SHIN ULTRAMAN

 

Ultraman, the silver monster-fighting giant from another galaxy, is the latest legendary character to get a 21st Century reboot with SHIN ULTRAMAN. 

SHIN ULTRAMAN has the same director (Shinji Higuchi) and writer (Hideaki Anno) as the impressive SHIN GODZILLA. The premise is somewhat the same as well--once again Higuchi and Anno place fantastic beings in a "real" world, filled with endless bureaucracy and meddling politicians. I would say, though, that SHIN ULTRAMAN is a warmer film than SHIN GODZILLA.

One thing that must be pointed out is that SHIN ULTRAMAN is an origin story. It starts off from scratch, and you don't have to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the dozens of spinoffs, sequels, and alternate versions of the character that have been created since it debuted on Japanese television in 1966. 

SHIN ULTRAMAN focuses on the members of the SSSP, an official group tasked with investigating and battling giant monsters (who, as we well know, constantly attack Japan). The mysterious Ultraman suddenly appears from nowhere, causing the SSSP, the Japanese government, and the nations of the world to wonder if he is friend or foe. 

There's plenty of large-scale kaiju action here, as Ultraman battles monsters and other aliens. But the movie is more than just a slugfest. Takumi Saitoh does very well as the human version of Ultraman, determined to save the human race while trying to understand it at the same time. Masami Nagasawa is quite engaging as the female lead, a gung-ho intelligence analyst who becomes Ultraman's "buddy". 

What I appreciated most about SHIN ULTRAMAN is that it is a movie that can be enjoyed by all, no matter what age. It's not overly violent or explicit in any way, and what humor there is isn't dopey or contrived. It is filled with the spirit of imagination and adventure, but it also has heart as well. It's able to be fun and enjoyable without pandering to a specific audience, and that's a rare thing these days. 

If you weren't able to go to one of the Fathom Events showings of SHIN ULTRAMAN this week in the U.S., don't worry....a North American home video & streaming release of the movie is planned for the spring. 

If you think you wouldn't like a "Giant Monsters in Japan" movie like SHIN ULTRAMAN, just think of it as a superhero film....except that this one is much more clever and earnest than most in that genre.