Godzilla: Minus One (2023)

So a random fact, I love Godzilla... there you go and that everything! (that was a joke) This is not the first Godzilla movie actually, its Shin Godzilla and as a kid I vaguely know who is Godzilla. As a kid I love dinosaurs, I remember I saw two T-Rex's doing the thing before the school told me what it is in documentary, I saw weird stuff.

I know you are thinking : "Well, what dose it got to do with Godzilla?" That's because my first love of dinosaurs changed me, it took me down to a path of being a giant monster nerd and the movie that really makes me love Godzilla or giant kauji in general is Monsters Vs. Aliens with the giant robot - "Send another Probe at once!". I made an entire review on it if you want to check out, I remember drawing it as a kid because there is something that makes it interesting and I can't pin point why.

I've also been a bit of a folklore person because the one that interested me the most of teenage(hood) is the Umibozu. What is an Umibozu as you are dumb-founded. Its a giant Japanese myth spirit who sunk ships and are huge as they're 33 feet tall and most art portrayed them as black human like giants. I wonder what it reminds me of...

So I also watched the monster-verse movies and the internet has been comparing to it and I don't get it. Not because these are bad movies by any means but its really because this movie is more of a drama and The New Empire is more goofy, its like comparing apples and oranges. I do know this movie exists but I did eventually watched it on Netflix and oh boy I regret missing out this movie because its good and I'm so mad I didn't get to watched this movie in 2023. In fact its much, much, much better then I thought it would be!

This year marks Godzilla's 70th anniversary, for wrecking humanity! So without a further-a-do let's get into it:

This is a retelling of the OG done right: If you don't know (other then WARNING : IT CONTAINS SPOILERS!) its a remake to the original 1954 movie and on paper this sounds bad, if you know me I absolutely hate Disney remakes because they are a soulless cash-grab that milked nostalgic people for Disney. But here's the thing! Unlike Disney remakes I'll argue that this movie and Percy Jackson's King Kong is a remake done right because this two movie did it in a respectful manner to the original source material while keeping it fresh with something new to impact the plot more.

Disney remakes told the exact same story with few elements that doesn't even matter to it because it doesn't take any risks, why watch the same thing and what's the point of it. Godzilla Minus One doesn't have the problem and the movie doesn't want you to feel its a waste of time because the movie give more layers (which I'll get into later). Also this movie is a two hours long. Again it might be the end of the world but no its not. Why, that's because of the creative director and writer Takashi Yamazaki. I'm trying my best to find on the internet why he made it and the production and I'm really using the Wiki for this.

Sets, animation on the big guy and the outcome: So after the released of Godzilla in America and it was a huge success so back at Toho they want to make a reboot of their Godzilla being Shin Godzilla was also a critical and commercially successful. Kenji Yamada (the producer of Godzilla Minus One) have planned several live-action Godzilla to get him on the big screen but all are cancelled as the executives agreed none of them were worthy follow-ups.

Shinji Higuchi (the co-director of Shin Godzilla) stated that Toho will not produce another Godzilla film after 2020 due to the BIG SICK. eventually the idea of an Godzilla remake was green light on November 3, 2022 as Yamasaki surprised the fans on he's comment from an interview saying "You can't have Godzilla unless it's 9set it) the Showa era". There where alternatives of the title such as Gojira Minus Itten Zero. He's inspiration title comes from the science fiction "Minus Zero" as a meaning of "Zero" of Japan's post-war zero situation to a minus. The script took a year to make as Kenji said.

So after a few mishaps Godzilla Minus One is release on October 18, 2023 and it was finical success and critical claim. Some would say this is the best Godzilla movie to be made to date and it was so liked that get this, wins an Oscar for Best Visual Effects! I was mind blown that it won an Oscar for the very first time in almost a quarter century year old franchise, its crazy!

So this movie's budget is 10-15 million to make and it got 116 million at the box office! This budget so low that it turns into a profit! The movie has over 35 animators and VFX artists working on it and there are sets like the ship its real and the background is green and the building scene where the news reporter takes Godzilla at the background, is real. 2023 is year of box offices bombs with underpaid Artist, the 2023 strike and companies like Disney or Warner Bros. is trying too hard with the big stupid budget! Trying too hard to make us care for a product.

I really apricate and respect this movie with the team behind it and this movie shows that you don't need a high budget to make a movie look good as long your respect your workers and oh boy its so good. I'm going to take about the animation for sec because its really amazing! Back to my Disney remake critique the problem I had with this movies is the CGI rubes me the wrong way, Flounder feels way too real and really creeps me out because how emotionless he is. Here for Godzilla's case he is supposed to be imitating and threaten (which I'll get to later).

Human characters: I was invested with the human characters the whole movie and I think this movie dose an interesting way, how? By making the main character Kamikaze to link in the theme and he's trauma on Godzilla. Unlike 1954 Godzilla which the human plot is a love triangle which there is nothing wrong about but I think this makes it a bit more theme and the movie's point of how it represents of its theme.

Kamikaze is a traumatized character as the movie progress, he is a pilot but after the Japan Hiroshima bombing a giant dinosaur as he says killed all of the members and screwed up he didn't shoot Godzilla, after back home he is now a loner with he's parents dead and Noriko Oishi now her children are killed is now Kamikaze's wife. I like that Kamikaze doubts himself if he really deserves to live and question he's morality now been a father with an orphan to take responsibility. I love that the movie let you get invested and spends time on Kamikaze's flaws, growth and you can really understand he's frustration by the government rules and that's real thing that Japan had at the time.

It taking place one year after the BIG BOMB and later grow with a slightly more peaceful town with stupid government orders unfortunately.

Kamikaze (well my mistake he's name is Koichi Shikishima) is now shipper man with Yoji Akistu the captain, Kenji Noda the science guy and Kid the sidekick. This characters will impact the plot later on, when they saw dead fish on the water Koichi knows that its Godzilla and a swing and bomb Godzilla comes in and destroyed the ship but now bigger then ever, I love Godzilla chasing them, not yet to used it's secret weapon , this raised attention and give steaks. This is nail biting because its a huge beast which they don't stand toe to toe. After the navy comes Godzilla used its secret weapon, the atomic breath! After he attack Ginza which Koichi's wife works, man this gives me so much goose bumps this scene plays in.

Then it shoots the beam and destroyed Koichi's wife and the smoke cloud representing the nuclear bomb, its such an heart breaking moment because Koichi builds up he's family now completely taking away from him, he lost everything.

Godzilla itself: Okay let's now Godzilla now, the reason I refer Godzilla as it because the movie doesn't give Godzilla a gender some um Godzilla is trans?! But that's theory for another day, a FILM THEORY! So the big guy you came here people, anyways. The reason why Godzilla is such an impactful beast is because this is not your regular movie monster, its not a vampire or werewolf.

I think why I love Godzilla so much is because how much its represented and symbolizes a lot ways. The main inspiration from Godzilla by the creator Ishiro Honda is the Japanese Bombing of Hiroshima, yes he is linked to a real world tragedy and has a stating on this : "Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall ,too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy."

It also represents the horrors , fear and danger to nuclear to humanity, its a forced by nature and we can't control nature, nobody can't control the weather.

Just for a sec think about who created nuclear? Humans! Its humanity's fault and its very true to our world because he wouldn't listen at points. This movie is not afraid (also 1954 and Shin Godzilla) to show people screaming in terror and this movie has faith to it, the reason why this title is called "Godzilla Minus One is Art" because I think many realised how art is very emotional. Godzilla is the antagonist of this story but the big reason why its so panicky is because of the huge size and the unstoppable nature to Godzilla. I also love the theme, I think it perfectly capture it's big monster coming to destroy Japan and terror to it. Like it didn't even need to go hard!

So back to the review a plan was setup to destroy Godzilla once for all, then Koichi meet an old friend but didn't go well, I love that one moment before the attack starts Koichi daughter draw a picture of him and mommy , then starts to cry, this can make an old man cry. I think the casting is great because how they bring so much emotion to the story. So the plan is to sunk Godzilla down and let it up and yeah it did go well after Godzilla shoots the target. But the rope didn't work until backup by Kid after being left out because the captain fought he's take things seriously. Then the pay off after Koichi finally letting go of he's past trauma and done the right thing he should have done in the first place, he finally shoots Godzilla and kills it.

As much I love the only problem is that it turns out he's wife is alive, I'm sorry you can't tell me she eve survives it but I guess that's a bit of an nip pick because he gets he's happy ending but again it did bother me a bit. So the end!

Final thoughts: So yeah, that was Godzilla Minus One and its a masterpiece! Godzilla Minus One is a thrilling , engaging and emotional experience! Its a movie that I'll apricate it as I get much older and this movie 100% without a doubt is a Oscar wining movie. Is it the best Godzilla movie? Maybe yeah, look I've never seen the 1954 Godzilla but I'll say yes, it is!

I also know the hits, like Godzilla vs. MechaGozilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla Vs. Mothra, the bizarre Godzilla Raids Again, Final Wars and the insane stupidly funny masterpiece the original King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962) is so ironic that is the third instalment of both Godzilla and King Kong, what a cultural milestone of cinema!

I will say I think this is the most cohesive written Godzilla movie with the aesthetic, traits and theme tightly well put together. I highly recommended to watch, just please because for my money its not only one of the best Godzilla movies but the best movie of 2023! There is so much talent and love put in this movie.

So that's everything I got to say!

Thank you Tomoyuki Tanaka, for showing our beauty of humanity in a meaningful way,

We will missed you,

1910-1997