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Girara no Gyakushu: Toya-ko Samitto Kikiippatsu
The Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit
Guilala no Gyakushu: Toya-ko Summit Kikiippatsu
Japan 2008
produced by Minoru Kawasaki, Koichi Shiota, Masanobu Suzuki, Shinobu Suzuki, Shuntaro Kanai (executive) for Shochiku
directed by Minoru Kawasaki
starring Natsuki Kato, Kazuki Katou, Susumu Kurobe, Bin Furuya, Akira Matsushita, Hide Fukumoto, Beat Takeshi (= Takeshi Kitano, voice), Matabee Watabe, Niclas Ericsson, Lily Franky, Junichi Inoue, Eiichi Kikuchi, Jun Miura, Haruo Mizuno, Yuri Morishita, Yakan Nabe, Yosuke Natsuki, Toshiya Wazaki
written by Masakazu Migita, music by Yasuhiko Fukuda, special effects by Fujuki Shinada/Tokusatsu Kenkyujo
Guilala
review by Mike Haberfelner
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As ever so often, the leaders of the world's (alleged) leading nations
convene at a G8 Summit to draw much attention in the media to decide on
nothing in particular - and this time they convene in Japan. Problem is
that giant space creature Guilala has chosen exactly this time to visit
earth (and Japan) as well - and to, like all giant monsters, destroy
everything in its way. For some reason, the world leaders think they are
capable to deal with the creature - not because they are so clever but
because it will boost their popularity - but everything from a hole in the
ground to poison to gas to brainwashing and whatnot simply fails and makes
the creature all the more angry. The worst of it though is that North
Korean leader Kim Jong-il - disguised as a former Japanese president
(Akira Matsushita) - has seized exactly this opportunity to attack the
monster and all of Japan with a nuclear warhead ... which will eventually
cause Guilala to multiply and run over the earth. Thank God then for
Sumire (Nazuki Kato), reporter for a tabloid who has found a small village
that worships Take Majin (voiced by Takeshi Kitano), a (giant) deity that
seems to have fought and defeated Guilala before, and with ritualistic
dances he is brought to life, just in time to stop the North Korean
nuclear warhead anally, and then beat the living crap out of Guilala
before decapitating it. And the world is saved once more ... Quite
obviously, this is a parody and loving hommage to Japanese giant monster
movies from the 1960's and 70's, with hardly any CGI effects, the
traditional man in a (crappy) monstersuit, a monster that has actually
been in a previous film, 1967's The X from Outer Space, and an at
times endearing attention to detail, but all mixed with very contemporary
political satire. That all said, Monster X Strikes Back is not a
great film, not even a great parody, as all the comedy and satire is
presented in rather broad strokes and is completely devoid of subtleties -
and despite all this, the film is quite enjoyable, your typical party film
that is easy to follow no matter how much beer you had, and still not
stupid enough to embarrass one once sobered up again.
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