Synopsis:

Mothra/Mosura is a giant moth,… glad that's out of the way! She was introduced in the 50's by Toho studios in her own feature entitled "Mothra". After that she fought Godzilla in Godzilla Vs. Mothra in the 60's and then was resurrected to fight him again in the remake Godzilla Vs. Mothra: The Battle For Earth in the 90's. Recognizing the attraction fans had for the Moth, Toho decided to release a series of films featuring Mothra as the defender of the galaxy once more. Only now, she wouldn't face Godzilla. Her enemies would be King Ghidora/Death Ghidora Dagarla and Super King Ghidora in the series finale Mothra III, not yet released on DVD. ColumbiaTristar released the first two features on disc and this review is for those two films.

REBIRTH OF MOTHRA

These films are fairly simple in both story line and execution. The first film goes like this… A mining expedition unearths DeathGhidora's resting place and Moll and Lara summon Mothra from Infant Island in an attempt to keep the monster either imprisoned or to destroy him utterly. Death Ghidora feeds off of everything good (nature) and leaves only desolation and destruction in its wake. Their sister Bellavera is intent however on releasing Death Ghidora for her own personal pleasure, believing that she can control him and bend him to her will. With the Help of children, Mothra will do battle with Death Ghidora and it's outcome will decide the fate of the Earth.

REBIRTH OF MOTHRA II

After vanquishing Death Ghidora, another plague threatens mankind. Dagarla is a garbage monster that feeds on pollution and in return pollutes the Earth's Oceans so that he can exist. Again, Mothra is called upon to defend the Earth from the death dealing Dagarla. Along the way, Children along with Fairy (mini mothra) Moll and Lara stumble across an ancient Ocean city that defends the waters against the slimy influence of Dagarla. Once again, Mothra steps up to the plate to protect the Earth from the ravages of another nature destroying monster. Will she win or will she lose? Mothra II is a feast for both the eyes and ears.

Audio/Video:

The audio is presented in a loud but empty stereo platform. Gone are the surround effects that would enhance the visuals and in it's place is an audio presentation that pales in the light of what it could be. The sound comes from the fronts and center but everything else is dormant. Easy to listen to but lacking severely in the audio segment. Visually, the film is startling in it's widescreen contrast. The anamorphic transfer is beautiful and this is easily the best transfer these films have ever seen. There were no scratches or flecks or other transfer errors noted in the presentation of either film. The colors were rich and full and in the case of Mothra, extremely vibrant and attractive to the eye. The only problem I have with the feature is on the second entry. In Mothra II, budgetary constraints must have been employed, as the use of miniatures was severely limited. As such, the bulk of the action on land was done with chroma-key/green scene production. The result is a fake appearance and pretty lackluster. Everything is exploding behind the monster with nothing happening in his actual presence. Fairly lame and very noticeable.

Extras:

There are no extras for either film included on this disc.

Overall:

These are kiddie movies to be sure. But kiddie movies with a message about the need to conserve our global resources and to take care of the planet we live on. This is a theme that is a constant throughout the Kaiju genre. It's very cool to see these messages and I enjoy their statements on conservation. However, if you are looking for hardcore Kaiju films like the wave of awesome90's Gamera films, you'll be really disappointed. These are enjoyable movies, the first more than the second, and are a good watch. Just keep in mind that the target audience is probably between 8 and 10 and you'll b alright! Recommended