Just bought the movie at Amazon.com and found I am divided. Somehow it could have been an interesting movie but somehow it isn't. The female actresses are nearly totally 'emotionless' in their acting, some scenes are funny, like the generals - administrating the attack on the legion - sitting there like samurai on the floor, name signs at their side, first, second and third commander in rank - my Japanese wife was grinning when she saw it ;-). However, the whole movie is really slow paced and gets only fast and furious in SOME fighting scenes. The basic plot of the movie is that an obvious meteorite - which is in fact the legion - lands on earth but the meteorite leaves no trace and is gone. Alien legion builds in subway habitat and giant 'flower' grows through and of top of high rise building. The intention is too shot spores into space. OK, some soldiers die, Gamera comes and destroys center of Sapporo city and the same happens again in Sendai city where the whole city is destroyed in a nuclear like explosion. Gamera attacks a big legion monster - there is a big one and a 'swarm' of smaller legion monsters and is somehow beaten and somehow dead - as usual. Then final show down near Tokyo, the humans invent a signal to attract the swarm - the only fresh idea in the movie - and kill the smaller swarm monsters by tank breaking helicopters - very inventive. There are no super weapons, only tanks, fighter planes and usual military equipment. Gamera gets at the end super charged by some worldwide imaginary force and can kill the big legion monster. The CG is remarkable at some times - remember the film was made in 1996. IMHO Does not beat Godzilla movies but worth to watch it.
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