Godzilla Minus One – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Godzilla Minus One – A Human Tale of Tragedy and Monsters

Film is a medium defined by experience.  Each time we walk through those theater doors, we step into a world of unknown possibilities.  No matter which film you choose to watch, you hope that film becomes an unforgettable experience.  In this review, I look at the latest entry in a famed monster franchise.  Within a familiar aesthetic, we head into an unexpected human journey.  Godzilla Minus One is more than just another creature feature … it an enduring tale of hope and survival. 

In Post-war Japan, one man will need to find the courage as a whole nation faces against the ultimate threat … an unstoppable force known as Godzilla.  When a film bases its story off a known IP, there are certain built-in expected elements.  Like any other franchise, Godzilla has many iterations that range from the cheesy to the bombastic.  These details are commonplace for a ‘creature feature’, but this latest chapter goes a different route.  We begin the tale through perspective of a failed kamikaze pilot, Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki).  In the prologue, he witnesses certain horrors that lead to personal struggles on his return home to Tokyo.  Through a mixture of conversational moments and melodrama, he encounters a young woman, Noriko Oishi (Minami Hamabe).  Their meeting leads to an unlikely bond, providing a focal point through a dramatic lens.  From here, the filmmakers gradually build through their perspective, providing a character journey framed within the ‘creature feature’ outline.  As the two struggle to find renewed purpose in life, this sense of fragility parallels the looming threat off Japan’s coast.  When Godzilla makes landfall, it becomes a tense sequence of human survival within the known aesthetic of the IP: Over-the-top destruction and heavy score.  As everything unfolds, the emotional depth that was built (through the human characters) lifts the story through a thematic appeal of hope against the ideal representation of tragedy.

As the journey continues, it pushes the narrative through its unique spin of humanistic grip of survival.  With the constant threat of Godzilla, there is a raw aspect of personal worth that becomes prudent within Shikishima and the survivors.  As the group try to find ways of destroying Godzilla, the overall juxtaposition of tragedy and perseverance adds more depth within the familiar.  With that ominous cloud hanging over Japan’s survival, we head into a third act that mixes in intense situation, emotional human moments, and the grand appeal of Godzilla.  This leads to an emotionally intense climax and a reflective like epilogue.  Godzilla Minus One is one of the best entries in the long running franchise. Building a human story with the epic popcorn appeal of the IP.  If you are a fan of the franchise, creature features or dramatic tales, this is one for you.  This film is so much more than just being a great time at the theaters … it is an award worthy experience. 

Full Score – 4.5 out of 5 (Award Worthy)