TUBI CONTINUED… IN SEARCH OF AN ULTRAMAN! INVASION FROM ANOTHER SPACE! (2021) * ½

With In Search of an Ultraman!  Invasion from Another Space!, I have now come to the final Ultraman “movie” on Tubi.  I use the word “movie” very loosely.  Like some of these Ultraman flicks I’ve reviewed, it’s only a half-hour long.  However, it’s not an official Ultraman movie, but more of a fan film that somehow managed to be uploaded to Tubi. 

You know, “Fan film” may not even be the right word for it.  It looks more like a YouTube show.  It also has the look of something that was made during the pandemic as the whole thing resembles a Zoom call.  I know people had a lot of downtime on their hands then, and I’m glad they did something creative with their time, but still…  This is pretty bad.  

A scruffy-looking scientist scrambles the feed and breaks in with an emergency broadcast to inform the world that an alien attack is imminent.  He says that his agency is desperately trying to contact Ultraman to save Earth, but so far, they have had no success reaching him.  Meanwhile, irritating “experts” and news anchors provide updates on the impending invasion. 

Even though In Search of an Ultraman!  Invasion from Another Space! Is only thirty-four minutes long, it feels at least four times that length.  The banter between all the talking heads is particularly excruciating (especially the scientist with a terrible German accent).  To make matters worse, it’s padded out with multiple scenes of someone playing with Ultraman toys.  If you’re going to do shit like this, it should at least… you know… be funny.  If you do manage to somehow sit through it all, you will be rewarded with an OK cameo that (just barely) justifies this whole thing’s existence.  For the most part though, it feels like a cheap and annoying YouTube video that you definitely would not “Like” or “Subscribe”. 

TUBI CONTINUED… ULTRAMAN R/B THE MOVIE: SELECT! THE CRYSTAL OF BOND (2019) ***

Ultraman R/B is different than the other Ultraman iterations in that they are a set of brothers who turn into Ultramen whenever their world is threatened.  However, it’s been a year or so since their last battle and they are starting to think about what the future holds for unemployed superheroes.  That changes when there’s an alien attack and they have to suit up once again.  Ultraman Geed also shows up to lend a hand, but things go from bad to worse when R’s goth friend is turned into a giant monster. 

There’s more intentional humor this time out, which is a problem because the bulk of it just isn’t funny.  The comic daydreams and sitcom situations (like when R/B and their father spy on their sister when she goes out on a date) don’t really work, and don’t score any laughs to speak of.  Then again, these scenes don’t exactly grate on your nerves either, which I suppose is a small victory.  At least the comic relief shit dries up once the monsters attack.  Plus, the film’s heart is in the right place, and the family dynamic helps to give this one a little bit different flavor than the previous Ultraman efforts. 

Fortunately, the monster brawls are a lot of fun and are well-worth the wait.  The monsters look appropriately old school (albeit with a few CGI enhancements here and there), which is to say they are rubbery and silly.  As with Ultraman Orb:  The Movie, the film contains some clever camerawork that opens things up a little bit, and the finale (which feels like an Ultraman version of the Flash scenes in the Justice League movie) is legitimately cool.  Also, the arrival of an Ultrawoman was a long time coming, and helps make this entry kind of progressive… I guess. 

AKA:  Ultraman R/B:  Select!  The Crystal of Bond.

TUBI CONTINUED… ULTRAMAN GEED: THE MOVIE: CONNECT THE WISHES! (2018) ***

An evil alien robot is going through the galaxy destroying all intelligent life.  Naturally, its next stop is Earth.  It’s also trying to obtain “The Red Steel” which will make it all-powerful.  An alien princess is in possession of the Red Steel and bestows it upon Ultraman Geed to use it to fight the alien menace.  Along the way, he partners up with Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Zero who help him build character in the face of adversity. 

One of the things I enjoyed about the character of Ultraman Geed is that he’s kind of an asshole.  He sulks a lot and acts shitty to others when things don’t go his way.  This helps to make him a flawed hero and while it’s not exactly Shakespearian, it certainly helps to differentiate him from the other goody two-shoes incarnations of Ultraman. 

Likewise, the filmmakers didn’t set out to reinvent the wheel, but they peppered the flick with some amusing and entertaining elements.  I liked the sexual tension between the antihero “Juggler” and the square member of the team he flirts with by calling him “Daddy-San”.  Sure, it’s not quite a paragon of gay representation for these movies, but you have to take what you can get.  I also thought the alien princess’ pet protector was cute (he looks like a giant rainbow lion) without TRYING to be overly cutesy, which is a fine line. 

Of course, it helps when the fights are solid from top to bottom.  There’s a fun scene at an “illegal alien” camp (which is inhabited by aliens) that plays like a low-budget Ultraman version of the cantina scene from Star Wars.  There’s also a nice mix of normal-sized humans vs. aliens Kung Fu fights and giant Ultraman vs. colossal kaiju battles.  In short, Ultraman fans should have a blast with this one.

AKA:  Ultraman Geed:  The Movie.  AKA:  Ultraman Geed:  Connect the Wishes!  AKA:  Ultraman Geed:  The Movie:  Connect Them!  The Wishes!

TUBI CONTINUED… ULTRA FIGHT ORB: LET ME BORROW THE POWER OF FATHER AND SON! (2017) ****

Ultraman Orb and Ultraman Zero are on the trail of a dark presence moving from world to world.  Turns out, it’s an evil ghost sorcerer who has the ability to raise monsters from the dead. The only way Orb can stop him is to train with Zero and his father, the legendary Ultraseven who bestow upon him tremendous power. 

This is another one of those deals that started off as a web series but was edited into a short (thirty minutes in this case) movie.  Since the original episodes were shown in three-minute bursts, that means there is no shortage of monster mashing to be found.  Some rubbery looking monster or silver-faced fighter is getting the snot knocked out of them every three minutes or so.  The battles themselves are well done considering their brevity.  In short, it’s fucking awesome.

Sure, the villain is just a rehashed version of Belial, but he looks cool and resembles Darth Vader on steroids.  His monster minions are a nice mix of menacing and just plain goofy too.  Besides, the sheer amount of rubber suit baddies that the filmmakers were able to cram into a half-hour running time is kind of mind-boggling.  There are robots, mutant caterpillars, and even a giant chicken with what looks like a huge scrotum hanging out of its mouth.  When’s the last time you saw that in a movie?  That’s not even mentioning the fact that once the three OG Ultramen show up to lend the next generation a hand, things get even more badass.  

Bottom Line:  If you love giant monster battles and only have a half-hour to kill, Ultra Fight Orb:  Let Me Borrow the Power of Father and Son! is the one to watch.

AKA:  Ultra Fight Orb.  AKA:  Ultra Fight Orb:  I’m Borrowing the Power of Parent and Child.  

TUBI CONTINUED… ULTRAMAN ORB: THE MOVIE: LET ME BORROW THE POWER OF BONDS! (2017) ***

Ultraman Orb is battling a giant monster on a deserted tropical isle when Ultraman Zero shows up to lend him a helping hand.  He says Ultraman Ginga and Ultraman Victory have disappeared and asks Orb to find them.  Meanwhile, Ultraman X gets separated from his host when he is sucked into a wormhole.  Orb follows suit and is soon, becomes a prisoner of the evil space witch Murnau who wants to turn the planet (and the Ultramen) into jewels. 

I kind of like this Ultraman Orb guy.  He has the ability to use these Pokémon type cards (these trading cards must’ve been big in Japan) to mix and match the powers of the previous Ultramen and combine them to make a brand-new Ultraman.  That slight reworking of the usual formula keeps the action just different enough to make the monster mashing feel somewhat fresh and gives Ultraman a variety of weapons at his disposal. 

A good chunk of the movie is devoted to regular-sized aliens and monsters.  That really isn’t a criticism, as the fight and chase scenes they have with our human league of heroes are still a lot of fun and even offer up a few laughs.  Once the action switches over to giant Ultramen battling kaiju, things really heat up.  There’s a great monster named Deavorik who is a total badass.  He looks like a robot version of Gamera and possesses machine gun arms which he uses to decimate cities.  The finale is a gigantic slobberknocker of the highest order and features some inventive camerawork.  You’d be surprised how much little touches like clever camera movement can breathe new life into something like this, but it certainly makes a difference.  Overall, this is one of the most entertaining of the latter-day Ultraman movies. 

AKA:  Ultraman Orb:  Lend Me the Power of Bonds!  AKA:  Ultraman Orb:  The Movie.  AKA:  Ultraman Orb:  The Movie:  I’m Borrowing the Power of Your Bonds!

TUBI CONTINUED… ULTRAMAN X: THE MOVIE: HERE HE COMES! OUR ULTRAMAN (2016) **

Maybe I got spoiled by watching a couple of solid Ultraman movies before this one, but Ultraman X:  The Movie:  Here He Comes!  Our Ultraman just didn’t measure up.  Nothing about it is out and out bad, but it lacks the punch of the last few entries.  Those flicks at least had the benefit of snappy pacing and non-stop monster mashing.  This one just feels padded (especially the opening) and the stuff that occurs in between the kaiju battles is disposable and forgettable.  It also doesn’t help that the human hero gets separated from his “X” transformation cube (it looks like an iPhone in a bulky case), which means he can’t turn into Ultraman for a good chunk of the movie. 

Things kick off with a recap of the Ultraman X TV show, which plays like a greatest hits compilation on fast forward.  Then the plot begins.  An asshole archeologist removes a sacred stone from a mountain, awakening a giant monster.  It’s then up to Ultraman to stop it.

There’s some really silly shit here, and that’s coming from the guy who defended the use of a flute sword in Ultra Fight Victory.  In one scene, a jet shoots cotton candy at the monsters.  I’m sorry, I’ve got to draw the line somewhere.  That’s some Paw Patrol level shit, if you ask me. 

There’s also a comic relief alien doctor who helps the humans.  I joked in my Ultraman Ginga S review that the villain was collecting Ultramen like Pokémon cards, but this guy actually turns the data he collects on other Ultramen into actual trading cards!

Things perk up a tad during the finale when the original Ultraman shows up to aid in the fight.  However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s lame having a little kid controlling Ultraman Tiga.  Also, the arrival of the other Ultramen at the eleventh hour doesn’t give them a whole lot to do besides hastily fight a monster or two. They deserved more than extended cameos.

AKA:  Ultraman X:  Here He Comes!  Our Ultraman.  AKA:  Ultraman X:  The Movie.  AKA:  Ultraman X:  The Movie:  Here Comes!  Our Ultraman.

TUBI CONTINUED… ULTRA FIGHT VICTORY (2015) ***

Ultraman Victory is just minding his business when he falls into a sinkhole and is attacked by a monster.  Another baddie shows up and steals Victory’s girlfriend’s necklace, which can give him supreme power.  The villain has also imprisoned Ultraman Ginga, which raises the stakes considerably.  Lucky for Victory, Ultraman Hikari gives him a magic flute that turns into a sword to aid him in his quest to stop the monster from awakening the evil emperor of the galaxy. 

Ultra Fight Victory is essentially three episodes of an Ultraman YouTube series edited together.  As such, the effects are a little chintzier compared to the other films made around the same time.  Most of the time, it’s just a bunch of people standing in front of an obvious green screen.  (It also looks like they reused footage from Ultraman Ginga S the Movie for the scenes where the Ultramen combine their powers.)  Despite being a smaller budgeted affair, it still manages to pack a lot of Ultraman brawls and monster fights into a short amount of time.  (It’s only thirty-eight minutes long.)  Some of the dialogue is priceless too.  My favorite line came when the villain sent his minions into battle by saying, “Go, terrible monsters!”

It helps that Ultraman Victory is a pretty cool customer.  He has a great power where he can change out his hand for limbs of monsters he’s previously defeated.  The fact that the objects he uses to summon his powers look suspiciously like Ultraman action figures makes it even funnier.  Even though he’s playing with toys most of the time, these toys are certainly more badass than the flute sword weapon, that’s for sure.  But heck, who am I kidding?  I even find the silly/stupid/cheesy shit like that in these movies endearing.  Besides, they’ve got to put something in there to appease the marching band fanbase.