All Monsters Attack [Godzilla's Revenge] (1969) Review | Godzilla Island Archive

The Plot:

This movie follows a young boy with a big imagination named Ichiro. It begins with Ichiro walking home from school with his friend Sachiko, when they run into a bully named Sancho and his gang. After being harassed, Ichiro heads home, where he spends most of his time alone since his parents are always working late. Lonely, he takes out his radio and pretends to contact Monster Island. He falls asleep and begins dreaming that he’s on a plane heading there.

On Monster Island, Ichiro wanders and sees kaiju like Anguirus, Gorosaurus, and Manda. Soon, he watches Godzilla fighting three Kamacuras. After Godzilla defeats them, one strays off and chases Ichiro. He falls into a tunnel but is rescued by Minilla, Godzilla’s son who can talk and is just a little taller than Ichiro. Minilla reveals that he also has a bully: a monster named Gabara.

Ichiro wakes up when the toy maker who lives below his apartment checks in on him, letting him know his mom is working late. Feeling lonely, Ichiro goes outside, only to encounter Sachiko and the bullies again. Running away, he hides in an abandoned factory. There, he finds a radio tube and a wallet with a driver’s license. Unbeknownst to him, the wallet belongs to a pair of robbers hiding in the factory. Now desperate to retrieve their dropped wallet, they begin hunting Ichiro.

Back home, Ichiro installs the new tube in his radio and drifts off to Monster Island again. He and Minilla watch as Godzilla fights Kumonga and later Ebirah, winning both battles. Minilla attempts to fight Gabara, but he’s too weak even after enlarging himself to kaiju-size. Godzilla steps in to show him how to fight, but Gabara eventually turns his attention to Ichiro, who runs into the jungle. Ichiro is suddenly grabbed by a maneater plant—then wakes up to find himself captured by the robbers.

Tied up in the factory, Ichiro calls out for Minilla and dreams once more. On Monster Island, Minilla faces Gabara again. This time, with Ichiro’s help, they lure Gabara onto a seesaw log and launch him into the air. Minilla celebrates, but Gabara attacks Godzilla instead only to be easily defeated and sent fleeing. Inspired, Ichiro wakes with newfound courage, escapes from the robbers, and runs outside, where the police arrest the criminals.

The next day, Ichiro stands up to Sancho and his gang. Gaining their respect, they become friends, and the movie ends.

My Thoughts:

This is not your typical Godzilla movie it was intended primarily for children and runs only 69 minutes. Many Godzilla fight scenes were recycled from earlier films, such as the battles with Kumonga, Ebirah, and Kamacuras. The only original kaiju fight was against Gabara. Most of Minilla’s scenes, however, were newly filmed, with unique touches like his ability to talk and change size.

Something amusing is how often adults are shown smoking cigarettes in what’s meant to be a children’s movie. Stranger still, the plot involves child kidnapping an odd choice for a kids’ film. Despite these quirks, the movie holds a very special place in my heart. All Monsters Attack was the very first Godzilla film I ever saw at the age of four. It sparked my lifelong love of Godzilla and kaiju movies.

Yes, it’s corny and undeniably made for kids, but it remains one of my favorites to this day. If you want to introduce your children to Godzilla, I recommend starting here. It has a positive message about courage, overcoming bullies, and finding strength within yourself all while still being entertaining.