Godzilla Minus One – A Review in Brief

This Movie is for:

• Fans of classic Japanese Godzilla films
• Moviegoers that are fed up with the absolute trash Universal is trying to feed us with the Godzilla vs Kong series

This Movie is Not for:

• Those that don’t appreciate math in their movie titles
• People who can’t suspend disbelief about big lizards

Review – With No Spoilers

Godzilla Minus One is a classic monster film. It pays homage to its roots in the original Japanese Godzilla series while also making its own path. While there are moments that still come across as corny and some of the acting is over-the-top, the film hits all the right notes and smashes all the right buildings.

From the jump, the filmmakers are not shy about showing Godzilla. It’s eating soldiers less than five minutes into the film, and despite the humorous image of a giant lizard stepping on war planes, the menace is there. This Godzilla is a more classic design compared to its bulkier American counterpart. This is a tradeoff as it does make it feel – and I’m sorry for saying this – a little less realistic. Much like the shark in Jaws, this Godzilla is better when seen in action rather than a lingering closeup.

Thankfully, like most good giant monster movies, the plot is more about the people affected by Godzilla’s destructive vacationing habits. Minus One takes on the real challenge of showing how a country would react to new devastation just after World War II has ended. It leads to surprisingly human moments among the absolute carnage caused by a radioactive, heat ray shooting dinosaur with an attitude problem. While the action and destruction are excellent, it’s really in the moments right before and right after that the movie shines.

  If I have one major complaint, it’s that the movie felt too long. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: Not every film needs to be two hours. Still, the waiting pays off in an epic finale. The final fight between the military and Godzilla is a showstopper and builds tension well even though we’re all expecting a popcorn ending.

 In the end, that’s mostly what Godzilla Minus One is, a good popcorn film. It had more heart than I expected, and while some of the emotional moments didn’t quite land, many of them did. It’s fun to see a fresh take on a classic monster that stays true to its cinematic roots and isn’t trying to set up a cinematic universe (looking at you again Universal, no one wants the Kong CU. No. One.). In addition, focusing on the human element amidst the chaos and setting the film in post WWII Japan gives this entry a unique feel all its own.

4/5 Stars – It’s good to watch Godzilla smash. More info about how I rate films here.