I, Hairzilla, being of giant monster obsessed mind, am about to venture forth to my local "Blockbuster" to rent the American release of YONGGARY... Which, for some bizzare reason, has been retitled REPTILIAN. [And if that isn't a sign of a true "B" flick I don't know what is. GIGANTIS anyone?] I'll let you guys know how it was!....If any of you feel a great disturbance in the Force, it'll probably be coming from me!
And how about that Amerizilla 'inspired' cover art.
already saw this, thanks to an...uhm...unethical trader....
Fun movie, but really really bad....
The main problem I had with it were that both monsters were so dull in color you couldn't make heads or tail out of what they were doing...
Read the Stompers review....looks interesting, but not something i yet inclined to spend hard earned shillings on. Let us know if ya' keep your lunch down...that an important part of reviewing Ebert hasen't reconised yet.
Ok, well... Firstly, the best thing to come of my experience viewing YONGGARY/REPTILIAN is the fact that I still have enough functioning braincells left to allow for understandable communication. [And yes, I made sure that my stomach was sufficiently empty before watching it, thank you very much Flange'.] When I rented it I was psyched to either really like it or really hate it, but my actual feeling ended up being somewhere in the middle.
My initial impression was that the Korean studio behind it put some real effort into making "REPTILIAN" a worthwhile "giant monster" movie, and that the overall goodness or badness of this particular flick depended largely on what you were looking for. If it's a film that incorporates practically every major element necessary to elevate it [Or would that be "to lower it"?] to true "B movie" status that you're after, than I'd say this one is for you! It truly has it ALL [Execpt for a "love interest" subplot, thank God!]....giant, unrealistic monsters, goofy aliens, political sneakiness, mysterious prophecies, and crazy people! Oh yeah, and lots of explosions.
However, my second impression [which developed almost immediately] was that the "plot" had holes in it large enough for a certain Americanized mutant lizard to walk through, and that it sunk even further into being downright boring in spots. And this, according to Andrew, is the worst thing that can happen in a "B" movie. The reviews for YONGGARY...ah...I mean, "REPTILIAN"...that I'd read [all three of them] had already given me plently of advanced warning about the acting talents of the all American cast of no-names, but not even that could adequately prepare me for the actual experience. Think of any given Godzilla movie which featured scenes of mainly American actors [With the exception of the original film, that was done quite well.], now think of an entire movie like that. Cringe....it tingles me....MUFASA! MUFASA! MUFASA!
As for the monsters themselves....C'mon, you knew that there would have to be a second one for Yonggary to fight, didn't you?....the cgi quality is still obviously inferior to what American audiences have come to expect and, as pointed out by MMV3000, "both monsters were so dull in color you couldn't make heads or tail out of what they were doing..." However, to their credit, I thought that Cyker was one of the most uniquely designed creatures I've ever seen in a "giant monster" movie, and that it was easily as cool as any that appeared in the short lived animated Delvin/Emerich Godzilla series!
For pure laugh value "REPTILIAN" is filled with what I'd bet are unintentionally funny bits! My two faves were how the aliens' heads would bobble around insanely when they spoke, and how every....single....person pronounced Yonggary's name, [Yep, despite the title change, the monster is still called by it's rightful name in the movie.] with the emphisis on "gary". So it always sounded like "Yon GARY". BEHOLD! YON GARY APPROACHES! It's a good thing that I've since lost touch with an old friend from high school named Gary. I probably wouldn't be able to keep from snickering at this point, and he would've had a new nickname! Oh yeah, and the fact that the exact location were most of the "action" takes place is NEVER specified is pretty funny in itself! It is simply "the city"!
The most annoying aspect of Yonggary itself is the fact that it's obviously a rip-off of both Godzilla [Japan's and ours! A double whammie!] AND Gamera, a rip-off that extends right to the poster artwork, as fellow 'zillian Chad' noted! Rather than try to put examples together for this I'll just say that, if you check out the film, it will be readily apparent why. Additionally, the "plot" so closely resembles that of GODZILLA 2000 I'd be curious to know which one actually went into production first.
However, all pros and cons aside, you've gotta admire a movie that immediately tries to get in the face of the most famous reindeer....er, I mean monster of all with a bit of dialoge that went something like: "This thing makes Godzilla look like a #ussy!" That kind of attitude is easily up there in respectability with KISS calling themselves "the hottest band in the land"!
Ok, I started out talking about YONGGARY/REPTILIAN and ended with a comment about KISS...how the heck did that happen?
Yon Hairzilla needs to quit
staring at the screen and go
to have lunch.
giant, unrealistic monsters, goofy aliens, political sneakiness, mysterious prophecies, and crazy people! Oh yeah, and lots of explosions
THAT sounds good.
"yonGARY doth approach!' - Kaiju goes Shakespeare :-)
"Prithee,sir, what yon fell beast doth approach, with thunderous tred?"--"Flee, good sir knight, for it is YonGary!"--"Aye, i doth ask of Yon beast that doth walk about on the dire moor,hath it a name?"--It is YonGary!"--"Yon...Gary? Is it not a common name for such a fell beast!"--"Nay, sir knight, i say agine, it is YonGary!"--"Indeed...i doth have a cousine in Brittany by name of Gary. a good lad, with excelant refrences..."--- "Sir knight, YonGary approaches, i flee, and leave thee to thy fate. May God be with theeeeeeeeee!"---"Hummm. YonGary. An odd name for such a monster. No matter...YONGARY,Tis I, Sir Lancelot. HAVE AT YOU!"
LOL, Flangepart. Your post is better than the movie could ever be.
"YONder is the castle of my fadda" - so spaketh Sir Anthony of Curtis. Doth thy cousin dwelleth in the vicinity of Swamp Castle perchance, Sire Flangeth? LMAOOL! - thou art bedlam personified.
If Delvin and Emerich had decided to produce YONGGARY instead of GODZILLA, we probably would've heard lines like this:
Mr. Kayman: "Yon Gary. That's what the Japanese called him in song and legend....But who is this Yon Gary, and why is he here?"
Audrey: "...and it's YONGgary, you moron!"
Nick: "It's Tatopolis sir." [Some things never change.]
Believe me, Gerry, it is! And, in true Shakspearian form, this movie could definitely be called "a tragedy".
Hark, what light thru Yon Gary's bones doth break, it is the beam!