Film Review: Mothra vs Godzilla (Mosura Tai Gojira)

Of all the monsters that have come along to challenge Godzilla, Mothra has got to be one of the most memorable and popular of the lot. After its debut in 1961, the massive lepidopteran has appeared and reappeared all over the place across seventeen films, including its own series (the god-awful Rebirth of Mothra films). It's a pretty cheesy thing, but there is something endearing about the giant fluffy moth and its itsy bitsy fairy counterparts. Pitted against the original King of the Monsters, this film represents one of the most original and most epic kaiju clashes.

The film moves along briskly, wasting little time to resurrect Godzilla and have him stomping on some buildings. The entire last half of the film is pretty much all mass destruction, with plenty of buildings and towns getting whacked by the giant lizard's tail and crunched under its feet. When Mothra and its kin show up, things get serious. Events leading up to the climactic battle cover just enough ground to set things up, but hardly ever drags.

The plot has been done before (and is repeated in later films), but in this film, there's enough to the story to keep it interesting. Characters have their standout moments, but are mostly flat, and are pretty much forgotten by the final act. The story has some interesting conflicts running through it; aside from the monster-vs-monster action, the film focuses a lot on corporate greed. Combined with the threat of nuclear supremacy (represented by Godzilla) and the sanctity of mother nature (protected by Mothra), the film underscores some key themes concerning unity and trust in the aftermath of the atomic age.

This film boasts some really nice and colorful photography. Editing is decent, with a few flashy transitions. Acting and writing are pretty decent. This production shows its age pretty badly with the model work and fake-looking monsters, but most other sets, props, and costumes are really nice. Some of the matte paintings and composites are pretty decent too. Music is good.

Mothra will reappear over and over again, but the formula won't vary much: the weird tiny fairy people will sing, the giant moth appears, flaps its wings to create a massive wind, it drags Godzilla around by the tail, then sheds some yellow stuff all over the place. It's a bit silly, but I can't help but to adore the gargantuan insect, and it's still pretty cool to see it in action in this old-school monster flick. If you like either monster, this film is certainly worth seeing, and it remains a solid and perennial addition to the series.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)

Note: When this film was released in 1964, it was released in North America under the title of Godzilla vs The Thing.