Official Gamera 2006 Thread (may contain spoilers)

[kiryugoji04]

Blah, blah, blah. Different movies and I love both for different reasons.

That suit looks a lot better in the film though... the arms and legs look so weird there.

[Legion]

Comparing the 1999 Gamera suit to the 2006 one isn't really fair. That would be like comparing the GMK Godizlla suit to the 1973 version. Two different suits going for two different looks in two very different types of movies.

I'll always prefer the Showa Gamera though.

[king_ghidorah]

[TitanoGoji16]

Well, I just saw this today. While it's no Gamera 3, it isn't trying to be, and I really enjoyed it. It's the first kid's movie I've seen in ages that didn't treat kids like A.D.D.-riddled buffoons, plus it wasn't half-bad as a kaiju movie, either.

- The score wasn't anything special (it pales in comparison to Ko Otani), but the special effects were great, pretty much the same level as Gamera 3. There wasn't one bad effect shot in the whole movie.

- As the only thing I didn't like about this movie, I'm just going to get this over with: I HATE Gamera's new roar. What's that all about? Replacing Gamera's famous high-pitched screech with that stock, Truck-from-Duel roar (occasionally mixed in with the respective stock roars used for Obsidius and the Giant Bat from Godzilla: The Series) is really unacceptable. Especially considering that Toto is still a child by the end of the movie, and he sounds far more ferocious than Gamera ever has. Did this have anything to do with going from Daiei to Kadokawa?

- Gamera battling the Gyaos flock in '73: A cool scene, and I really like this design for Gamera. It's a shame we only get to see it so briefly, I'd like to see a whole movie with it. Also, geez, Gyaos again. However, while Gyaos is the Mothra/Ghidorah/Mechagodzilla of the Gamera series (used too often), it's only a short flashback to show us Gamera's sacrifice, and I'd glad they used Gyaos for it instead of wasting a monster like Barugon or Guiron, or even a new beast, on such a brief scene.

- The kids in this movie... were a nice surprise. They acted like normal children, weren't annoying, and were overall nice characters. Thank you, Gamera the Brave. Also, props go to the dubbers for making the kids sound like actual kids and not 40-year-olds trying to sound like kids.

- The scenes between Toru and Toto as he befriended and raised Toto were not overly cutesy and were actually quite nice. They made me "Aww" quite a few times.

- Toto reacting to the butcher knife with a fireball - a Guiron nod?

- The scene where Zedus devours the shipwreck survivor from below, staining the sea with blood... Darn. Rather Jaws-esque. I mean, yeah, it's not like it's the goriest scene ever, but still. Wasn't expecting that.

- Finally, Zedus has shown up! I must admit, he looks rather cool and HOLY CRAP DID HE JUST START CHOMPING DOWN ON THE FLEEING POPULACE?!

- I must say, I'm rather quickly becoming a Zedus fan. He proves that villain kaiju nowadays can still be badass without being some freaky, outlandish monstrosity like Keizer Ghidorah, SpaceGodzilla or Legion. He harkens back to the Showa glory days of kaiju like Anguirus, Gorosaurus and Baragon. Also, I rather like that he doesn't have some big, convoluted backstory like "prophesied ancient beast" or "evil space alien" or "genetically created in a lab," and is instead just "wacky random sea monster #4,612." Also, his tongue-spear attack is awesome.

- "Zeetiss?" That's not how I was expecting to pronounce that name at all.

- Oh no, the evil government has captured Toto, and now they're going to experiment on--- oh, wait. They just want to help him achieve his full power so he can stand a chance against Zedus. Well, I must say, that's a nice change of pace. Admittedly, the idea doesn't really go anywhere (They want to help get Toto to full power... because...? Presumably they want to use him to their own ends, but it's never said), but it's nice to finally see the military recognize the good guy in a modern kaiju movie.

- Zedus looks kinda weird with his frill open. It looks awkward, almost.

- Damn, is Zedus agile. Doing summersaults off of rooftops, climbing buildings, leaping from skyscraper to skyscraper... Awesome. Plus he kicks! When was the last time a monster kicked its opponent in a kaiju fight?

- Geez, for a kid's movie, Toto sure is getting skewered left and right in this fight.

- You know, the "children running to get the red stone to Toto" scene could have come off as really stupid, but somehow, it works. It's a nice way to get the "Friend to all children" aspect of Gamera across.

- The way Toto kills Zedus reminds me of the finishing blow to Gyaos from Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.

- The kids standing between Toto and the military, throwing their hands out to protect him... It brings Godzilla: Final Wars to mind, but it's done much better here.

- "Goodbye... Gamera." Aww.

So, yes, two thumbs up for Gamera the Brave. Now that I've seen it, I'm rather sad it didn't get a sequel. I would've loved to see Toto take on another beast (which hopefully wouldn't have been Gyaos again).

[kent]

[Cookie]

I really liked the film as well. It's a shame its box office performance was nasty... thus eliminating the chance for a sequel.

[king_ghidorah]

I would like a sequel as well...I am sure someday Godzilla will return..Gamera is a little more ify with me...guess that's another reason to hope that the next Godzilla film is a success...if it's good, perhaps they will green light another Gamera movie.

[Gojiraknight]

Good flick, though I'll be in the minority and say the kid(s) got a little annoying after a while. After 20+ minutes of everyone whining about Toto you eventually jusy want to yell at the screen saying "We got it already! Now let's see Gamera come in and whip some ass!"

Also, that roar, why? Really. That was borderline heartbreaking.

[Cookie]