Toho Kingdom

Godzilla vs. Biollante



Bio Wars rulez.

Discuss it! The 1989 sequel to The Return of Godzilla, and second entry in the Godzilla Heisei series. Bringing a new monster, changing from a rose to the ultra huge final form to battle Godzilla at Wakasa Bay.

Oh Man totally get the Japanese version if you can. It rules... Same for any Kaiju film... the Japanese versions are so much more superior to the Americanized ones.

I'll get back to this subject when I can. As this is my favorite side by side with G84

G7

This is a great film. Good story, great effects, fun music, and two badass monsters. The best of the Heisei series and one of the best of the series as a whole.

Legion1979 wrote:

HayesAJones wrote:and one of the best of the series as a whole.

I don't think I'd go that far. The funniest thing about this movie is that there was a time not too longer ago then this movie and G84 were at the lower end of the Heisei gene pool and movies like King Ghidora and Mechagodzilla were the unquestioned winners of that era. I wonder what happened.

Really? Huh... well, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla are entertaining, but flawed. This film is just a lot more solid.

Legion1979 wrote:
I don't think I'd go that far. The funniest thing about this movie is that there was a time not too longer ago then this movie and G84 were at the lower end of the Heisei gene pool and movies like King Ghidora and Mechagodzilla were the unquestioned winners of that era. I wonder what happened.

Huh? How is BIOLLANTE not one of the best of the series? I personally feel that GMK is the "best" Godzilla film we've gotten since BIOLLANTE, at least as a whole package. I just think the film excels in more areas than most. While in comparison, the 90's output at Toho was much more "ho hum", and the films come across as very formulaic..Toho "played it safe" with the 90's films (But who could blame them, after BIOLLANTE flopped).

The 90's films are fun, dumb movies that are enjoyable once in a blue moon..but BIOLLANTE, I feel, is something special. I guess the whole package doesn't do it for everyone (plot, characters, music), but it really did have the best SPX of the Heisei series, I don't think anybody can really deny that much. KING GHIDORAH and MECHAGODZILLA are enjoyable films, but BIOLLANTE I definitely feel to be the better of the three. That's just me though.

I don't think I'd go that far. The funniest thing about this movie is that there was a time not too longer ago then this movie and G84 were at the lower end of the Heisei gene pool and movies like King Ghidora and Mechagodzilla were the unquestioned winners of that era. I wonder what happened.

People realized they sucked. It's that simple. GvKG has horrid continuity issues and GvMG2 has pacing issues.

It is a solid entry for sure, and by far the best Godzilla film Kazuki Omori worked on. This film really set the framework for how the rest of the Heisei series would play out. The constant attempts by the military to destroy Godzilla with the newest technology, the relationship between Miki and Godzilla, and the kaiju origins that have some sort of tie to Godzilla himself. I will admit it's been a long time since I saw this one, so my memory's hazy but I still remember enjoying it. It's a very intelligent entry in the franchise, mixing biotechnology into Godzilla's world believably. The SPFX are totally fantastic and Kawakita's second best work, first of course being Sayonara Jupiter. He experimented plenty with this film by mixing CGI, traditional suitmation, puppetry and well-done animatronics. As evidenced by the deleted scenes, he even tried using cel animation and stop-motion, which showed his real commitment to experimentation. The suit design is totally fantastic, providing one of the most memorable incarnations of Godzilla ever. Finally, the music provides some solid pieces even though it packs some weak ones (e.g. the rock Godzilla theme).

However, the characters are pretty flawed in my opinion. Dr. Shiragami and Miki are the only two memorable members of the cast, and the latter is only because she shows up in every entry between this one and Destoroyah. The acting here is pretty dull, which is evident even in the dubbing (I've only seen the dubbed version fyi). All of the actors just look bored during the whole film. There's an extreme lack of intensity in the performances. Finally, the Super X-2 didn't provide much in the way of story and was just a repeat of what we already saw in Godzilla (1984) with the Super X. In the end, it just served as filler whenever Biollante wasn't onscreen.

Still, despite those complaints, it goes without saying that Biollante is still an enjoyable Godzilla film and was one of the last to truly try something different.

DaikaijuSokogeki! wrote:It is a solid entry for sure, and by far the best Godzilla film Kazuki Omori worked on. This film really set the framework for how the rest of the Heisei series would play out. The constant attempts by the military to destroy Godzilla with the newest technology, the relationship between Miki and Godzilla, and the kaiju origins that have some sort of tie to Godzilla himself. I will admit it's been a long time since I saw this one, so my memory's hazy but I still remember enjoying it. It's a very intelligent entry in the franchise, mixing biotechnology into Godzilla's world believably. The SPFX are totally fantastic and Kawakita's second best work, first of course being Sayonara Jupiter. He experimented plenty with this film by mixing CGI, traditional suitmation, puppetry and well-done animatronics. As evidenced by the deleted scenes, he even tried using cel animation and stop-motion, which showed his real commitment to experimentation. The suit design is totally fantastic, providing one of the most memorable incarnations of Godzilla ever. Finally, the music provides some solid pieces even though it packs some weak ones (e.g. the rock Godzilla theme).

However, the characters are pretty flawed in my opinion. Dr. Shiragami and Miki are the only two memorable members of the cast, and the latter is only because she shows up in every entry between this one and Destoroyah. The acting here is pretty dull, which is evident even in the dubbing (I've only seen the dubbed version fyi). All of the actors just look bored during the whole film. There's an extreme lack of intensity in the performances. Finally, the Super X-2 didn't provide much in the way of story and was just a repeat of what we already saw in Godzilla (1984) with the Super X. In the end, it just served as filler whenever Biollante wasn't onscreen.

Still, despite those complaints, it goes without saying that Biollante is still an enjoyable Godzilla film and was one of the last to truly try something different.

Hmm...I might be biased since Biollante was my favorite Godzilla movie as a child (nowadays, it's either second or third), but the flaws you listed don't compute for me. Along with Shiragamu and teenage Miki (imo, a far more neutral and less melodramatic character), you also had Gondo and Kuroki as memorable characters. Gondo was simply cynical and bad ass, whereas Kuroki was a revelation as 1) the first prominent military character the franchise had since the 60s and 2) the first one that wasn't absolutely sure of himself. The cat and mouse game between Godzilla and the military was, imo, one of the best aspects of the film. For the first time since the original, I cared whether the military could beat Godzilla. The oft-overlooked genetic tampering/disease warfare angle was genius, imo. As for the acting, it seemed on par for these types of films (I didn't get a boredom vibe at all) and Kirashima was a likeable enough hero (someone had to be the moral one, right?). I also like the pains that Omori took to show how everyone was connected to each other PRIOR to the monster attacks. The movie was plot driven, but every character had a role and something to do.

Second, the Super X2 was GREAT. The fire mirror was a long time coming---finally, humanity learns how to use Godzilla's powers against him. A huge improvement over the original Super X and it made for some great fight scenes. Didn't strike me as filler at all. Honestly, when Godzilla was clashing with the military, I forgot about Biollante for huge stretches of time. That's a credit to the film, not a knock to the monster.

Omori is no Honda (and who besides Honda ever was?), but this movie is how the series should've looked in 1989. Dark, gritty, almost Burton-esque. Pacing was tight and the cool scenes are too numerous to mention. Pretty easily my favorite kaiju movie of the last twenty five years and probably my favorite of the franchise since the original Mothra vs Godzilla.

I agree with DaikaijuSokogeki! in that I too find the human scenes to be pretty dull and that the acting goes all over the place. I also think that the story suffers from jamming too much into such a short running time. Godzilla vs. Biollante could've used GFW's time, to be honest.

But I also think that Toho should've continued in this direction with the Heisei series, instead of going the way they did in 1991 with Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (but that's for another thread).

Aside from the problem it has concerning the introducing of too many characters for it's own good, this is a good film. The SFX are good looking for the time they were produced in, and the plot is one of the more original endeavors in the series.

This is my second favorite Godzilla movie of all time.

I actually like all the characters in this movie, The Godzilla suit looked fantastic in this movie..Godzilla rising from a Volcano was a great scene along with when the children showed what they were dreaming of an they all showed pictures of Godzilla.

The battle was Super-X 2 was great, The First battle with Biollante was good, but nothing beats the Final battle.. The Visuals were Fantastic... Maybe it was the camera angles or whatever but Biollantes final form was brilliant an im not sure if that was a suit or what but if there was a guy in that suit, it was the best Suit Toho has ever made for a monster.

It's a real shame that after this movie, this era of films really started to decline in quality.. maybe Toho should let more fan's help right future Godzilla movies, if i recall the person that came up with this was a Dentist.

Over-all I just think this is a great movie, Oh let's not forget it had a great score an the darker atmosphere works really well for Godzilla films then the kid friendly movies i think.

A good entry to the series. We get one of the best G suits of the series, great music, like-able characters, a good and threatening foe to Godzilla, and a very entertaining plot. However, it drags on a little bit, but that's the only bad part. Oh yeah, and one more thing, Godzilla coming out the volcano, best entrance ever.

For years it used to be my favorite Heisei flick, but now I see it as overrated and at times messy. It's still better than any Godzilla film from 1991 to 1999. And obviously the Rebirth of Mothra series...

Also, why was the score edited from longer suites and oposed to the cue-by-cue method the other films have?

Besides of it's possible faults, like it has already been said, this movie was very experimental and creative... maybe the flop at the box office was because it came five years after the previous one... but I think this is the way the movies should have been done, instead of one per year...

My archived review (from when I was requesting threads such as these):

The Big G survived...somehow, and now he's fighting the plant from The Little Shop of Horrors. Still riding on the more realistic feel of its predecessor, it can be taken seriously enough, and the effects are also quite good. The subplots are often entertaining in a cheesy 80's action movie sort of way, but the introduction of the psychics is, for me, the first major misstep of the second Godzilla series. Even so, it's a fun ride, and that's what really counts.

I don't understand why it was a box office flop. This is my third-favorite Godzilla movie, because it is very unique in style and execution. Also, I love how it involved fans who participated in the contest for the movie's plot. Sadly, it'll probably never be done again.

Is it just me or why is it that this movie is the hardest movie to find of the Hesei films. It is not available in a Region 1 DVD, not online anymore, and it is the only Godzilla movie I have never watched.

My understanding is that Godzilla vs Biollante wasn't a flop, just not the runaway hit Toho wanted.

It's hard to find because it's only U.S. release was directly to cable and VHS in the early 90s. Sony doesn't distribute it. Your best bet to try tracking down a VHS copy.

My favorite film... period. It has its problems, plot holes and other things. However, there is something about the movie that just clicks with me and I find it such a joy to watch. Its popcorn entertainment, no where near as complex or deep as my other favorites like Seven Samurai, but somehow it doesn't matter. In terms of special effects, I still feel this is probably one of the best from a special effects stand point while I love the action.

Legion1979 wrote:I don't think I'd go that far. The funniest thing about this movie is that there was a time not too longer ago then this movie and G84 were at the lower end of the Heisei gene pool and movies like King Ghidora and Mechagodzilla were the unquestioned winners of that era. I wonder what happened.

How long is "not too long ago"? I do recall when King Ghidorah was considered near the top, but I would say it was longer ago than that. To be more precise, before 1998 I would say King Ghidorah, Mechagodzilla II and Destoroyah were all very well heralded films. Then they were released in the States, and a new group of fans were exposed to these long "exclusive" films. Eventually, the newness wore off, and the previous "exclusive lime light" faded as well. I'm not saying they don't have their fans, and don't deserve their fans... but its easy to see why at some point in time they might have been heralded more than they were today.

Good movie I like how they put Biollante in the movie and gotta love the Godzilla suit and his roar. But I have to agree the movie is hard to find for a good price and in good condition with the cover and it's only on VHS for Region 1 for other places on DVD so for us in America here unknown when we'll get it on DVD which is sad