Dir. Screaming Mad George & Steve Wang (1991)
A man puts on a mechanical suit and becomes a cybernetic superhero, finding himself pursued by the alien race who created the suit.
Full disclosure: I was not aware that The Guyver was based on a long-running Japanese manga series until I was in the middle of watching the film. I can't comment on how close this film does or does not match up to the comic, but I can say that it's a pretty badass example of late 80's-early 90's cheesy sci-fi horror. A cross between an Americanized kung fu flick, Robocop, and Power Rangers, The Guyver features the effects work (and direction) of Screaming Mad George, the man behind some of Brian Yuzna's most impressive visuals. Yuzna also produced the film, lending an air of credibility to a film that otherwise could've slid even more under the radar than this one already did.
When a scientist tries to escape with a powered suit that turns its wearer into a superhuman, he is captured by goons from the evil Chronos Corporation. The scientist immediately transforms into a monster, after which he is quickly killed by one of the goons (who of course also has transformed into a monster). The suit is lost, eventually recovered by teenager Sean Barker (Jack Armstrong), who becomes a "super monster soldier" after donning the suit, and he finds himself caught between Chronos, a CIA agent named Max Reed (Mark Hamill), and the aliens who created the suit in the first place. As the suit endangers Sean's life, he must stand up to his pursuers and save the world (and himself).
The Guyver is packed with genre stars: David Gale and Jeffrey Combs, both from Re-Animator, Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes and lots of others), Spice Williams-Crosby (Fatal Games), Full Moon frequenter Michael Deak, Linnea Quigley, and of course Luke Skywalker himself populate a movie that is ridiculous to the utmost degree and a whole hell of a lot of fun. It's tame for its era, a PG-13 film that still manages to push those ratings boundaries with George's impressive effects work and monster creations. The film is nostalgia in a bottle, a product of a post-80's-cartoons era that tries to take itself seriously while being utterly batshit crazy at the same time. Hamill lends credibility to the film, delivering an excellent performance that far outshines any of his contemporaries, but you can also tell he knew exactly the type of movie he had signed up for as well. It's a balanced performance from the most famous member of its cast, and it helps to offset some of the other insanity running throughout.
Despite having just a producer credit, Yuzna's fingerprints are all over the film, though it is decidedly more subdued than his other works. This is due in large part to the presence of George, who brought everything he learned from Re-Animator and Society to create a gooey science fiction superhero flick with a ton of heart. There's a rapping monster, an all-white gang, lots of fake electricity, and even a pseudo-meta film set scene. It's also typical teen fantasy, which also happens to make it a perfect example of superhero mythology: bullied kid with no friends, underprivileged and unseen, transforming into a super strong hero who is able to become the best version of himself through otherworldly means. It leans super heavy into the comedy, which works perfectly for the goofy, preposterous setup, and its full on 80's trash, despite being made in 1991.
David Gale is delightfully evil and disgustingly lecherous as the head of Chronos, whose logo looks suspiciously like the OCP logo from Robocop. The creature effects are awesome, cartoonish monsters that have a humanoid Gremlins look. More importantly, all of the effects are practical (save the fake lightning), making The Guyver an absolute treat for genre fans and lovers of trashy cinema. Unearthed Films' restoration of the film is gorgeous, giving you all of the 80's cheese you could desire (although, again, the film was made in 1991). As someone who didn't catch this film when it came out, I was super happy to get a chance to watch it now. If you can overlook the cheesiness, and there is a whole hell of a lot to overlook, The Guyver is a ridiculously fun flick that's well worth the wild ride.
Who this movie is for: Superhero movie fans, Manga lovers, Karate enthusiasts
Bottom line: The Guyver is ridiculous, hilariously "bad", and a ton of fun. It's a superhero science fiction/karate movie influenced by a long-running Japanese manga, and it looks every bit the part. With practical effects from Yuzna mainstay Screaming Mad George, and directed by George and Steve Wang, it's amazing to look at and incredibly enjoyable. It's filled with stars you'll recognize, it's utterly absurd, and I could not recommend it enough. It's a new release from Unearthed Films, one of my favorite boutique physical media companies, and if you're a fan of cheesy 80's horror, it's a must own.
