Gamera The Invincible (1965) Review | Godzilla Island Archive

Note: This Review is from the 2013 Godzilla Island archive it was of the English dub version. Views and opinion may have since been changed. Look out for an updated review of the original subtitled version to celebrate Gamera's 70th anniversary!

The Plot:

The movie opens in the North Pole, where a Soviet fighter jet is shot down by American forces after failing to respond to warnings about trespassing into U.S. airspace. The downed jet explodes, detonating the nuclear bombs it was carrying an explosion that awakens the ancient kaiju, Gamera.

Gamera rises from the icy depths and destroys the American jets responsible for the Soviet crash. Unaware of the creature’s existence, the Americans are left puzzled by the mysterious loss of their aircraft. Gamera then disappears beneath the waves, leaving behind no trace or explanation.

Soon after, Gamera surfaces in Japan, launching a devastating attack on Sagami Bay. His appearance shocks the world, coinciding with strange reports of UFO sightings across the globe. It’s then discovered that Gamera himself is the “UFO,” capable of retracting into his shell and taking flight.

During his assault on Tokyo, the military observes that Gamera feeds on fire and absorbs energy from it. Scientists devise a daring plan: lure Gamera with massive fires, trap him in a containment capsule, and launch him into space aboard a rocket. The plan succeeds Gamera is banished from Earth… for now.

My Thoughts:

The summary above isn’t as detailed as usual since I watched this movie some time ago, but I wanted to finally cover Gamera, marking Godzilla Island’s first Gamera review!

I genuinely enjoyed this film, even if I found myself laughing at it quite a bit. While entertaining, it’s clear why Gamera movies never reached the same level of fame as Godzilla during the Showa era this film is incredibly corny. Still, it’s a fun kind of corny that makes it a great watch for kaiju fans.

There’s no Godzilla film I’ve seen that compares to this one’s sheer goofiness. A subplot involves a young boy obsessed with turtles who gets saved by Gamera right after Gamera destroys the lighthouse the kid was in! The boy’s obsession turns into hero worship, leading to the now-classic quote: “I like turtles.”

Another unintentionally funny moment comes during a UN conference scene, where one character’s dubbed voice is given a horribly exaggerated “Asian accent,” reminiscent of something straight out of Team America or South Park. And then, of course, there’s the idea of capturing Gamera, putting him in a rocket, and shooting him into space it feels like something right out of Looney Tunes.

Despite all the corniness, the kaiju action is genuinely fun, and I’d absolutely watch it again. It’s no wonder this movie series became a favorite target for Mystery Science Theater 3000. If you’re a kaiju fan who’s never seen a Gamera movie, I highly recommend giving this one a shot but, if you prefer a more serious film experience the Heisei Gamera films from the 1990s era are a masterclass of Kaiju films.