Ranking in as perhaps one of the most recognizable and deadly monsters to appear on screen, Godzilla returns for more carnage and industrial damage in the newest installment of the franchise. “Godzilla Minus One” serves as the newest entry into the 37 film long series and takes place in the years during, as well as after World War II. Though we aren’t immediately flung into the action a typical kaiju movie would provide.
We are instead thrust into the perspective of Koichi Shikishima, played by Kamiki Ryunosuke, a kamikaze pilot returning to base to have his plane repaired. He lands at an air strip on Oda Island and, after some brief suspicions being brought up, we learn Shikishima disobeyed an order. Yet the rest of the base remains unaware of this as night falls and is awoken by the sounds of sirens.
As the base full of mechanics and soldiers prepare to fight what they think are Americans, they are welcomed with the sight of Godzilla surfacing on the beach. A prompt from the commanding officer sets off the kaiju and he swiftly tears apart the base, save for a mechanic named Tachibana and Shikishima.
Gripped with survivor’s guilt, he returns to Tokyo and learns of his parents’ deaths in the Tokyo Bombings. Falling even further into despair, Shikishima has to build from nothing in the ruins of a devastated Tokyo, all while fate has thrown him a curveball in a vagrant mother needing help and shelter from him. Yet, he manages after a couple years as he takes a risky government minesweeping job.
It is here where he is faced to confront the demons and kaiju of his past in an intense film which doesn’t rely heavily on action. We are instead shown an interesting plot of rebuilding and struggle that is highlighted by some amazing acting performances from Ryunosuke and others. But that isn’t to say that this film is lacking in the action whatsoever.
The visual and special effects were used really well and the sheer destruction Godzilla causes is sure to elicit a few gasps of shock from the audience. The film does a really great job of showing just how imposing a threat Godzilla is. Not only that, but this film also serves as a sort of reimagining of the character by diving back into the kaiju’s first appearance reimagined with new effects and a more modern look at the King of Monsters.
Even with the new and improved effects as well as design, there are a few callbacks to the original films that fans are sure to spot. One of which is the prominent theme music of Godzilla playing as the camera panned out to show him against the cityscape. It’s one of the many factors that made this movie great.
While still feeling like a new film, it does a great job at showing how destructive the King of Monsters can truly be while reimagining an old character. Delivering it to us in the form of an intense and emotional tale of growth was a great choice and it set the movie apart from the rest. It is perhaps for those reasons I would recommend “Godzilla: Minus One,” for new and older fans.
