Gamera 2: Attack of the Legion 4K 1996

I first watched "Gamera" (both the first and second films) a very long time ago; back then, it appealed to me solely because it featured giant monsters smashing the structures of human civilization to pieces. But just recently, I wanted to refresh my memory of the past, so I rewatched “The Attack of the Space Legion,” which I absolutely loved as a child. I assumed beforehand that I would likely be disappointed, since I was about to watch a children’s movie as an adult, but I was wrong. Very wrong.

One could compare the nightmare that has befallen Japan here—the attack by monstrous space creatures—to the disasters this country has had to endure throughout its history, and here one might recall the recent tsunami and the earthquake that plunged the Fukushima plant into darkness. And the resilience the Japanese display in this film—responding to the most unimaginable events without unnecessary chatter or panic, and organizing themselves with precision—can be compared to the unbreakable spirit they demonstrated in dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophe that claimed thousands of lives. Like samurai, the Japanese are ready to do anything to save their country, yet they don’t lose their heads. They know when to attack and when to retreat. And the giant super-turtle named Gamera no longer appears here merely as a mythical monster, but as a symbol of hope and faith in salvation and the future. The filmmakers succeeded in creating not just “another monster movie,” but a film about a creature you come to see as a character without whom the entire film would not exist.

And while the second installment is made in the same vein as the first, it is far more emotional and ideologically interesting. Here, the themes of saving the world take on not only a visual but also an intellectual character. The plot hints at the need for humanity to rethink its attitude toward nature, because otherwise, if we continue to destroy our planet, Gamera will take matters into her own hands—and it’s better to be friends with her than to make her an enemy. It’s nice that the plot is logical and truly serves as a good continuation of the first part, and it’s especially good that they preserved the connection between Gamera and the girl who (in the first part) came into possession of a mysterious artifact possessing magical power.

And it’s doubly pleasing that the film is well-edited, not dragged out, and has an excellent sense of atmosphere. And thanks to the great soundtrack, it sometimes gives you goosebumps. And those who criticize the film for its special effects are wrong, because there are plenty of very well-done scenes here, and the final battle between Gamera and the Queen of the Legion is simply a sight to behold! And the filmmakers don’t overuse CGI—the more natural, the better, of course. All in all, the second “Gamera” is a remarkable film in its own right. It’s cohesive, tightly woven, and not boring at all. And you just want to believe in this fairy tale. Thank you, Gamera, for saving the world!