Godzilla has returned to the big screen to once again attack Japan. In December of 2023 Godzilla Minus One was released in the U.S after its initial release in Japan back in November. It is made by Toho, the studio who made the original Godzilla movie back in 1954 since 2016’s Shin Godzilla.
The story takes place during the tail end of World War II. The first appearance of Godzilla comes at the very beginning of the movie when he shows up as a dinosaur-like creature and is not yet mutated. Godzilla attacks a Japanese base on Odo Island leaving only two survivors. Godzilla is mutated during the nuclear tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll.Godzilla goes on to destroy the USS Redfish and many other ships that are en route to Japan. Owing to tensions with the Soviet Union the U.S. offers no help save for a few decommissioned Imperial Japanese Navy vessels approved by General Douglas MacArthur. The Japanese government, concerned about inducing panic, does not notify the public about the danger.
Godzilla then attacks the city of Ginza. Killing tens of thousands of people. Frustrated by the Government’s inaction, a former naval engineer aboard a minesweeper’s crew devises a plan to lure Godzilla into the ocean and sink him, letting the water pressure crush him. As the plan is being carried out Godzilla breaks free of the trap and is forced back up to the surface, sustaining serious injuries from the resultant decompression induced Barotrauma.As Godzilla is about to destroy all the vessels with his heat ray, a pilot flies a Kyūshū J7W Shinden with explosive charges on it into Godzilla’s mouth and destroys its head. The energy of the heat ray tears Godzilla’s body apart. The last shot of the movie is a chunk of Godzilla’s flesh in the ocean which begins to regenerate, setting up for a potential sequel.
In Godzilla Minus One the dialogue was all in Japanese with English subtitles.That being said the acting was very good,There were many parts where the acting was a lot better than the scenes where Godzilla was on screen. Even with the Japanese dialogue the acting was very top notch. The emotional impact along with the acting I feel were the 2 best things about the human aspect of the film.
The themes in Godzilla Minus One explore a variety of areas such as anti-nuclear and anti-war themes, as well as the areas of trauma, hope, guilt, and redemption. The film’s title of Minus One also has a deep meaning saying that Japan couldn’t have been at a lower point after the bombings,and now they are at its lowest point with Godzilla showing up.
The critical impression of Godzilla Minus One was incredible. Although the film was made at a low budget of $10-12 million, It made $107 Million at the box office. The film was heavily praised by many movie critics,scoring a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Godzilla Minus One would also win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
