A pilot named Maki (Tetsuya Bessho) is on the eve of retirement so he can spend more time with his sick kid. While out on his last mission, he flies into a ball of light and crashes. Miraculously, he’s able to walk away from the wreckage without a single scratch. Meanwhile, a monster called “The One” has escaped from a lab and is on a rampage. A secret military defense team kidnaps Maki and informs him he and the creature have a psychic link and use him as bait to trap the beast. When the two engage in battle, Maki discovers he has the ability to transform into the superhero Ultraman, but is he strong enough to defeat the constantly evolving shapeshifting monster?
Ultraman was intended as a reboot of the beloved character, but it wasn’t exactly a hit in Japan, so it’s more of a one-off remake. (It’s conveniently set in an alternate universe to dance around the continuity.) As someone who just watched a few of these things that were little more than regular TV episodes, it was refreshing to see something that had big budget production values. I also liked the Top Gun/Green Lantern-inspired plot (the music even sounds like fake Harold Faltermeyer). In fact, despite the Japanese cast and crew, it almost feels like an Americanized remake with the heavy military undertones and the superhero-style origin story.
Like the movie itself, the new Ultraman suit is darker and edgier. And by that, I mean, it’s dark gray, kind of clunky looking, and missing the sleek lines of the other incarnations. (It almost looks like Robocop from the neck down.) The CGI used to make Ultraman fly looks way better than what we’ve seen previously, so that was another plus.
“The One” is a cool creation too. He looks like a cross between the Fly from The Fly 2 and the Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man. Although we only get one monster this time around, the fact that it keeps evolving and transforming makes him unique. He also has a neat gimmick where every time he comes in contact with another animal, he absorbs them and takes on their attributes, which is pretty sweet.
I can see why some fans didn’t connect with this as it does take some liberties with the material. I give the filmmakers points for trying something a little different though. However, when it comes to the monster mashing, it’s refreshingly old school. And by that, I mean, a lot of guys in rubber suits beating the crap out of each other. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
AKA: Ultraman: The Next.
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