Godzilla Raids Again (1955) - Moviechat

Godzilla Raids Again is the second movie featuring the title monster, after Gojira the previous year. In this movie the stakes are just as high for the people of Japan, only there's an added twist with the presence of a second monster. As you can see from the Japanese movie poster above, the two monsters engage in fiery combat amidst a bustling Japanese city, establishing the basic format that many later features would utilize.

The plot in this movie revolves around the life of a cannery company. Part of their operation depends on the use of aircraft to look for schools of fish and check on the status of their fishing boats. It's during one of these routine overflights that one of the pilots, Kobayashi, has trouble and is forced to land near a small island. The other pilot, named Tsukioka, lands to rescue him, and that's when things get in motion: The duo is witness to a battle between Godzilla and another monster, whom we later learn is named Anguirus.

The monsters battle each other and fall into the sea. From there much of the plot concerns finding the monsters - and then once they're found stopping them. The two monsters of course, rampage through a Japanese city, Osaka this time, with disastrous consequences for the town. After that battle, Japan searches for Godzilla and confronts him again in what they can only hope will be a definitive final confrontation.

Whereas before our protagonist was caught in a love triangle, this time the relationships are more straightforward. Both Tsukioka and Kobayashi have their own love interests, and both sets of lovers interact in their way. Kobayashi seems less serious of a person than Tsukioka and that is reflected in the way they interact with those around them. The whole cast of characters in this film seem more fleshed out than in the first Godzilla movie, giving the film added personal stakes that were missing from the grand spectacle of horror in the original Godzilla.

Returning from the first film is Takashi Shimura reprising his role as Dr. Yamane. It's from a meeting with him we learn about the Anguirus monster. We also learn that this is a second Godzilla, another member of the species, and not the original monster somehow resurrected from its final fate.

There is one deviation in the middle of the film to a plotline with some convicts being transported out the monster battle. If this sounds like it's out of nowhere, it's because it is. It feels a little odd. But the result of that brief side-story is quite explosive so I can understand why it's included.

The effect work in this film is good for its time up until the final battle, where the shots of airplanes and the effect of their attack starts to drag. The monster fight, filmed as it is in black and white, packs a brutal punch that is lacking from subsequent Godzilla films. There's nothing cartoonish about it, it's a serious battle between behemoths.

Overall Godzilla Raids Again is a more personable film than the original. The stakes feel consequently smaller, even though the amount of devastation inflicting on Osaka is comparable to Tokyo in the first film. With a runtime of under 90 minutes, the movie is smart enough not to overstay its welcome.

I rate this film 8 Godzillas.