The Guyver

Original title: Guyver

1991
PG-13
1h 28m

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

6.2K

YOUR RATING

A young man discovers a mechanical device that merges with his own body, turning him into a cyborg superhero. When strange creatures start appearing, trying to take the device back, he begins to uncover a secret plot to genetically engineer terrifying monsters.

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Slapstick Superhero Action Comedy Horror Sci-Fi Thriller

Young man merges with mechanical device, becoming cyborg superhero. Strange creatures emerge, seeking to reclaim device. He uncovers plot to genetically engineer monstrous creatures.Young man merges with mechanical device, becoming cyborg superhero. Strange creatures emerge, seeking to reclaim device. He uncovers plot to genetically engineer monstrous creatures.Young man merges with mechanical device, becoming cyborg superhero. Strange creatures emerge, seeking to reclaim device. He uncovers plot to genetically engineer monstrous creatures.

Directors
- Screaming Mad George
- Steve Wang
Writers
- Jon Purdy
- Yoshiki Takaya
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

6.2K

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Screaming Mad George
- Steve Wang
Writers
- Jon Purdy
- Yoshiki Takaya
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Striker
(as Jimmy Walker)

Peter Spellos

Ramsey

Michael Berryman

Lisker

Spice Williams-Crosby

Weber
(as Spice Williams)

Mark Hamill

Max Reed

Jack Armstrong

Sean Barker…

Johnnie Saiko

Craig

Vivian Wu

Mizky Segawa

Deborah Anne Gorman

Ms. Jenson
(as Deborah Gorman)

Danny Gibson

Aikido Instructor's Assistant

Willard E. Pugh

Col. Castle

David Gale

Fulton Balcus

'Evil' Ted Smith

Ronnie
(as Ted Smith)

Doug Simpson

Quinton

Brian Simpson

Gang Member #3

Dennis Madalone

Gang Member #4

Linnea Quigley

Scream Queen

Directors
- Screaming Mad George
- Steve Wang
Writers
- Jon Purdy
- Yoshiki Takaya
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Jeffrey Combs, plays "Dr. East". In Re-Animator (1985), he played a character named "Dr. West". His boss here is played by David Gale, who played the villain in Re-Animator (1985).

Goofs
Within the last few minutes of the movie, Sean removes his Guyver armor, revealing he has no clothes on. This being due to his having regenerated a new body. But when he gets up and walks away he is wearing tennis shoes.

Quotes
Max Reed: That's a lousy place for a mirror.

Crazy credits
Get your own Guyver unit at S-Mart, Shop smart, shop S-Mart.

Alternate versions
Differences between the "Director's Cut" (actually the original theatrical version) and the VHS version are as follows:
A text prologue explaining the origins of the guyver and zoanoids, as well as leading up to Dr. Segawa's predicament with the other zoanoids.
Slightly different opening credits. The "Guyver" title is shown in glittering, silver chrome that splis. The VHS version shows a cheaper black/brown title that swipes in and fades out.
Slightly more dialogue when Max tells Misky of her father's death.
The scene where Balcus makes Lisker punch himself has music in the theatrical cut. In the VHS version, no music is present.
Extended dialogue between Max, Misky and Castle at Dr Segawa's death scene. This also includes a little more footage of Sean spying on them.
When Sean encounters the punks in the alley, he yells "Hi-ya!" with a ready aikido stance. The punks laugh at him and then they all yell "Hi-ya" mockingly with the same stance.
An intimate scene between Lisker and Weber in the van as they wait for Striker & Ramsey. He mentions the two of them going shopping in Brazil, and she absolutely loves the idea.
In the warehouse sequence, the shopping bit is brought up again between the zoanoid Lisker and zoanoid Weber. This was cut short in the VHS version.
Zoanoid Striker yelling down to Zoanoid Ramsey is shown in two cuts in the theatrical version, one in the VHS cut.
Major scene transitions in the "director's cut" are accompanied by slash going across the screen with a two-note techno theme. None of these are in the VHS cut. Additionally, 3 violent scenes are not in the so-called director's cut:
When zoanoid Lisker crushes zoanoid Segawa's head, blood is shown gushing onto the ground in the VHS version. The "director's cut" has a very slightly shorter version showing a shot of zoanoid Segawa on his knees with no blood.
When the guyver kills the snake-headed zoanoid, the VHS version shows him getting his arm ripped off and his neck snapped with blood splatter. The "director's cut" edits this out in favor of a cheap insert shot of the other zoanoids looking on.
When the guyver slashes zoanoid Weber, the VHS version shows blood splattering across her face and Misky's. The "director's cut" cuts away to a cheap close-up of zoanoid Striker looking on.

Connections
Featured in Troldspejlet: Episode #8.8 (1993)

User reviews55

Review

Featured review

4/10

Serious tonal problems

I love tokusatsu, in any shape size or form. So I was excited about this film when I first heard of it, an American tokusatsu based on an anime I had never heard of with a really cool premise, a human discovers an alien device which turns into a suit of living armour (I love living suit superheroes). But there is one distinct problem with this concept, translation. This was during the 90s and people weren't sure how seriously to take anime yet, a problem which translates into this film which has no idea what kind of tone it's going for. Firstly the positives; the fight choreography in this movie is nothing short of fantastic combining martial arts and wirework with really cool powers, the look of the Guyver and the Zoanoids is really really well done, the music is intense and energetic and the acting ranges from over the top and goofy to good, Mark Hamill is in this film as a cop trying to solve the mystery and he is great as always. But the film is completely ruined by it's tone, there are two movies going on here, a goofy over the top fun film and a serious gritty film, the two mesh HORRIBLY and so the film ends up being no fun at all, Give it a miss.