Godzilla Minus One is the latest installment featuring the gargantuan beast and it truly is a triumph in all forms. It is both brutal as hell and deeply emotional. It tells an impressively human tale while speaking to the fear of the government and atomic bombs off the heels of World War II.
Our protagonist Koichi Shikishima, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, is deeply moving. He is a disgraced kamikaze pilot who faked his plane’s malfunction and inaction against Godzilla got many men killed. He is plagued by survivor’s guilt, especially when he comes home to see the aftermath of the bombings in Tokyo. His arc blends in with his peers and friends, as they all are dealing with the destruction from war and now the destruction from Godzilla.
Speaking of Godzilla, holy cow did it look amazing. Godzilla’s design echoed its design of the past, moving more like a puppet than a completely CGI-ed beast. The destruction it causes is catastrophic. The heat/atomic breath is stunning. The clip has gone around on Twitter and TikTok how Godzilla’s body loads it up, but seeing it in context was breathtaking.
But like most Godzilla movies, the focus of Godzilla Minus One isn‘t on the beast itself but on the citizens who are impacted its destruction. The movie starts at the tail end of World War II after Japan has been bombed and thoroughly destroyed. From there they rebuild, unbeknownst to them that an atomic beast is coming for their city and their government has no plans to stop it.
The destruction is felt the most through the citizens, but it is through them that the threat is handled at the end. The relationships that form out of the unlikeliest of places are beautiful and as complex as ever. Our characters grieve, they suffer, and they forgive all along with us.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I had heard that Godzilla Minus One was great, but I couldn’t have expected how awesome it was to see. My theater had certain seats that would vibrate along to the action and had the entire room shaking. The movie is absolutely beautiful to watch, and I guarantee you that if you see it in the theater, you’ll never want to look away. Godzilla joins the prodigal list of movies I’ve seen that have received the perfect 5/5 and it deserves all of its praise. Go see it on the largest screen possible.
