Silly, frenetic fun
A lot happens in just over an hour! A group of kids investigate a mysterious 'satellite', discover a spaceship, are threatened by pointy metallic aliens but are rescued by a caped hero in a flying car, whom they christen "Space Chief" (in the English version, "Iron Sharp" in the Japanese version, played by future martial-arts film star Sonny Chiba). Shortly thereafter strange radio waves are detected emanating from Earth that disrupt power transmission and nuclear reactors begin exploding. Scientists develop electrobarrier (a "dome of electrons") to protect our cities, but after a failed missile attack, and despite Space Chief's best efforts, the aliens infiltrate and blow up the barrier's power station. The invaders continue to press the attack by manipulating the weather, but again are thwarted by the resurrected electrobarrier. The alien mothership (which is trapped within the barrier) then launches a number of saucers that destroy industrial sites and buildings (including The National Diet Building) before being shot down by Space Chief in his flying car. In the meantime, Earth has developed new "electron-minus alpha missiles" with the capability of destroying the Neptunians, but will they be enough to save us?!?Panned by critics and lampooned by MST3K, "Invasion of the Neptune Men" is an inane but (IMO) entertaining way to pass an hour. I watched an English dubbed version in which the kids talked like the 'Bowery Boys' and included over-the-top music that sounded like something from a 1930's western. The special effects ranged from quite good for era and budget (the saucers were imaginative and the scenes of them attacking Earth were excellent*) to ridiculous (Space Chief's flying car looked like something from a soap-box derby). I liked the alien mother-ship (especially the 'spacy' sound effects) and was willing to suspend my disbelief when the pointy robotic invaders were on screen. Decades ago, I watched a game show ("Eye Bet", 1971) in which contestants watched film clips and were then questioned about what they had seen. I never forgot the clip of an acrobatic hero in tights and a cape kicking robot butt, so was pleasantly surprised the first time I watched Space Chief take on the Neptunians. Prime stuff if you are a retro-tokusatsu fan, or just looking for some goofy entertainment, or just too wasted to change the channel. *Some of these scenes may have been 'borrowed ' from previous productions.
score 5/10
jamesrupert2014 21 March 2018
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw4099895/35653
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