Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999)

This time Gamera, who is still channelling a young women, takes on Isis, an immense tentacled monster who also has a psychic connection to a young women. The resulting fights, especially the climatic showdown in the Kyoto train station are spectacular but overall, the film starts to get a bit repetitive towards the end. The whole Gamera as some sort of 'Gaia guardian' story arc is starting to wear thin, as is the magical pendant sub-plot. Isis (named for a cat who was a collateral fatality the last time Gamera saved humanity) is somehow connected with an ancient religious site and a magic stone. As well, there is an annoying, pretentious sort-of-Goth guy who drones on about the end of mankind. Most of the pseudo-spiritual backstory made little sense to me and (IMO) contributed nothing to the film (which at its core is a monster movie). I also didn't much like the realisation of "Isis", which was not particularly well done in some of the flying scenes and in general, looked too much like a crossover from the 'mecha' genre. Again, lots of good 'army mobilization' footage as the JDF is once again recruited to futilely shoot at the rampaging Kaija. Overall: OK (probably good to very good for fans) but (IMO) the weakest of the three Heisei Gamera offerings.

After spectacularly reviving the GAMERA franchise and following it up with one of the best kaiju sequels ever made, director Shusuke Kaneko and Daei Studios were on a roll and certainly had both the tools and the momentum to create a fitting end to their trilogy. However, they also had a heck of lot to live up to. REVENGE OF IRIS is a very unique monster feature and definitely still within the territory of the best GAMERA flicks ever made, but it's also a small step down from the well-rounded masterpiece that came directly before it. It's worthy of a buy, but it makes a few decisions that lessen its appeal to me.The story: Japan turns against Gamera when his battle with the Gyaos devastates a city. At the same time, an angry young woman (Ai Maeda) raises a monster of her own to reap vengeance on Gamera.My biggest complaint is that Gamera himself has relatively little screen time, with his scenes relegated to the first and last half-hours of the film. However, this disappointment is softened by the prolonged presence of his enemy, Iris. From a dramatic perspective, I'd argue that Iris is the single best kaiju villain ever created. For a character who doesn't speak, he is perfectly written, with his relationship with Maeda's character being particularly well-conceived. It makes for a unique take on the human-monster bond that other movies of this sort have broached and absolutely hits it home, with one of the most dramatic climaxes I've seen in films like this. The only downside? – about half of all shots featuring him are computer-generated, which more or less demolishes the aesthetic balance established in the previous movie.Then again, I can't be too critical of the CGI. Its quality is excellent for something produced outside of America in the late 90s, and it occasionally makes for some impacting visuals; virtually all of the above-cloud battle counts. It also helps set a surprisingly sinister tone. Great lengths appear to have been taken to make REVENGE OF IRIS the darkest and bloodiest of the trilogy. Gamera, for one thing, has been given a revamped design and looks particularly fearsome. His initial CG-enhanced battle and its effect on the city is nothing short of apocalyptic – completely justifying the nation's turn against the monster and making for a scene we had never before seen in his features.Even outside of the monster battles, the production scenes are surprisingly high. And while the film suffers from a cast way too large for its own good, the dramatic performances are roundly good. I am delighted to see Ayako Fujitani's role return to prominence, though the aforementioned Ai Maeda is the one who really steals the show.Daiei Studios would not produce any films after this one, which is a major disappointment for a company as storied as it, but the fact that its last effort was such a good one counts for something. Gamera ends this particular stage of his existence victoriously, because REVENGE OF IRIS – as well as its two predecessors – is a triumph. Again, it's not without its faults, but it leaves an impression that I believe all kaiju films you watch subsequently will be judged by.

This is the best Gamera film ever the effects are awesome and Gamera looks scary in this film and he has a super fire breath that destroys everything. Irys looks very good and dangerous. Good acting good plot, Great CGI effects and Awesome monster battles. It's the best of the trilogy of the 90s. I like the graveyard of Gameras. And that crazy motherf**ker Kurata says that Gamera is a vessel but in the end he gets his ass kicked. Gamera loses his arm in the end and Irys is finally defeated. Shusuke Kaneko really knows how to make a movie. I love this movie is so bad ass great movie i like it awesome. The best of the Gamera series.

I have been putting off watching because I thought the movie was going to be kinda campy, not worthy of immediate viewing but after reading some rave reviews for this flick I decided to watch it. It was worth it, the movie is very good for a monster movie. There have been the inevitable comparisons to Godzilla, but Gamera stacks up VERY well to the big guy. I've been waiting for the CGI effects to catch up with the ambitious visions of the monster movie makers and it's finally here, although by "normal" Hollywood movie standards the price spent on this movie would not even pay for 1/4 of Tom Cruises salary. I would like to see a big-budget movie made, but then again it might ruin the franchise, maybe the "campiness" and "guy-in-the-rubber-suit" are what defines these flicks. Anyway, Gamera is NO JOKE in this movie. He goes after his enemy, the "Gayous" birds with a single-minded vengeance that is surprising. He hates those things. His powers are so cool also. He has got a fire-breath like Godzilla, except is seems more focused, but his coolest asset is his ability to fly, with 4 jets in his shell sockets. This guy is outrageous, he flies in like a flying saucer, kicked-ass and then jetted out looking like the space-shuttle at full after-burner! You gotta check that scene out! And the night flying scenes with Isis in the cloudy night was amazing! The CGI effects with Gamera at full after-burn is priceless! The story is pretty decent and the special affects are great, albeit a little sparsely used. I kinda like Gamera a little more than Godzilla, he was so tough that in one scene he got impaled by Isis, then to get free he burns his own arm OFF!! This Gamera film is said the be the best of the 3 and that's true, much better special effects. Good film, recommended.