James' review of REIGO THE DEEP SEA MONSTER (w. RAIGA)

 

Hey, Godzilla nerds. I'm back to discuss a kaiju movie that is NOT a Godzilla film, but its still Japanese made. This movie is REIGO: THE DEEP SEA MONSTER, and you wanna know what makes it very special?

As you know, kaiju movies like Godzilla or Rodan became known in the years after the conclusion of World War II, and monster flicks like these are usually set after the war. However, Reigo takes place DURING World War II IN THE PACIFIC THEATER. That's right, the crew of a Japanese battleship during the war battles a sea monster. Oh, and get this, the battleship is the YAMATO, which was actually a real ship.

Excluding the opening of GODZILLA MINUS ONE, this is the first Japanese-made monster movie that takes place during the events of the infamous real-life conflict that led to the nuclear age which led to Godzilla's creation in the first place, and the plot is pretty interesting. At one point, while the ship's crew are fighting against Reigo, they team up with an American whose ship was destroyed by the monster.

So, what are my thoughts on this, uh, blockbuster?

Well, REIGO is fun, when you can look past the odd CGI effects that appear in this film. It was hard to look at the CGI in the movie without getting the vibe that you're looking at video game graphics, and this is one monster movie that is not going to age well despite being a fun kaiju-related outing. When you get past the poorly aged CGI, and some questionable moments, REIGO: THE DEEP SEA MONSTER is worth your time if you want to watch it... or rewatch it if you've seen it like I have. Not much to say about the acting, even though it was funny that the American character spoke Japanese, and there was a tiny bit of English from the ship's crew member who talked to him.

9.8/10. The studio did its best. And by the way, REIGO got a freaking sequel three years later, in the form of DEEP SEA MONSTER RAIGA.

The film is set decades after the war, and I am going to be honest, this one was weird as heck. No spoilers for those who haven't seen it, and they actually made a third movie. GOD RAIGA VS. KING OHGA, which came out over five years ago as of this writing. My parents and I should see that down the line.

See you next time, folks.