Godzilla Minus One

Godzilla Minus One

Gojira -1.0 ~ ゴジラ-1.0

Writer & Director ~ Takashi Yamazaki

2023, Japan

Stars ~ Minami Hamabe, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Sakura Ando

 

As I was sitting watching ads and trailers, families with kids came in and I did wonder if they knew it was going to be subtitled. The trailer for ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ came on – this time with baby Kong making cutesy noises! – which only reminded me that I may have let myself in for a chore.

But I needn’t have worried. Godzilla’s first appearance and assault is just the giant monster action I came for. CGI it may be, but this Godzilla had a weight, mass and nuance to movement that was leagues ahead of the American version of the franchise. Or rather, it just felt like it had more meaning, more convincing, simply because the story felt more so from the start. This is the Toho Studios original strand and returned Godzilla to a terrifying force of War Time obliteration. While he is off elsewhere tag-teaming with Kong, here he represents a man’s PTSD and is awesome (not in the frivolous sense) and frightening. And every Godzilla appearance is impressive and gripping.

The human interest between monster appearances has often been disappointing, often padding, and even the admirable ‘Shin Godzilla’ felt a little bogged down in politics despite how goofy and impressive it often was. This human filler typical of the giant monster genre is often patience-testing whenever a kaiju is not stomping across the screen, but the drama here is admirably acted and thematically strong. And although there is no way to truly make lines of dialogue such as “The Monster has reached the coast” in a military context truly convincing, ‘Godzilla Minus One’ has serious intent. PTSD, survivor’s guilt, cowardice and duty, family units, self-respect, and sacrifice; and a little rebelliousness and political criticism in that the post-war civilians get together to defeat the threat after ditching belief in the authorities. All this, but mostly the monster action is focused, substantial and often dazzling. And if you were worried it was all going to be in darkness, or you wouldn’t get enough monster: don’t worry. There’s so much to enjoy: Godzilla attacking an undeserving group of mechanics on an island; Godzilla chasing a comparatively tiny wooden mine-sweeper boat; the heat ray – oh, the heat ray.

 

 

But most of all, it’s fun. Look! There’s a destroyer being tossed into the city like a chocolate bar. See! Godzilla chomp on a train! Therein is the audience moral dilemma because half the joy is the destruction, and the other half is seeing them beat the monster. And especially when the film is so properly engaged with the themes of its people facing war. But this time, you won’t be rooting for the kaiju. The film’s belief is in the people, and its fidelity to the sincerity of the original means this shows up the stateside franchise as derived from the wrestling match silliness the franchise originally fell into.

A kaiju film that met my expectations and more and not just silly fun. Usually, every time I go in, there’s disappointment in the mix. Not this time.

A triumphant balance of war film with giant monster action and effects