Yes! Hands down this is one of the best daikaiju movies ever. Yeah, it's a bit too much of a melodrama sometimes, but who cares. This is THE first ever daikaiju movie to appear in glorious color!
The film begins when a small mining community is menaced by an army of rhino-sized insects called meganeurans. In an attempt to rescue people from deep within the bug-infested mine shaft, a lone miner is lost and presumed dead. Then, as soon as it began, the meganeuran terror ends mysteriously. But before anyone can celebrate, mysterious aireal incidents and deaths lead people to realize that a giant flying monster exists. Later, the miner who was believed to be dead is rescued and remembers he saw a pteranodon hatch in the mine and eat the Meganeurans. The beast is dubbed "Rodan", but then another is discovered. There are two Rodans! Finally, after many cities have been destroyed, the Rodans both succumb to the burning lava of an erupting volcano. The end.
Okey, despite the fact that the military's missile attack in the film's finale goes on for about 15 minutes longer than it needs to, I really liked this film a lot. I remember when I was like five years old and saw this movie for the first time. I remember complaining to my parents, "Where's Rodan?" for the first thirty minutes of it, this movie doesn't even mention the possibility of the great bird existing. Where was the creature who had helped Godzilla defeat Ghidora? Where?
Luckily the movie more than makes up for a somewhat uneventful opening by surprising us with two Rodans! I remember how speechless I was. Now when I watch the movie I can enjoy the tense beginning better. It really is very suspensful when the small bands of miners are searching for their companions in the coal mines.
Another good aspect of this movie is the monster's design. No wait, the meganeurans look pretty stupid, but I wasn't talking about them. The first design of Rodan is, in my opinion, the best. The design for his buddy-ups with Godzilla looked too much like a turkey and the design that fought Mechagodzilla looked too much like a pteranodon. The monster in the first movie was menacing, cool, and sleek. The eyes aren't too big and the beak isn't too long.
This is a good movie. It has good acting, a very serious and dark story, and good special effects (for its time). Rodan may not be my favorite daikaiju, and he may not be a well-known as Mothra or Godzilla, but his first outing in a movie is more than worth a look. Rodan would be a proud addition to anyone's daikaiju video collection. Sayonara for now! Back to my reviews section!
He's da' king!
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