20s Movie Review - Godzilla Minus One

Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Drama
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Minami Hamabe, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Munetaka Aoki, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Yuya Endo, Osuno Nakamura, Kisuke Ijda
 
Description: 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.

Review: “Godzilla Minus One” is as much a tribute to the original “Gojira” from 1954 as it is a contemporary update of the format. Homage, because Godzilla’s visual design bows to the original monster, minus the three-quarter of a century ago inevitable woodcut stop-motion.

Without notice, “Godzilla Minus One” hit theaters and suddenly appeared on Netflix in June 2024. Set in the country the creature originates from, Japan is just getting back on its feet after World War II. But the arrival of Godzilla threatens mass destruction once again. It is up to a former kamikaze pilot, who previously ran away from his duties, and some war veteran to stop the monster.

It's all done with the necessary visual spectacle, of course. Especially with a more limited budget, it’s amazing what they did with that. We have seen it before. But what makes this one stand out from the other “Godzilla” films is that it also manages to convince in its smaller, more melodramatic moments. The people are often the side characters in these monster movies, but here the focus is on them and their journey and their fight against Godzilla.

Even though it is unique in that matter, when I watch a movie about Godzilla, it’s Godzilla I want to see. It never bothered me that the human characters in these movies aren’t fully developed or might be a bit stereotypical or cliché. That’s not why I go see these films. So, having the focus on the people more did not work for me. And the ending of this film felt way to “Hollywood” for me, I did not like the ending.

I do get why people are raving about “Godzilla Minus One”, I did like it too. But not as much as most people. I personally prefer “Godzilla” from 2014.

Rating: 3,5/ 5