Godzilla Minus One (2023) [Tokusatsu Review]

Godzilla Minus One; or, You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
     You’ve all survived a tragic war. So it pains me to ask you again to put your lives on the line. But understand this, we can’t rely on the US and Japanese government. The future of this country is in our hands.
I have to be honest and say that I was incredibly hyped when Toho announced that they were working on a new Godzilla film back in 2022. I was even more amazed to discover that Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One is going to be the first Goji flick to receive a wide international release in December 2023, including my homeland. Unfortunately, the screenings were very few in my region and I was about to give up my attempts to watch the film on the big screen until a local theatre in a neighbouring city made a special screening two days ago. This is my review of Godzilla Minus One.

Release Info

Directed by: Takashi Yamazaki Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Hidetaka Yoshioka

Language: Japanese Original Title: ゴジラ-1.0 Runtime: 125 min

Synopsis
Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) is a kamikaze pilot who pretends that his plane is faulty and, in consequence, lands on Odo Island for repairs. The garrison stationed on the island is attacked by a mysterious monster which is referred to by the locals as Godzilla. After the war, Shikishima comes back to Tokyo as a disgraced former-pilot. By complete accident, he starts living with a stranger woman and child who is not her own. To provide for them, he signs up for a government approved operation of clearing the sea out of mines. When performing his duties, Shikishima and his fellow crew members come face to face with Godzilla, this time much larger and much more powerful.

The Price of Sacrifice
I realise that I am quite late to the party because many movie enthusiasts out there have reviewed Godzilla Minus One through and through, but simply allow me to share my personal opinion that the film does indeed deserve the international praise it receives.

Director Takashi Yamazaki crafted a truly special and captivating spectacle that honours the original Ishiro Honda’s vision from 1954 as well as the essence of Godzilla’s character, being that it is an indestructible force of nature that plagues and traumatises mankind.

However, I would not say that Godzilla Minus One is a distinctively “Japanese” movie or that it beats Hollywood blockbusters because it does not communicate "the message", just as it is gloried by YouTubers across the board. Allow me to explain what I mean: If Shin Godzilla (2016) was an anti-establishment movie, then Godzilla Minus One is a full on anti-government movie. Director Yamazaki does not share Hideaki Anno’s vision of young, plucky bureaucrats saving the day. Instead, it is up to former naval soldiers suffering from war trauma to take matters into their own hands and fight for the safety of their families, not sacrifice themselves for the Emperor, honour, or the authority.

In consequence, Godzilla Minus One favours individualism rather than herd mentality and being under somebody’s thumb. This approach coupled with narrative techniques taken straight out of Steven Spielberg’s classic flicks (please refer to Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind) makes Godzilla Minus One a breathtaking cinematic spectacle, a memorable period drama, and effortlessly the best anniversary movie the fans ever had the chance to get.

Even though the movie was made on a tight budget, the production value is robust. I love the 1940s production design, special effects are not wonky at all, and Godzilla’s new appearance is truly menacing. You can clearly tell that Takashi Yakazaki had a clear vision of the story, which was made (thankfully) without the studio interference.

In addition, the music score for the film was composed by Yamazaki’s frequent collaborator, Naoki Sato. Movie critic Mark Kermode said that Sato’s subtle music resembles the sounds of Earth (source). I couldn’t agree more, but in my opinion, it also perfectly captures that mental aspect of impending doom that is Godzilla due to its slow build up. By far my favourite original track is Mission. Of course, Akira Ifukube’s original compositions make a comeback in the action scenes.

With regard to performances, Ryunosuke Kamiki carries the majority of the narrative burden on his shoulders because it is through the perspective of his character that audiences experience the raw power of Godzilla. Minami Hamabe is always a class act, and she easily entered the pantheon of Godzilla’s heroines (or, more appropriately, victims). Hidetaka Yoshioka is outstanding in the supporting role as a geeky scientist that comes up with a plan to defeat Godzilla. Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, and Sakura Ando have a chance to shine on the screen in spite of their limited screen time.

Recommendations
All things considered, I highly recommend Godzilla Minus One. This is the kind of Godzilla all the moviegoers live for. If you enjoyed the original film as well as Shusuke Kaneko’s GMK: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) and Shin Godzilla (2016), then Minus One is a must see. I sincerely hope that Takashi Yamazaki will be given another go at directing a Godzilla flick. In the meantime, it was confirmed that Minus One will return to Japanese cinemas in January, 2024 in a special black-and-white edition.Overall score: 10/10

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