Time: 125 Minutes
Age Rating: M – Violence
Cast:
Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi Shikishima
Minami Hamabe as Noriko Ōishi
Yuki Yamada as Shirō Mizushima
Munetaka Aoki as Sōsaku Tachibana
Hidetaka Yoshioka as Kenji Noda
Sakura Ando as Sumiko Ōta
Kuranosuke Sasaki as Yōji Akitsu
Director: Takashi Yamazaki

While my introduction to Godzilla was with the American movies starting with the 2014 film and the MonsterVerse films that followed, eventually I would check out the Japanese Godzilla movies, with the 1954 original and Shin Godzilla being the standouts for me. So when I heard that there would be a new Godzilla movie coming from Toho Studios, I was interested. Not only that, but I got a chance to watch it in IMAX, and I’m so glad I did. It’s not only one of the best Godzilla movies, it’s also the best I’ve seen from the series so far.

Godzilla Minus One is very much in line with the original 1954 movie in terms of its tone, bleakness and themes. It is largely set in Tokyo post World War 2 and the post-war trauma is felt throughout. It embodies the post wartime feelings, and leans into the anti-war and anti-government themes. There have been many depictions of Godzilla across the movies, from being the main villain, to the great equalizer who fights other monsters. Minus One’s Godzilla is firmly a wild monster, destroying everything in its wake. The film uses Godzilla sparingly, but for good reason. Every encounter feels significant, devastating and unforgettable. Like in the 1954 original, Minus One really conveys a real sense of doom and hopelessness. The Godzilla movies (and a lot of monster movies in general) have a reputation of mostly having rather weak human stories, and usually feel obligatory (but necessary, as these kinds of movies can’t operate without human characters). There are some exceptions of course, but I think that Minus One might have the best human story. It is what makes the movie hits as hard as it does and the it really wouldn’t have worked without the strong emotional core and great character work. It is the most emotional and compelling Godzilla movie, at least from the 7 films I’ve seen.

Minus One probably has the best cast of characters in a Godzilla movie, they are likable, feel real, and you genuinely really want them to not be killed, in a monster movie no less. That’s helped by the great acting from pretty much everyone. Ryunosuke Kamiki is particularly phenomenal in the lead role, especially in showing his character’s PTSD and survivor’s guilt, and conveying his arc over the course of the movie.

The direction from Takashi Yamazaki is fantastic. Considering its lower budget of $15 million, it looks really good. It is very well shot, the production quality is impressive, and most of the visual effects look great. The sound design is also really good, this is very likely the loudest Godzilla movie yet. I will avoid going into specific set pieces as I think it’s worth seeing them for yourself, but the action sequences are amazing. Not only is the destruction large and you feel the sense of scale, but you also feel the weight of the destruction on screen. It is a spectacle, but also emphasizes the people being killed, and does a good job at generating such a sense of dread in these scenes. I think this portrayal of Godzilla is really good, likely the most destructive and scariest that it’s been in a movie. The movements, the design and effects make it incredibly imposing and unnerving to watch. Finally, Naoki Sato’s score is affecting and tense, even managing to include the classic Godzilla theme to great effect.

Godzilla Minus One is a visually stunning and tense spectacle, with fantastic performances, amazing set pieces, and a strong emotional core. It’s one of my favourites of the year, and likely the best Godzilla film yet. Whether you’re a big Godzilla fan or not, I highly recommend watching it in the cinema if it’s available near you, it’s well worth it.