GODZILLA: Godzilla vs Biollante (1989)

Godzilla in the Media

Godzilla vs. Biollante (ゴジラvsビオランテ Gojira tai Biorante?) is a 1989 Japanese science fiction kaiju film produced by Toho. The film was written and directed by Kazuki Ōmori, and stars Kunihiko Mitamura, Yoshiko Tanaka, Masanobu Takashima, and Megumi Odaka. The seventeenth installment in the Godzilla series, the film is a belated sequel to The Return of Godzilla from 5 years earlier. This was the first "monster vs monster" film from this rebooted series. It featured a new monster called Biollante, with producer Tomoyuki Tanaka desiring new monster opponents for Godzilla rather than using characters from the original films. As part of pre-release publicity, Tanaka solicited script ideas from the public with 5,000 entries being received. The winning entry that was selected was from Shinichiro Kobayashi, a dentist and occasional science fiction writer. Director Ōmori then adapted it into the film's script.

PLOT:
In 1984, a scientific team picks through the ruins of Tokyo, searching for tissue samples left behind by Godzilla. U.S. troops working for the genetic engineering company Bio-Major attempt to escape with a sample, but they are dispatched by a lone mercenary who steals the sample. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, researcher Genshiro Shiragami looks forward to returning to Japan with his daughter, Erika. However, a terrorist bombing destroys his research facility and kills Erika.XXXFive years later, Shiragami is now a haunted man studying the psychic energy of roses. Psychic Miki Saegusa, who heads an institution for intuitive children, aids him in his research. Two groups are watching Shiragami: a gang of thieves hired by Bio-Major and an assassin from a Middle Eastern country called Saradia. As it turns out, Shiragami is involved in the study of Godzilla cells. It is believed by Shiragami's employers that he is aiding them in figuring out how to utilize the cells' properties to create "Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria", radiation-devouring bacteria meant to be used as a fatal weapon against Godzilla. When the thieves and the assassin catch each other breaking into Shiragami's lab, a gunfight ensues. A giant, mobile plant kills one of the thieves. His partner flees, and the assassin barely escapes from the plant's grasp. They do not realize that they have just encountered the result of Shiragami's secret experimentations. The next morning, the giant flower is seen in a nearby lake, and Shiragami confesses that he combined the DNA of roses with some extracted from Godzilla's cells. He also confesses that he had, in a fit of grief-driven madness, added Erika's DNA to the genetic composite, so that technically, the creature is partially human as well. He names his creation "Biollante".XXXMeanwhile, Bio-Major anonymously sends a letter to the Diet of Japan, informing them that they have planted several bombs inside Mt. Mihara. If the Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria is not handed over, the company threatens to detonate the bombs and release Godzilla from his prison. With the country held hostage, the Diet is forced to comply. The trade-off with the remaining thief goes well until he is killed by the assassin. The thief dies before he can deactivate the timed explosives. Godzilla is released as Mt. Mihara is destroyed. Upon hearing Godzilla's roar, Biollante's blossom opens, and the monstrous plant begins calling out to Godzilla. Shiragami theorizes that this is because Biollante is partially composed of Godzilla's DNA. With Godzilla's destination made clear, the Japan Self-Defense Force, under the leadership of Colonel Sho Koruki, prepare their strategies for dealing with the King of the Monsters. The Super X II, a remote controlled and stronger version of the first Super X, is deployed and, though it first seems effective at combating Godzilla, it is eventually overwhelmed by Godzilla's nuclear breath and forced to retreat.XXXGodzilla finally reaches Biollante. A huge battle ensues, and briefly it appears that there is a stalemate. However, Godzilla defeats Biollante with his atomic breath. With Biollante apparently dead, Godzilla continues on. Godzilla, running low on radioactive energy after the previous battles, heads towards the nearest operational nuclear reactor in Tsuruga. The military is sent out to meet Godzilla at Ise Bay. Godzilla instead surfaces in Osaka Bay, avoiding a confrontation with the JSDF. Saegusa tries to help, attempting to make Godzilla turn away from Osaka. Her efforts distract Godzilla momentarily, but the force of Godzilla's will and his psychic brainpower overwhelms her and causes her to faint. A plan is put into action involving infecting Godzilla with the regained Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria. In its final battle, the Super X II is destroyed by Godzilla after luring it into Osaka's business district. Colonel Gondo and his soldiers use rocket launchers equipped with the bacteria. The operation is initially successful, despite the death of Lieutenant Gondo, with bacteria injected into Godzilla into three points in his body. Godzilla is seemingly unaffected by it, and continues on.XXXThe failure of the bacteria is attributed to Godzilla's low body temperature, which keeps the bacteria in a near-dormant state. If Godzilla is heated up somehow, Shiragami theorizes, then the bacteria should work. The JSDF develops another plan: force Godzilla onto a field of microwave-emitting plates during an artificial thunderstorm, where it will be heated by the microwaves. The operation begins, but it seems that Godzilla is not affected by the microwaves as he crushes them. Just as everything seems lost, a low rumble is heard and Biollante's spores rain down from the sky and she evolved into her final and true form-like Godzilla. After destroying all nearby land forces, Biollante attacks Godzilla, and the two monsters fight to the death with Godzilla beginning to lose. At the last minute, Godzilla blasts his atomic breath into Biollante's mouth. However, Godzilla falls headfirst into the ocean. With Godzilla temporarily knocked out, an injured Biollante dissolves into spores, forcing to retreats that fly upwards into space. As the monster's remains float upwards, Shiragami sees the image of his daughter among the spores. Calling out to her, he walks forward and is killed by the Saradian agent, who has been charged by his superiors with ensuring that Japan can produce no further Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria. The assassin flees but is pursued by Kirishima, the chase leading the pair into the field of microwave emitters; after a brief fistfight, the agent levels his weapon at Kirihima, but at the last second, Colonel Koruki activates the micromave plate the agent has found himself upon, disintegrating him. The characters celebrate their victory when Godzilla returns from the sea waters. The body of Shiragami is placed inside a tent, with his superior briefly mourning him before leaving. Erika's voice is heard to comment on the events of the film. Godzilla wades out to sea and Biollante, once again a giant rose, orbits Earth.