The Guyver

The Guyver (1991), although based on an original manga character, certainly owes it existence onscreen to the success of the first live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie released the year prior.  Produced by Brian Yuzna who brings along a slew of familiar names from his previous films and co-directed by effects veterans Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, this is a movie meant to make an impression on undiscriminating kids.  Of course, almost every kid is undiscriminating (how else do you explain dinosaur chicken nuggets?) and The Guyver hits them with a one-two punch of slimy superhero action and corny jokes that tastes terrific with a side of ranch.

Accidently bonding with the alien space armor his girlfriend’s dad smuggled out of a top-secret lab, Sean inherits the kung-fu skills he always wanted along with cosmic invulnerability and some high-tech weaponry.  But the evil Zoalord (David Gale) and his henchmen (Jimmy Walker, Michael Berryman and Jeffrey Combs among them) are in hot pursuit, using their shape-changing abilities to match his newfound abilities claw for claw and tooth for tooth.

 

There’s not much more to The Guyver than small-scale Ultraman-style action as these costumed freaks go at each other in full bodysuits designed with flair by Screaming Mad George (the same guy responsible the disturbing effects in Society and a pair of Nightmare on Elm Streets).  And for pre-pubescent amusement, you couldn’t ask for much more.  But unless you caught this one when you were young, watching it over the age of 18 feels like Thunderdome with the combatants replaced by college football mascots…which isn’t a bad idea either!

 

Horror fans will get a thrill watching Gale play another mad scientist and Combs hard at work in another lab (this time as Dr. East), plus Linnea Quigley even drops by for a quick cameo.  But these are all decidedly R-rated horror icons, and The Guyver is aiming to thrill an entirely different demographic, hence the rather embarrassing casting of Mark Hamill.  As entry-level sci-fi nonsense it’s a winner.  But when Jimmy J.J. Walker starts rapping behind a big-lipped bodysuit, don’t come crying to me.

 

Boutique label Unearthed Films doesn’t go halfway on their new 3-disc 4K UHD Limited Collector’s Edition; this one is made for the fans from top to bottom!  The new 4K restoration highlights all the details previous editions couldn’t show and the included Blu-ray is no slouch either.  Extras include two new commentaries, new interviews with Yuzna and George, new suit test footage, outtakes, gag reel, production artwork and a copy of the soundtrack on CD.  This one was a labor of love and it's easy to appreciate as such…whether you like the movie or not.

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