| Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris | |||||
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| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | ガメラ3 邪神〈イリス〉覚醒 | ||||
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| Directed by | Shusuke Kaneko | ||||
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Junichi Tozawa[1] | ||||
| Edited by | Isao Tomita[1] | ||||
| Music by | Kow Otani[2] | ||||
Production company | |||||
| Distributed by | Toho | ||||
Release date |
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Running time | 108 minutes[1] | ||||
| Country | Japan[2] | ||||
| Language | Japanese[1] | ||||
| Box office | $15 million | ||||
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (ガメラ3 邪神〈イリス〉覚醒,Gamera Surī Irisu Kakusei;lit. 'Gamera 3: Evil God Iris Awakens')[a] is a 1999 Japanesekaiju film directed byShusuke Kaneko, with special effects byShinji Higuchi. Produced byDaiei Film and distributed byToho, the film is the 11th entry in theGamera film series, as well as the third film in the franchise'sHeisei period, serving as a sequel to the 1996 filmGamera 2: Attack of Legion.[4][5]
The film starsAi Maeda as Ayana Hirasaka, a young girl who forms apsychic bond with a parasitic creature known as Iris that feeds upon the hatred that she feels for the giant turtle monsterGamera, who had unwittingly killed Ayana's parents and cat. The film also featuresShinobu Nakayama andAyako Fujitani reprising their roles as Mayumi Nagamine and Asagi Kusanagi, respectively.Hirofumi Fukuzawa portrays Gamera, whileAkira Ohashi, who played Gamera in the previous film, portrays Iris.
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris was screened at the1999 Toronto International Film Festival, and received theMainichi Film Concours award for Best Sound Recording in Japan. The film received generally positive reviews, with the film's special effects being lauded, and with many praising it as being one of the best entries in theGamera film series.
However its popularity and tragic plot especially the portrayal of Gamera to be an unintentional threat to humanity also caused downward effects on the franchise indirectly, resulting in the cancellations and commercial failure of sequels and subsequent projects including "G4" and "G5",Gamera the Brave, and severalanime projects where the projects in the 2000s were aimed to restore Gamera as a gallant and endearing character,[6][7][8][9] taking 17 years forKadokawa Corporation to produce a new installation,Gamera Rebirth in 2023.
Three years have passed sinceGamera defeated the Legion,[b] and the world is once again plagued by the Gyaos, which have now evolved into Hyper Gyaos. Mayumi Nagamine, noted ornithologist, returns to aid the Japanese government in addressing this threat. At the bottom of thePacific Ocean, a graveyard of Gamera fossils is found. Meanwhile, two government agents, occultist Mito Asakura and Kurata Shinya, are working with a different agenda, with Asakura believing Gamera to be an evil spirit. AtShibuya, Gamera fights and kills a pair of attacking Hyper Gyaos with little regard for humans; with up to 20,000 people killed in the crossfire, the Japanese government orders Gamera's destruction.
Meanwhile, a teenage girl named Ayana Hirasaka, whose parents were inadvertently killed by Gamera during his previous battle with Super Gyaos in 1995,[c] discovers a stone egg sealed within the temple of Asuka. The egg hatches a tentacled mutant creature known as the “Ryu-sei-cho”, which Ayana names "Iris" after her deceased pet cat. Ayana forms a link with Iris through anorichalcum amulet, and plans to raise Iris to take vengeance against Gamera. However, as Iris grows larger, he attempts to absorb her. Ayana's classmate, Tatsunari Moribe, manages to free her from Iris'scocoon with a sacred dagger, but Iris later massacres half of Asuka's populace, subsequently growing into his adult form.
TheJGSDF attempts to destroy Iris, but fails after Iris flies towardKyoto, where Ayana has been taken by Asakura and Kurata, who use Ayana to summon Iris. On its way there, Iris is intercepted by Gamera and the two engage in an aerial battle. TheJASDF pilots force hit Gamera and Iris with a tactical missile strike, inadvertently allowing Iris to escape as Gamera pursues. AtKyoto Station, Nagamine and Asagi Kusanagi, a teenager once psychically linked with Gamera, attempt to extract Ayana out of Kyoto, when a typhoon hits the city. Kurata speculates that Gamera was engineered as humanity's guardian, and can be charged with humanity's collective "mana", and theorizes Iris was similarly created to defeat Gamera so the Gyaos could wipe out the human race. While rejecting Kurata's misanthropy, Nagamine and Asagi think his theory explains how Gamera got the energy he used to defeat Legion.
Iris makes his way to Kyoto Station, continuing his duel with Gamera. Iris impales Gamera with one of his tentacles and destroys the station, killing Asakura and Kurata. Moribe briefly distracts Iris with the dagger, but Iris ultimately absorbs Ayana. From within Iris's body, Ayana experiences his memories, realizing her hatred and anger motivated him. As she has this epiphany, Gamera plunges his hand into Iris' chest, pulling Ayana free and robbing Iris of his human link. As Asagi rescues Nagamine, Iris impales Gamera's hand and begins processing his DNA. Gamera blasts off his injured arm, absorbing Iris's fireballs and forming a fiery plasma fist, which he drives into Iris, destroying him.
Setting a comatose Ayana down, Gamera awakens her with a roar after Nagamine and Asagi fail to revive her, leaving her mystified by Gamera’s forgiveness. As a swarm of Hyper Gyaos begins to converge on Japan, military leaders finally realize that Gamera is on the side of humanity and pledge to fight the swarm alongside him. Asagi states that despite no longer sharing a psychic link with Gamera, she knows he will fight to the end. As the swarm approaches, Gamera defiantly roars at the center of Kyoto.
Its production was delayed and the film plot was intentionally designed as ahorror because of box office results of 1995 and 1996 films, declined popularity ofkaiju genre, and contrasting popularity ofhorror films among children at that time where especiallyRing andGhosts at School andHonto ni atta kowai hanashi franchiseshad influences onGamera 3: Revenge of Iris.[10]
Many members of the crew who worked onGamera 3: Revenge of Iris had previous work in theGamera film series. DirectorShusuke Kaneko directed bothGamera the Guardian of the Universe (1995) andGamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996).[11]Gamera 3 marks the firstGamera film that Kaneko had screenwriting credits on as he co-wrote the film withKazunori Ito who had previously written the previous two 1990sGamera films.[4][5][12] The music composerKow Otani and special effects directorShinji Higuchi was also a regular with the series, previously working on both films.[1][13][14]
The final draft of the film included several references to previous non-Gamera films byDaiei Film such as the 1962 Daiel filmThe Whale God (Killer Whale) where a scene forGamera to encounter a pair ofNorth Pacific right whales was planned.[7]
The plot for Gamera to sacrifice his right arm was inspired by the 1972 filmOne-Armed Boxer.[15]
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris was released in Japan on March 6, 1999.[16] The film grossed over $15,000,000 on its release.[2] The film had its North American premiere atG-Fest in 1999 and was also shown at the1999 Toronto Film Festival.[17][18][19] The film did not have a wide release in North America and was releaseddirect-to-video onDVD on June 10, 2003, byADV Films.[5][20] The film was released onBlu-ray by Mill Creek Entertainment on September 27, 2011.[20]
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris was followed up byGamera the Brave directed byRyuta Tasaki in 2006.[21] The film's plot ignores the events of the three films directed by Kaneko.[21]
According toA.D. Vision in 2000, the film was "hailed by fans and critics alike as the greatest giant monster film ever made".[22] In Japan,Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris won the award for Best Sound Recording at the 54thMainichi Film Concours ceremony.[23]
Western reviewers praised the film as one of the best in theGamera series, commenting on the special effects in the film.Variety stated the film was "somewhat more elaborate" and "grittier and hipper" thanGamera the Guardian of the Universe (1995) andGamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996) as well stating that the monster Gamera appeared "more threatening".[2]Variety also described the special effects in the film as "good by model/miniature/animated standards" but felt that were not up to the standards of American special effects.[2] TheSan Francisco Chronicle felt the film's plot was similar to an episode ofThe X-Files and praised the special effects in the film opining that "The special effects are terrific, although the monsters still look like guys in rubber suits. Fans of the genre wouldn't have it any other way."[24]
Film critic Tom Mes referred to the film as the bestGamera film to date, opining that the film "delivers everything a movie about huge, fighting, city-stomping monsters should have: excitement, slam-bang action sequences, beautifully designed creatures, and yes, even stunning special effects"[25][26]Time felt that the film was stronger thanGamera 2: Attack of Legion, stating the film is stronger "because it has much less Gamera; there's only so much character richness, let alone fun, to be found in shell, teeth, eyes, claws, scales, etc. But the movie has thrills for those who need 'em. Toward the end, a young scientist faces Iris and his doom and, a moment before he dies, screams like a cheerleader at his own immolation: "Oh boy, is this scary? Yes!" I second that notion."[27]
Continuation of the series afterGamera 3: Revenge of Iris was cancelled as above-mentioned, however the plot of the scrapped "G4" was later re-used for the 2003independent film,GAMERA 4-TRUTH byShinpei Hayashiya.[6][7][28]
In 2023, critically acclaimed filmmakerTakashi Yamazaki stated thatGodzilla's destruction in his filmGodzilla Minus One are inspired byShinji Higuchi's special effects fromGamera 3: Revenge of Iris.[29] That same year,Gamera 3 directorShusuke Kaneko revealed his plans to make a newGamera film at a screening of his filmGodzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), which he attended with Yamazaki.[30] Kaneko joked that "Maybe Gamera will attack Pearl Harbor"; Yamazaki responded to Kaneko by saying "I want to seeGamera 4. If you call me, I'll help you out a bit!".[30]
The action is fiercer and the special effects more spectacular than ever before as Gamera and Irys face off in the stunning conclusion to what is already being hailed by fans and critics alike as the greatest giant monster film ever made
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