Back in 1991, nobody knew what the story of The Guyver was… It was initially a rather popular manga/anime series of the time, and for some reason, a Japanese and US production studio decided it was time to team up and give it the live-action treatment. This was despite anime not yet breaking into the mainstream Western audience as successfully as it has now.
The story is VERY anime. An evil corporation by the name of Chronos is experimenting with alien technology, recovered and studied since ancient times when aliens came to Earth to show humans the way. They have mastered the ability to create humans who can mutate into monsters, known as Zoanoids, effectively creating the ultimate soldier.
However, a higher form of alien tech is now in their hands: a bio-armour suit called “The Guyver Unit” that tethers itself to its host, a willing human, and turns them into an unstoppable force. The suit itself bundles up into a little spore in the user’s neck, summoned to surround them when they shout:
“GUYVER!”
Our bumbling protagonist, Sean (Jack Armstrong), stumbles across the unit and unknowingly activates it while being attacked by a gang of street thugs, thus becoming The Guyver.
He spends the film battling with and running from Chronos, led by the evil corporate overlord Fulton Balcus (David Gale), until they take his girlfriend. This forces him to jump into action, fight Chronos and save the day. Falala…
The story is not so unlike the anime, obviously made with American audience appeal. However, prepare yourself for Power Rangers levels of rubber monster suits performing kung fu, because that’s about to happen. Hard.
But don’t get me wrong, this film has some incredibly brutal moments. The Guyver is initially defeated, having his head unit torn from his skull in a vicious, bloody way before dissolving into a pulpy goo.
Which leads me to my next point: this film is INCREDIBLY confused.
To the point that it has an almost Troma-esque appeal. Goofy, two-dimensional, moronic enemies are pulling pratfalls and gags accompanied by sounds like “BOING!” and performing terrible ’90s gangsta rap rhymes one minute. Then, the next minute, they’re melting our hero and performing dark acts straight out of an intense thriller.
It’s clear to see the studios wanted TMNT cash-in money, while the creatives wanted a dark, gritty thriller, which, rightfully, The Guyver SHOULD BE.
This all leads to a disappointingly confusing but intriguingly bizarre film that really needs to be seen to be believed.
If all this isn’t enough for you to go scouring the depths of the internet to find a copy, then throw in a substantial cameo role for none other than MARK “I AM YOUR FATHER” HAMILL and BOOM! Your mind just got blown.
Mark IS in this film, playing a tacked-on role as a detective. Heads up, you’re about to see Luke Skywalker transform into a man-sized cockroach-centipede THING, and it’s UNREAL!
Haha! They KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK with the special effects in this film.
Side note, speaking of horror heavies, did I mention this movie has Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes) and Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator and several other Brian Yuzna-produced films) in it?!
Also, an honourable mention goes to David Gale, playing the evil boss of Chronos, and Willard E. Pugh (the Mayor of Detroit from RoboCop 2), playing yet another stressed-out official.
It makes me wonder… If this film were left in the oven a little longer, what kind of deliciousness would have come out?
If the anime could’ve had more time to circulate, then received some real money and greater alignment on the creative vision, who knows what The Guyver could have been?
It’s honestly a fun watch, at least the first time around.
Rubber monster suits, kung fu, bad ’90s rapping, fourth-wall breaking, a Japanese space-suit story and Mark Hamill turning into a giant insect?!
C’mon!
If you’re into your obscure media, I implore you to watch it. You truly will not forget this bizarre, quirky and unique fossil of early ’90s cinema.
Now that I’ve seen this film, I can officially quote The Guyver:
“You can’t kill me, I’ve been rejected by death.”
6/10 – James J
