized force, with mouth pieces making dumb and self-serving decisions that squash the aspirations of diligent others. 

This coquettish derision is essential, for it reminds us of the importance of duty and the necessity of sacrifice (that any one entity can make a positive difference), despite what the power players say and do. I recognized these axioms in the original, Ultraman series when I was a kid. Little did I realize how much they would resonate during my adulthood, let alone through a computer-graphics redux. For that, I'm most grateful and enough to exclaim, Love Reign Ultraman!

Shin Ultraman is presently available for viewing on disc and/or streaming through Amazon Prime: 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shin+ultraman&i=movies-tv&crid=1TN31NQ2931G9&sprefix=%2Cmovies-tv%2C686&ref=nb_sb_ss_recent_1_0_recent

I saw (at long last) Shin Gojira...

Whether one calls it "Shin Godzilla/Gojira" or "Godzilla/Gojira Resurgence", our grayish green, radioactive-spewing behemoth has gotten back into the Toho Studios groove. Only thing is, I'm big-time tardy in catching his anticipated return. (These theatrical limited releases rarely come to my neck of the woods, so the best I can do is listen to the bragging of those fortunate enough to catch 'em.) Thank God for the inevitable, disc releases, and (hallelujah) "Shin Gojira" just hit the shelves this week. 

For the most part and against great odds, I was able to view the subtitled (and soon thereafter, dubbed) "Shin Gojira" without too much having been revealed. That's probably because the film doesn't have a lot to spoil, and I don't mean that in a mean way. This is basic kaiju stuff, only handled with a more sophisticated, darker flow than what we usually find in Toho sequels and reboots. 

The original "Gojira" (either the '54 version or the revamped '56 American edition) wasn't intricate or complicated in plot, either, borrowing much from "Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" (and therefore, Ray Bradbury's "The Foghorn"), with some profound, Atomic Age messaging woven in. The original "Gojira" is, for the most part, an exercise in mood, and at times, comes across as quite nightmarish: a fact that those out-of-the-loop find surprising when they finally watch it.  

Directed by Hideaki Anno (who also penned the screenplay) and Shinji Higuchi, "Shin Gojira", like its brooding, black-and-white, founder, dabbles in the dismal and the weird, but at the same time acts as another genesis for an entity who's had several.

This time (though as in times previous) we watch our admired colossus sway his creepy form through Japan, but now the mighty Gojira evolves from out various forms, at one point resembling a disquieting, redesigned Reptilicus or Giant Claw and then ultimately a thing with flesh like twisted, Zdzislaw Beksinski metal and a tail that stretches for an eternity (a most curious appendage in more ways than one, as one will discover). To give us an all the better view of neo Gojira, he's nicely illuminated throughout his transformation: so startlingly clear as to risk ridicule, but due to Anno's unpretentious presentation, our lumbering giant remains formidable and intimidating from beginning to end. 

A fine cast of performers reacts with credible trepidation to the slow, menacing, city stomping from their lofty, officious palaces: Akira Emoto; Hiroki Hasegawa; Satomi Ishihara; Kengo Kora; Ren Osugi; Takumi Saito; Yutaka Takenouchi; Pierre Taki; Jun Kunimura, among others. They play their collective role in earnest, not once deviating from their staunch stances, trying to understand all causes and effects and find the means to annihilate their unwitting attacker, whether through nuclear or other destructive tactics. (Alas, their efforts achieve no more than what the military did in "War of the Worlds '53", when daring to destroy the Martian War Machines.) 

This nervous, pessimistic tone, which often tips toward documentary staging, grants "Shin Gojira" its individuality, making it as much an atmospheric experiment as the '54 classic and in its own kaiju right, placing it on a par with such avant-garde productions as "Carnival of Souls '62"; "Daughter of Horror/Dementia"; and the ultra surreal, German/French "Vampyr". (Truly, I don't think there's ever been a giant-monster movie as visually raw, rough and pure as this one, including the off-the-cuff "Cloverfield".)

On the other hand, it wouldn't be at all surprising if some viewers perceived this installment as a retread in what's become an inexhaustible string, where our mutating titan saunters and stumbles, but with the predictable promise to rise again. Nevertheless, if one appreciates this particular kind of alpha-monster, it's impossible not to embrace the "shin" element, any more than any hardcore fan could scorn Gareth Edward's big-budget version. (I could easily argue the same of the Tristar effort; I mean, consider the box-office and home-viewing tally: not too shabby for something labeled a forgettable flop.)

The bottom line: When you're loyal to a legend, no matter how many times its rehashed or modified--whether you catch a new take early or late in the going--you've no choice but to remain close to the cause. As a lifelong Godzilla fan, I appreciate "Shin Gojira" for what it is. I'm aware that the big guy will never perish and consistently return in one form or another. I'm damn glad of that, and if you've taken the time to read my assessment, you're probably of the same, appreciative ilk. 

Wonder what Toho plans for the sequel... Well, whatever it might be, I'll no doubt be pleased. I only hope I don't have to wait forever and a day to see it.