I greatly enjoyed some of Amemiya Keita's other films, including 'Mirai ninja' and 'Zeiram,' and I've been looking forward to watching this since I learned about it, especially since 'Zeiram' star Moriyama Yuko is involved. However, to be frank, this 1997 release makes a poor impression at the outset. The scene writing is rather weak, and plot development is clunky, flimsy, stilted, and disjointed; the narrative itself barely holds itself together. It seems evident that Amemiya and co-writers Tanaka Toru and Matsumoto Hajime were struggling to assemble a cogent, compelling screenplay. Furthermore, woe to you who can find only the English dub to watch, because the dubbing is awful and the dubbing script equally blunt and gawky, and one might be better off not watching at all than to watch the dub. We do get the jidaigeki-tokusatsu-fantasy flick we want, but the construction feels decidedly less sure-footed than in the filmmaker's other works. Even Amemiya's direction is rather uneven, and the same strength seen elsewhere in his oeuvre is lacking here. I don't dislike 'Moon over Tao: Makaraga,' but there are significant upper limits on the lasting entertainment value.
Oh yes, the stunts are great, and the practical effects most excellent, including blood, gore, and creatures; action sequences are varied, flavorful, and a lot of fun. Where post-production visuals are employed they mostly look pretty decent, the benefit of existing in a period before computer-generated imagery had proliferated and completely taken over genre cinema. The monstrosity that is central to the third act is notably depicted through both enormous tangible creations and digital insertion, and while the physical is always, always preferred, and superior, even the artificial looks surprisingly good. Even Fushima Shinichi's keen editing tends to feed into the visual experience. All this is what we came here for in the first place, after all, and while the usage is arguably lesser than in other comparable fare, the employment is welcome nevertheless. The filming locations themselves are lovely, and the production design and art direction are fantastic, filled with considerable detail across the board. Much the same could be said of the costume design, hair, and makeup. The cast don't necessarily give the most vibrant of performances, seemingly downplaying their own skill, though in fairness, that's on par with much of everything here; though the music isn't outwardly striking it's a fine complement for the proceedings. The sum total is hardly the best representation of the efforts of anyone involved, or of the genres on hand, but the purpose is ably served.
I just wish this enjoyed anywhere near the same level of passion, care, and hard work as its brethren. I repeat that Amemiya's direction comes across as unfocused, if not outright sloppy at times, and the writing is too often loose and scattered. The plot barely holds water - one beat to meekly come and go in the blink of an eye late in the length is just altogether astonishingly bad - and quieter scenes and exposition dot the length at inopportune moments that disrupt the action-adventure vibes of the viewing experience. All told these ninety-seven minutes at least go by fairly quickly, though awkwardly enough, the last act plainly feels overly long and drawn out. I did have a good time watching, but only just; the substance is wanting, and even the action and effects we desire are less rewarding in this instance. Suffice to say that whatever one's impetus for watching, this is emphatically not a picture one should go out of their way to see. It's duly worthwhile if you come across it, a swell way to pass the time on a quiet night, and sometimes that's all a title needs to be. Just be aware before watching of the troubles facing 'Moon over Tao: Makaraga,' and maybe that will put one in the best position to appreciate it for what it is.
