While it was a joy to see Godzilla on the big screen in America after a 15-year hiatus with "Godzilla 2000," it was probably the last time that the "old guard" from the 1984 - 1995 "Heisei" series of Godzilla films would have their impact felt. "G2K" debuted a lot of new things: a new special effects director, a new writing team and a newly designed Godzilla for the 21st Century, but the director, Takao Okawara, remained a hold-over from the 90's. But with "GxM," a new first-time director, Masaaki Tezuka, took the baton in this installment. He was quoted to have said that directing a Godzilla film would be a dream come true and his enthusiasm shows throughout the film, moving quickly from scene to scene and not spending a lot of time on developing character relationships; Tezuka is interested in getting to the action, much like Jun Fukuda did with "Godzilla vs The Sea Monster." Godzilla is much more animated and shows much more personality than in his 21st century debut.

The film is set in an another time-line from the one we know of; the past Godzilla films have no connection with this film. In fact, the opening sequence is of newsreel footage from 1954 showing Godzilla's first appearance in Tokyo--using scenes from the original film and digitally inserting the new Godzilla film into them. The narration explains that Godzilla has always appeared when Japan has developed some kind of new energy source. In 1954, he appeared as a result of the H-bomb. He then appears in 1966 as Japan begins to use nuclear energy. Then in 1996, Japan develops "green energy" using wind, hydro-electric and "plasma" power. But Godzilla appears again, intent on destroying the plasma power plant in Osaka. During his rampage, a crack group of military soilders tries to stop Godzilla. A female member, Tsujimori is saved by her commanding officer by Godzilla, but he is crushed under a pile of debris. From that moment on, she dedicates her life to destroying Godzilla.

Fast-forward to 2001. Tsujimori now heads up a team called "G-Raspers" (or G-Graspers"), similar to an "Ultra Squad" in the Ultraman series. In conjunction with Dr. Yoshino Yoshizawa and a young robotics genius, Kudo, they develop the ultimate weapon against Godzilla: The Dimensional Tide. The device would fire a minature black hole from a stationary satellite which would suck Godzilla out of our universe and into another dimension. Initial tests of the weapon in the Japanese countryside go as scheduled except for a short, lingering anomaly. Later, a young boy finds a strange egg in the woods and then sees a large dragonfly-like creature fly into a warped hole in space. He takes the egg home but then later reconsiders and drops it into a sewer hole in Shibuya.

A short time later, the egg begins to release smaller eggs in which man-size insects hatch out of. They attack human prey and then shed their skins to become even bigger winged wasp-type creatures. Meanwhile, Shibuya begins to flood from some unknown source while the G-Graspers check out a report of Godzilla appearing from the Japan Trench. They find a dead Megaguiron (the flying wasp creature) floating in the ocean, killed by Godzilla's heat ray. Suddenly Godzilla rises from the ocean and Tsujimori plants a homing signal on Godzilla while holding onto dear life on Godzilla's dorsal plates.

It is decided that The Dimensional Tide will be used on Godzilla on a small, deserted island. The G-Graspers and the Japanese Defense Force lure Godzilla from the ocean to the island and The Dimensional Tide is activated. Meanwhile, thousands of Megaguirons have appeared in the flooded area of Shibuya and the swarm take off toward the island. Just as the Dimensional Tide is to be fired, the flying creatures attack Godzilla like a swarm of angry bees. They use their stingers to literally suck radioactive energy from him. Godzilla uses his heat ray to destroy most of the swarm and the Dimensional Tide is fired. The island is nearly destroyed by the force of the mini-black hole. The G-Graspers search the island for him, but suddenly Godzilla emerges from underground. Unfortunately, the Dimensional Tide cannot be fired twice as it needs an hour to cool down. The swarm of Megaguirons fly off toward the main island of Japan with Godzilla is pursuit.

The swarm reach Shibuya and they dive under the water and transfer the energy (and their own life force) they absorbed from Godzilla into a huge creature resting at the bottom of the flooded city. It rises from the water, flapping its huge supersonic wings: the Megaguirasu. Godzilla soon arrives in Tokyo, coming ashore at Aqua City and finally confronts the giant flying creature for a final battle to the death.

I won't spoil the ending as most Godzilla fans will be seeing the film in some form or another. SFX Kenji Suzuki still seems to be enamored by CGI but some of his work--especially the attack on Godzilla on the island--is very impressive.The soundtrack incorporates the traditional Akira Ifubuke theme at appropriate areas; otherwise, the soundtrack by Michiru Oshima is excellent. GxM is definitely a Godzilla's fan film; made by a fan, for the fans.