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 • Japan • 1993 • 108m •    • Directed by: Takao Okawara. • Starring: Masahiro Takashima, Ryoko Sano, Megumi Odaka, Yûsuke Kawazu, Daijirô Harada, Akira Nakao, Kôichi Ueda, Kenji Sahara, Leo Meneghetti, Andy Smith, Shelley Sweeney, Shinobu Nakayama, Tadao Takashima. • Music by: Akira Ifukube.      In response to Japan's request for a countermeasure against Godzilla, UN engineers construct Mechagodzilla, a giant robotic version of Godzilla. Nonetheless, Godzilla proves himself a force to be reckoned with against this monstrosity and battle ensues.
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In 1992, immediately following the events of the horrendous time traveling adventure that was "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" (1991), the United Nations brings together the United States, Japan, and Russia to use the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah to construct the ultimate in anti-Godzilla weaponry. Two years later, they come up with the cyborg-monster Mechagodzilla.
Now if you remember, kiddies, the last time Mechagodzilla appeared in a "Godzilla" film, was 1975's "Terror of Mechagodzilla" (direct sequel to 1974's "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla") and there it was the Big Guy's primary antagonist - constructed by evil ape-like aliens intent on planetary conquest. This U.N.-backed mechanical doppelganger, however, is on the side of good, and is more than powerful to take on two monsters at the same time if need be. Admittedly, when comparing the two monsters to each other, this newer Mechagodzilla is considerably less powerful than its malevolent Showa-Era counterpart, yet this monster is still able to succeed in almost sending the Big Guy to his maker on at least one occasion in this film.
Meanwhile, on a small Pacific island, a band of Japanese and Russian explorers have discovered the remains of a prehistoric dinosaur nest and two eggs. One has already hatched, bringing to life the flying monster Pteranodon Rodan. Naturally, Rodan thinks that this other egg is his brother and he is determined to protect it all costs, when Godzilla shows up and also lays down claim to the egg. The explorers manage to get out of dodge with the prehistoric booty, while leaving Godzilla and Rodan to duke it out.
Back at their headquarters, the researchers led by Azusa Gojo (Ryoko Sano) try to crack this mystery open but before they can, out springs the cutest little baby Godzillasaur you could ever lay your eyes on. The baby monster, affectionately named "Baby" by Azusa and the others including her bumbling would-be boyfriend Kazuma Aoki (Masahiro Takashima) and psychic Miki Saegusa (beautiful Heisei series regular Megumi Odaka), comes to think of Azusa at its mother because she was the first thing the newborn Godzillasaur had laid its eyes upon its birth. Pretty soon, though, Godzilla comes looking for his child, and is more than willing to lay waste to all of Tokyo if that's what it takes for him to get what he wants. And soon the anti-Godzilla forces are out in full swing with Mechagodzilla (and Aoki's previous invention, the flying warship Garuda, which can combine with the cyborg to become Super-Mechagodzilla) ready to take on both Godzilla and a newly powered-up Fire Rodan (which now has many of the same powers as Godzilla including a heat ray).
"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is a strange title for this movie since it is not technically a sequel to any of the films ("Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" and "Terror of Mechagodzilla," remember) produced during the Showa Era. It is instead, a follow-up to the previous film, "Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth" (1992). While I maintain that "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989) remains the towering achievement of the second-generation Heisei-Era films, "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is definitely one of the better films to come out during this time, and with good reason.
What makes this film so special, I think, is that it injects some much-needed "cuteness" into the kaiju-style proceedings, which is something that hasn't been done in a while. That cuteness, however, does not descend into needless kiddie territory (like the later Showa-Era films did, with Baby's ridiculous predecessor Minilla). "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" maintains its deadly serious a-kicking attitude, while still leaving a little bit of room for you to go, "Awww" at Baby. Because that is what Baby Godzilla gets out of you, even for those film critics who may not have been issued hearts at birth. And the film's ending still pulls at your heartstrings because Baby has become attached to his surrogate mother Azusa Gojo, and vice-versa, but they both know where he ultimately belongs - with his father - which will be good for both him and the rest of humanity as a whole.
"Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is perhaps the most touching "Godzilla" creature feature to come out in a long while. It's not perfect, but it's special because it's able to maintain a strong sense of parental sentimentality without becoming the stuff of idiotic kids' fanfare; this is still strictly territory for adults. It also provides some stellar kaiju battles between two warring parental figures - Godzilla and Rodan - and the violent intervention of a third monster, Godzilla's cyborg doppelganger, Mechagodzilla. Master cinematic composer Akira Ifukube's score accentuates the hardcore monster-mash action, and is appropriately hard-hitting and tender and bittersweet at all the right moments.
Oh, and in the words of Maury Povich himself, "In the case of Baby Godzilla, Godzilla, you ARE the father!" {Loud audience applause}.
Review by dee.reid from the Internet Movie Database.
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