Julian R. White From the beginning of the film it becomes pretty clear that there will be little fluidity to the film. For one, we have no idea who was actually the one to drop the bombs that awakened Gamera from his hibernation. Then you don't even really get a good idea of if you're in Japan, or Alaska? But all that aside, it's a pretty great plot. Ancient flying turtle from Atlantis is awakened and (sorta?) goes on a rampage. The love of turtles from a little boy leads him to believe that Gamera is in fact evolved from his own pet turtle, whom his father forced him to set free. Kinda silly I guess, but what more can you ask for in a cheesey monster movie? It's a good start to the series. More were made after this one that turned out much better than the original, but like I say, it's a decent step in the right direction.

OllieSuave-007 This is the American version of the very first Gamera movie, where an atomic explosion awakens the fire-breathing turtle monster from his hibernation and causing him to go on a destructive spree on Tokyo. U.S. footage with American actors were inserted and I couldn't tell if they contributed to the plot or not since I at the time of this review haven't seen the original. However, I do recall that most of those scenes involving endless meetings of the authorities in how to deal with the monster was boring because it distracts from the monster action. The special effects were decent as you can see a good dose of Gamera stomping on buildings and setting them on fire. And, you have a simple plot of the humans trying to think of a plan to stop this horror. Other than that, I thought this was pretty much a below average monster movie, one that precedes just over a half-dozen very childish and kid- oriented Gamera movies with recycled alien-invasion plots. Somehow, this first Gamera movie doesn't have that charm, riveting monster horror and intrigue that most other Japanese monster films, especially those made by rival movie studio Toho, have. From what I can see for just the American version of the film, it is a very typical and basic monster-on-the-loose flick.If you want to see more exciting and sophisticated Gamera movies, check those from the 1990s era.Grade D+

bkoganbing Gammera The Invincible set the famous prehistoric flying turtle on the same road as Godzilla. First this film like Godzilla was created out of another Japanese film with simply adding the footage with Raymond Burr to make a different story. Here a whole slew of Occidental players like Brian Donlevy, Dick O'Neill, and Albert Dekker were used.Secondly however where Godzilla starts out as a fire-breathing villain in later films he becomes a monster hero as more terrifying monsters invade earth and we need our home grown monster to defeat them. The producers here foresaw that possibility and left it open to happen, they were better concerned with continuity.Having said all that Gammera The Invincible is like all these other Japanese monster flicks great fun, not to be taken too seriously. He's a sulfur eating creature and there's a great scene of him chowing down on a train tanker car eating it like a hot dog. And he's full of tricks. Foolish humans who think that because they get this turtle on its back he's down for the count. One of the great scenes of Japanese horror films is when on his back he lifts off and flies like the proverbial flying saucer.Cheesy special effects, Occidental actors looking like they're waiting for their paychecks to clear, but still lots of fun.

Coventry What's that there in the skies? Is it a plane? Is it Superman?? Errr, no… It's a TURTLE!?! See, that's what becomes of the Cold War! Nothing but bad news and other issues! The Americans shoot down a Russian combat plane somewhere over Artic territory and the subsequent explosion defrosts & literally awakens the giant prehistoric turtle-creature named Gammera. He/she is not a very friendly critter as it promptly ensues to destroy everything and everyone on its path. The arguing governments finally decide to kill the ugly bastard with a brand new and super-sophisticated ice-bomb, but Gammera has another surprise in store… The damn turtle can fly! The first time this happens results in a tremendously grotesque and hilarious sequence! Gammera lies on his back looking defeated when suddenly fire blows from his armpits and he skyrockets himself up in the air. How can you not love that? Then there's also a dire sub plot about an annoying kid who's able to telepathically communicate with the monster, but that's just not interesting enough. Flying turtle, people!! There's very little else to write about this Japanese (and American re-edited) Sci-Fi effort, apart from that it's an obvious and totally shameless rip-off of such classics like the original Godzilla and The Beast from 20.000 Fathoms. The effects and monster designs are extremely hokey and, unlike the aforementioned films, it never succeeds in creating an apocalyptic ambiance. Respectable actors like Brian Donlevy ("The Quatermass Experiment") and Dick O'Neill ("Wolfen") seem unaware of what film set they're on and even the original Japanese mayhem-scenes aren't very convincing. Gammera's very own and personalized theme-song is rather cool, though, so it gets one extra point for that.