Actually, I think I know why I dozed off during "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" (hereafter GVMGII). I have never been a night owl. My concentration and attention span plummet after 9:00 p.m. Taking a chance, I watched GVMGII on Encore at 10:00 p.m. thinking that the standard Toho bizarre plot and monster encounters would keep me interested. No such luck. Off and on throughout the movie, I dozed off and probably missed some crucial plot points.
I stayed awake long enough to learn that the latest Mechagodzilla incarnation originated from a Japanese organization called G-Force (with a sleek United Nations-like logo) whose sole aim is to destroy Godzilla. It was certainly an impressive tower of steel - the Inspector Gadget of giant robots - with armaments and features guaranteed to bring the big lizard down. However, before the veteran foes meet, GVMGII begins with some scientists and explorers discovering two mammoth eggs on a desolate isle. One has already hatched into the colossal pteranodon Rodan (Radon in Japanese). Before Rodan can attack the human party, a radiation blast emerges from the ocean and nearly fries the flying reptile. Then Godzilla emerges and the two ancient enemies tussle. With this distraction, the scientists/explorers abscond with the other, unhatched egg and place it in a laboratory for analysis. It hatches, not into another Rodan, but inexplicably into a creepily cute miniature version of Godzilla, which imprints onto a female scientist, who takes to her mommy duties and calls the infant "Baby".
After that, I became sketchy on the details. I remember a bumbling pteranodon expert (with a pteranodon-shaped jet cycle) attempting to become a G-Force member. I remember learning that G-Force planned to paralyze Godzilla by shooting some type of electric harpoon into its "second brain" within its hips. I recall that in its first encounter, Mechagodzilla's atomic invulnerability, flight, and electrical powers have Godzilla on the ropes until the robot duplicate malfunctions and freezes and Godzilla just pushes it over. I recall Godzilla going down for the count from the electric harpoon until Rodan lies on top of him and scatters "monster pixie dust" to revive him. I remember G-Force using the frightened "Baby" as bait for - Godzilla and maybe Rodan, I guess. Finally, I remember "Baby" following foster father Godzilla into the ocean at the end.
After reading some of the GVMGII posts here, I learned that Rodan and Godzilla were fighting for "parental rights" for Baby. It seems confusing to me. Why would one egg hatch out Rodan, and the other a mini-Godzilla? Did Godzilla lay the second egg somehow? Also, it seems funny to me that Godzilla is impervious to just about every human weapon, including atomic, but can be pierced by a relatively simple harpoon like a whale. Also, for the record, no animal has a "second brain" in its hips. The "second brain" is actually known as a ganglion, which is a mass of nerves that coordinates movements of an animal's hind legs and tail. Also, is it a good idea to let "Baby" follow Godzilla into the deep? This is just what Japan needs - another future Godzilla waiting in the wings.
I'm not letting my tendency to doze off at night prejudice me against GVMGII. It's the usual Toho monster-fighting insanity and illogic leavened by an awesome robotic Godzilla counterpart plus a bit of family care and devotion.
I stayed awake long enough to learn that the latest Mechagodzilla incarnation originated from a Japanese organization called G-Force (with a sleek United Nations-like logo) whose sole aim is to destroy Godzilla. It was certainly an impressive tower of steel - the Inspector Gadget of giant robots - with armaments and features guaranteed to bring the big lizard down. However, before the veteran foes meet, GVMGII begins with some scientists and explorers discovering two mammoth eggs on a desolate isle. One has already hatched into the colossal pteranodon Rodan (Radon in Japanese). Before Rodan can attack the human party, a radiation blast emerges from the ocean and nearly fries the flying reptile. Then Godzilla emerges and the two ancient enemies tussle. With this distraction, the scientists/explorers abscond with the other, unhatched egg and place it in a laboratory for analysis. It hatches, not into another Rodan, but inexplicably into a creepily cute miniature version of Godzilla, which imprints onto a female scientist, who takes to her mommy duties and calls the infant "Baby".
After that, I became sketchy on the details. I remember a bumbling pteranodon expert (with a pteranodon-shaped jet cycle) attempting to become a G-Force member. I remember learning that G-Force planned to paralyze Godzilla by shooting some type of electric harpoon into its "second brain" within its hips. I recall that in its first encounter, Mechagodzilla's atomic invulnerability, flight, and electrical powers have Godzilla on the ropes until the robot duplicate malfunctions and freezes and Godzilla just pushes it over. I recall Godzilla going down for the count from the electric harpoon until Rodan lies on top of him and scatters "monster pixie dust" to revive him. I remember G-Force using the frightened "Baby" as bait for - Godzilla and maybe Rodan, I guess. Finally, I remember "Baby" following foster father Godzilla into the ocean at the end.
After reading some of the GVMGII posts here, I learned that Rodan and Godzilla were fighting for "parental rights" for Baby. It seems confusing to me. Why would one egg hatch out Rodan, and the other a mini-Godzilla? Did Godzilla lay the second egg somehow? Also, it seems funny to me that Godzilla is impervious to just about every human weapon, including atomic, but can be pierced by a relatively simple harpoon like a whale. Also, for the record, no animal has a "second brain" in its hips. The "second brain" is actually known as a ganglion, which is a mass of nerves that coordinates movements of an animal's hind legs and tail. Also, is it a good idea to let "Baby" follow Godzilla into the deep? This is just what Japan needs - another future Godzilla waiting in the wings.
I'm not letting my tendency to doze off at night prejudice me against GVMGII. It's the usual Toho monster-fighting insanity and illogic leavened by an awesome robotic Godzilla counterpart plus a bit of family care and devotion.