The plot line of Zeram is also the basis for an excellent anime OAV series. Although the film is a lot of fun, it has almost no plot or story exposition, often leaving the viewer totally in the dark as to any wider context other than the main characters escaping the monstrous Zeram and eventually defeating him. The anime series has a deeper plot and much more of an ongoing storyline, but as a cheesy alien blast-a-thon Zeram delivers the goods.The two bumbling male lead characters are sympathetic, if at times annoying protagonists. Personally I've never had the opportunity to see this in it's own language so I can't really tell if anyone's a good actor or not. The dub is good, largely trimmed of any excessive Americanised dialogue or pointless swearing, marking it out as a rarity in Manga Video's dubs, as something of half decent quality. Certainly Zeram has faired better then Gunhed on this front. The voice actors are decent, especially the voice-over for leading lady Iria.Physically, acting is good, both solid and convincing despite the amount of plastic and rubber paraphernalia going on, and the Iria actress and the dudes in the alien suits obviously know what they're doing fighting wise, giving the admittedly stodgily directed action scenes a much needed shot in the arm with some impactful fighting moves. The effects are impressive for a low-budget too, especially the monster suits and transformation sequences.Still, Zeram's lack of depth is self-evident from minute one. I admire the decision to focus on kicking things and blowing stuff up, but I wish there was some story to sink my teeth into. After the last rubber alien's been blown up and Iria's kicked in her last head, Zeram is instantly forgettable, and that's it's biggest downfall, it doesn't really grab you at any point. It's a shame, because as the anime series shows, bigger things could have been done. Check this out if you want a blast of dumb action, but definitely check out the anime first. You'll probably like this more if you do.

I have always had a soft spot for anime-esque films. Zeram was both entertaining and indulging. I have no idea what the budget of this well produced film was, but the initial battle scene between Iria and Zeram was staggering. Those who appreciated the Kryptonian battle in 'Superman 2' will love this piece of cinematography. Kuddos.Zeram's plotline is simple, the actors are fun to watch, and the action is a blast, the villain is more elemental than 'evil'. What else does the action-adventure viewer expect?Thumbs way up.

Apart from the dorky telephone repairmen everything in this movie is done perfectly. The monster is the coolest ever, and the kickboxing female bounty hunter is a great hero.Visually stunning despite the sometimes immature tone.

A visually stunning film full of extravagant monsters and dazzling special effects. Director Keita Amemiya definitely has a flair for this kind of stylistic filmmaking and the film looks great, although the pacing could be tightened up a bit. What sets the film apart from so many others is the conviction and no-nonsense portrayal of the main character (Iria) by actress Yuko Moriyama. She offsets the otherwise campy tone of the film and lends it some credibility. Worth checking out if you're interested in a fun no-brainer sci-fi adventure stocked with girls, guns, gadgets, and monsters.