John Cassidy
Having seen the Thai version of this complex stinker, about the only good thing about THE 6 ULTRA BROTHERS VS. THE MONSTER ARMY (Thai title: HANUMAN AND THE 7 ULTRAMEN) is the FX (directed by veteran Kazuo Sagawa) and monster/superhero action. But overall, as an Ultra-fan, I have to say that this is, by far, the worst, weakest Ultraman film EVER! If people hate GODZILLA VS. MEGALON so much, THE 6 ULTRA BROTHERS VS. THE MONSTER ARMY makes it look like Oscar-winning material.The Hindu monkey-god Hanuman takes center stage in this film, so I think this film would've made a better solo vehicle for Hanuman. Otherwise the Ultra Brothers themselves (Ultraman, Zoffy, Ultra Seven, New Ultraman/Jack, Ultraman Ace and Ultraman Tarou) are just glorified henchmen for Hanuman, and they don't get as much screen time until the climactic 30 minutes. Also, the Ultra Brothers and monster suits (the monsters were Gomora from ULTRAMAN, Dustpan from MIRRORMAN, and Astromons, Tyranto and Dorobon from ULTRAMAN TAROU) were in pretty funky condition. Also, the story has no coherence and structure whatsoever. Everything is thrown around carelessly, especially music from ULTRAMAN and ULTRA SEVEN, which make up the majority of the film's underscore. (The Japanese version of this film had a new theme song sung by Isao Sasaki and the Columbia Cradle Club; It's one of the other good things about this film.)Japan's Tsuburaya Productions, the creators of Ultraman, co-produced this film with the now-infamous Chaiyo Productions in Thailand, which not only co-produced another film the same year (JUMBORG ACE & GIANT), but its founder/president Sompote "Sands" Saengduenchai would later try to basically steal the Ultraman copyright from Tsuburaya Productions using a forged document supposedly by Eiji Tsuburaya's late second son Noboru Tsuburaya (who produced this film), resulting in a bitter ongoing court battle since 1996. As of this writing, up to early 2004, Tsuburaya has won all court appeals but one (Chaiyo won merchandising rights outside Japan to the first 6 shows, ULTRA Q through TAROU, and JUMBORG ACE), and contrary to false news reports in the English-language Thai media, Tsuburaya continues to take legal action against Chaiyo.But if this is how Chaiyo wants to make Ultraman movies and shows, then it will be a nightmare for Ultra-fans. (And if you thought this movie was bad, the promos for their illegal MILLENNIUM ULTRAMAN stage show are even worse!)Ultra-fans, watch this film at your own risk.
