Post war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb. While I can’t say I’ve seen every single Godzilla movie, I can say that I have seen enough to know when they’re good or bad. It was not until a few days ago that I actually sat down and watched Ishiro Honda’s brooding 1954 masterpiece for my first time and finally understood the sheer significance of Godzilla as a global phenomenon. Sure, I enjoyed Legendary’s first two standalone Godzilla movies alright, but that was more on a popcorn entertainment level. Now having seen the original, it really put into context as to how a true Godzilla movie should be, whether it’s in regards to the tone, thematics, or the manner in which the monster itself is presented. By harkening back to a post WWII era Japan setting (1945) and making Godzilla a complete and total force of nature like he was in the original film, director Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One is one of the best movies in the kaiju’s nearly 70 year long film history. Surprisingly enough, it’s one that has genuinely compelling human characters to latch onto, an aspect in which Legendary’s Monsterverse has not been fully consistent.
Unlike many Hollywood studios today that try to subvert their target audience’s expectations, Toho knows exactly what their fans want to see and is willing to give it to them in a way that is both nuanced and earned. Ryûnosuke Kamiki plays Koichi Shikishima, a kamikaze pilot who abandoned his duty and meets a woman who is caring for a young baby girl in the aftermath of a Godzilla attack. Shikishima is an excellent flawed protagonist, one who has many layers when it comes to his survivor’s guilt, regrets, and traumas in regards to his past acts of cowardice. Now that he is forced to reluctantly embrace this new little family, it brings him closer to righting the wrongs of his previous actions, along with a burning desire to kill Godzilla. Kamiki gives an emotionally captivating performance as Shikishima and his dynamic with the team that’s forged on the Odo Island Base feels real and has a genuine sense of camaraderie, particularly with the lead mechanic on the island, Sosaku Tachibana.
When Godzilla first appears on screen in this movie, his look and demeanor may be initially off putting, but as the story progresses, that specific creative decision actually works out for the best. What’s more, is that once he shows up as the Godzilla we are used to seeing, this delayed gratification pays off in spades. Thanks to heavy nuclear weapons testing courtesy of the United States, this is without a shadow of a doubt, the absolute most terrifying, most evil, most dangerous, most angry, and perhaps the most powerful version of Godzilla ever to grace the silver screen. The movie knows that this is what fans want to see, but the context in which Godzilla is formally introduced from head to toe is a total spectacle to witness and director Yamazaki somehow makes this monster in a 15 million dollar budget film look far superior to the CGI creatures in many current MCU or over budgeted modern American blockbusters. Godzilla is a lean, mean, and nasty sonofabitch in this movie and there are several familiar musical cues that make his utter annihilation of Japan even more epic.
The original Godzilla movie was ahead of its time in terms of practical effects while Godzilla 2014 was a remarkable showcase in the evolution of VFX. This movie melds the best of both worlds together, almost seamlessly mixing convincing use of CGI (for Godzilla himself) and tangible practical effects (trains, building models being destroyed) that allow for a truly visceral experience. Godzilla Minus One also boasts impressive sound design, whether it’s Godzilla’s horrifying roar, the firing of heavy artillery, or the dispensing of the monster’s mind blowing atomic breath. I highly recommend viewing the film in IMAX to feel the sheer impact of these atomic breath sequences, as they will leave you speechless. As I gush about the amazing use of Godzilla in this movie (who has plenty of screen time, FYI), it cannot be overlooked that while I came for the big monster, I stayed for the deeply engrossing human element, which is something I did not expect. While the tone is bleak and the mood oftentimes feels hopeless, there is plenty of lighthearted banter between characters (the minesweeper boat team) and a true emotional centerpiece with the relationship of Shikishima and Noriko. I don’t want to get into details regarding Shikishima’s arc, but I was really taken off guard by how strongly his character development was handled and the film itself ends in an emotionally satisfying way.
Although I didn’t cry, for the first time in watching any Godzilla film, I welled up because I actually cared about the human characters, which is definitely saying something. You know something is being done right when you’re watching a Godzilla movie and aren’t impatiently waiting for the monster action to start back up due to how engaging the human characters are. Who knew a modern Godzilla movie would be a gripping story about overcoming survivor’s guilt as well as finding strength and hope in the aftermath of decimation, war, and tragedy. The movie runs a little over two hours and my only real gripe is that there could have been 10 minutes trimmed from the first act to make it flow a bit more smoothly. Other than that small nitpick, I can confidently say that this ranks among the best Godzilla, Kaiju, or hell, monster movies in general ever made. Godzilla gets a toweringly triumphant return to form and I could not recommend this movie enough, both to hardcore Zilla fans and general audiences alike. Overall, by returning to the post-war era Japan that started it all, showcasing genuinely compelling characters, and delivering the scariest most unstoppable version of Godzilla to date, Godzilla Minus One easily ranks among the best entries in the big G's nearly 70 year long film history.
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