Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

[メカゴジラの逆襲]

Director: Ishiro Honda
Starring: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Tomoko Ai, Akikiko Hirata

Synopsis:
A mad scientist embittered against humanity collaborates with the Simians as they work to reconstruct Mechagodzilla.

Impressions:
It's the last film of the Showa Era, the original director is back (mainly because the director of the previous film didn't want to return), so we're going out on a high note, right? Right? Similar to the previous film, we have an overstuffed story that could've stood to be streamlined a bit. Professor Mafune's control of Titanosaurus only loosely relates to the reconstruction of Mechagodzilla. It would've been better to focus on one or the other, and since Titanosaurus is fairly lame, I'd rather see more emphasis on Mechagodzilla, but I suppose we need something to occupy Godzilla until Mechagodzilla is up and running rather than doing a two-round fight like the last film. Also, there would be more more continuity if some of the characters from the previous film returned, but so it goes. As mentioned before, the Titanosaurus is rather lame, both in terms of appearance and its action scenes aren't great. The plot with Ichinose and Katsura is kinda interesting but a little underbaked. While not an awful film, this is a fairly weak note to close out an era. Unless you're a completionist, I can't give it much of a recommendation. Take it or leave it.

Rating:
50/50