High-Octane
Summary
From co-directors Steve Wang (Drive) and Screaming Mad George (renowned makeup effects guru), The Guyver is a tonally bizarre and very goofy science fiction action film in the vein of Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but with the signature body horror style of Brian Yuzna, who produced it. The limited edition release option (5000 units) is the best way to go here.
Plot: A space weapon comes into the possession of a martial arts student, who becomes the all-powerful “Guyver” guardian.
Review: An evil scientist (played by David Gale) sends his minions, a legion of super powered, biomorphing space monsters to steal a weapon called The Guyver from a Japanese scientist (also a biomorphing space alien), but they kill him too soon: He his the weapon in a dark alley where a bullied martial arts student named Sean (Jack Armstrong) finds it and accidentally activates the weapon and biomorphs into a gnarly looking hero – The Guyver! With the suit on, he’s invulnerable to pain and almost any kind of punishment, but when the other space monsters kidnap his girlfriend, he has to suit up and get tougher because the space monsters are almost as tough as he is … and they outnumber him! Along for the adventure is a clueless CIA agent (played by Mark Hamill with a mustache and droopy cigarette) who doesn’t realize how over his head he’s gotten when he stumbles onto all this cosmic mayhem.
From co-directors Steve Wang (Drive) and Screaming Mad George (renowned makeup effects guru), The Guyver is a tonally bizarre and very goofy science fiction action film in the vein of Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but with the signature body horror style of Brian Yuzna, who produced it. If you pay attention, The Guyver’s suit looks like a cross between a Power Ranger and a Cenobite from Hellraiser with stretched out sinews and muscles and painful looking transformations. The movie presses a little hard into “R” rated violence, but it’s obviously meant for kids and teenagers with its goober monster characters (including one jive-talking, rapping, always-joking and messing up monster) who look like giant Gremlins. The creature effects are jaw-droppingly awesome looking, but the plot and the execution are really silly, and so the balance is very uneven. It’s fun to a degree, and my 10-year old who watched it with me seemed to like it, so there’s your audience. I saw this maybe 20 years ago, and it still holds up fairly well for what it is. There was a sequel a few years later by Steve Wang.
Unearthed Classics offers two editions of The Guyver: There’s a limited edition 4K version with a Blu-ray and a CD soundtrack, and there’s the single-disc Blu-ray version. Special features are plentiful and generous, with newly produced features, including a new commentary by Wang and George, plus a new commentary by one of the VFX artists, a new interview with producer Yuzna, a new interview with Screaming Mad George, and much, much more. The transfer is clean and sharp, and there’s a slipcover included as well. A solid release for fans of the film, for sure, this one is a fun addition for the collection.
Bonus Materials
- 4K ULTRA HD + BLU-RAY + CD SOUNDTRACK | LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION CONTENTS
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films
- Blu-ray of the feature film and all new extras
- The Guyver Soundtrack composed by Matthew Morse
- Booklet
- DISC ONE – FEATURE (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
- NEW Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films
- DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
- Optional English SDH Subtitles
- DISC TWO – FEATURE & EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio
- DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
- Optional English SDH Subtitles
- NEW Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films
- NEW Interview with producer Brian Yuzna
- NEW Interview with co-director Screaming Mad George
- NEW Suit Tests with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang
- NEW Outtakes with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang
- NEW Gag Reel with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang
- NEW Production & Artwork Gallery
- Alternate Title Sequence
- Trailers
- DISC THREE – SOUNDTRACK (COMPACT DISC)
- The Guyver Soundtrack composed by Matthew Morse