Part of the giant monster boom in the late 1960s, the major focus on Japan to provide that style for the masses is understandable with the exploits of Godzilla, Gamera, Daimajin, and numerous other entries cashing in on the success of these properties, giving the country a major leg-up in the genre. However, it wasn't the only country providing output in the style as several others offered up their take, with Denmark offering up “Reptilicus,” the UK providing both “Gorgo” and “Konga” and South Korea chipping in two efforts with “Yongary, Monster from the Deep” and this one. A film long thought to have been lost, director Gwon Hyeok-jinn's long-unseen giant monster epic “Space Monster Wagmagwi” will screen at the 26th edition of the Fantasia Internation Film Festival.
“Space Monster Wangmagwi” is screening on Fantasia International Film Festival
Trying to initiate an invasion of Earth, a group of aliens release an enormous, nearly indestructible creature in the middle of Seoul and wait as the monster makes short work of the city. The air force is called in, but they can do little in such a heavily populated area. One of the air force pilots, Oh Jeong-hwan (Nam Kung-won) was supposed to be married on the day Wangmagwi crashes down in the center of Seoul. He calls his fiance, Ahn Hee (Kim Hye-kyeong) who insists on waiting for him in the nearly deserted wedding hall right in the monster's path of destruction. By the time she and her mother decide to flee the building, it is too late and the bride is captured and carried in the palm of the monster's hand as it destroys the city.
Overall, “Space Monster Wangmagwi” has quite a lot going for it. What works quite well here is the overly simplistic storyline from writer Byeon Ha-yeong that offers up the necessary beats for a kaiju film. While not doing anything unique or original with the storyline, the initial alien invasion and subsequent attack on mankind with a giant monster offer up just enough to get a giant monster movie rolling. That there are plenty of other genre efforts utilizing this tactic serves to illustrate how simplistic this is. Since the whole idea of the invasion is to use the monster as a means of wiping out mankind's resistance before they take over the planet, all that matters is a means of instigating the monsters' appearance and mission on Earth which is accomplished here. Building up to the monsters' appearance and invasion with the military exploits tracking the arrival of the alien ship before it appears in Seoul as well, ties in quite nicely with the traditional genre format by introducing who they are and how they're going to protect the population going forward.
However much fun this part of the film is, though, “Wangmagwi” scores the most fun with its lovably cheesy effects. Not quite bordering on parody but coming off in the same general manner, the effectiveness of the effects and miniatures will depend entirely on the tolerance for cheap and flimsy props. The buildings are obviously hollowed-out shells with dust thrown about to simulate the breaking concrete, the monster costume is ill-fitting to the performer inside and reveals their human eyes at numerous opportunities, and the doll of Ahn hee being carried in the monsters' hand is unmistakable. Still, this is all immensely charming and quite necessary for the fun of the movie in that it's all so blatant to modern viewers but is just an accepted part of the film's universe. While effort is made to provide full-scale props of Wangmagwi's hand and ear canal for the characters to interact with, the impression here is one that's overall goofy and silly. Given the amount of screen-time featuring the monster throughout here as it goes on its rampage smashing buildings or standing up to the military, the pacing on display gets right to the fun parts without much delay and lets the charm work itself over rather well in this one.
While those could be taken for personal preference issues, “Wangmagwi” does have genuine issues present. The main one is Ha-yeong's story which introduces the monster rather well but doesn't do much else right. The subplot involving Ahn-hee being upset about the canceled wedding feels ludicrous in light of the impending monster attacks. As well, that brings up the curious skipping around this does in the timeline by having the military recall soldiers, including Jeong-hwon, to combat the monster before it even appears on Earth. It feels like missing scenes rather than anything else and creates a jarring effect as a whole due to this. Moreover, once Wangmagwi appears he just feels aimless as it consists of the monster roaming the city while random citizens pull off increasingly lame and irritating slapstick comedy skits involving their doom. Several of these last way too much and others are just not that funny, furthering the parody angle unintentionally even more while managing to make Jeong-hwon feel like an afterthought who just flies over the city the entire time. He doesn't even have much screen time until the final few minutes due to these factors which can lead to a randomized feel throughout here.
A generally fun and enjoyably cheesy genre effort, “Space Monster Wagmagwi” won't ever be considered a long-lost hidden gem of the kaiju genre but serves itself nicely as a generally solid C-grade effort. Those who are curious about it based on its history and reputation or are just fans of the genre overall will have the most to like here.
