Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999)

Iconic monster movie, hijacked by teen horror film.

Gamera vs Teen Mass Murderer. Just like watching angsty high school mean kids bully a giant turtle, because who cares if someone else dies during revenge. And besides, no one died really on the path to stupidity, did they. it was all the monster's fault, my feelings needed those deaths for validation.

That lack of empathy, and humanity in teen horror movies - Is the power that drives the violence in them forward, and so does it here. Whether, you use a monster, or make yourself into one. All those people died horribly, because the world owes a teenager something. But, this wasn't suppose to be a teen slasher film.

I can compare it to watching an arc in an anime, that you know doesn't belong. Then you find out it was written by producers, because the manga is on going, and they've run out of issues. So, they made something up. Gamera is suppose to be fun, and with humanity. This, had neither.

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When heaven and Earth are opposed, the result is destruction

Gamera: The Revenge of Iris is a good old fashioned monster mash with real stakes and believable monsters. I realize the ridiculousness of that statement when talking about a giant tusked turtle. This film is easily the best of the Gamera films I've watched. No annoying 8-year-old, just amazing Kaiju and realistic fights and consequences.

The story was complex and at times convoluted. G3 brought back a few characters from the first two of this trilogy, added some teens, a scientist, a priestess, a nihilistic dude, and the requisite small minded bureaucrats and military. Because of the collateral damage caused by Gamera in the beginning of this film and the two previous films, the government has determined he's simply too destructive to let live. Bad timing as the Gyaoses have started popping up all over the world. Even worse a nemesis in a cave is about to hatch and feed on a teenage girl's hatred of Gamera and need for revenge. She names the nemesis Iris after her dearly departed cat. Gamera save us from a vengeful teenage girl!

There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo about Gamera being created to hold Mana, the life energy of the earth and his nemesis being the opposite, a real destroyer. I appreciate the writer's desire to give us some meaning behind the monsters, but honestly, I never did quite grasp all of the talk about their version of The Force. Philosophically, the movie touched on things like is the enemy of my enemy really my friend or a necessary evil? Is Gamera a good guy if his protection costs tens of thousands to lose their lives? And does the cost seem acceptable as long as it's not your loved ones and home destroyed?

More than almost any Kaiju movie since Godzilla 1954 the humans were truly important and integral to the story, in fact the nemesis Iris, would not have been as threatening without Ayana the teenage girl's hatred to feed upon. The acting while not award worthy was enough to draw you into the story and give emotional heft to the actions being played across the screen.

Iris was a lovely, menacing terror to behold, it would make almost any Kaiju envious at the care taken in creating it. Gamera, well, Gamera will always be a giant turtle with tusks that can shoot flames. The fights were immediate, brutal, and up close. The scenes of the humans trapped in a giant building as the two went mano y tentacles was spectacular. The perspective and size of the monsters with the tiny humans below gave real suspense to the scenes. No cardboard buildings destroyed in this film, there was a lot of detail in the buildings crushed during the giants' fights. There were problems with a few scenes during the fights but overall the CGI and miniature work were excellent especially for a pre-2000 movie.

Gamera 3 gave us more compelling humans and stories while not sacrificing what people came to see: visually stunning monster spectacles across the cities and skies. Unlike earlier Gamera movies this one was dark and aimed more at adults. Even with the darker mood, G3 was a fun fast paced ride




7/21/22

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