Steve Long 
Steve detours to post-war Japan to check out Toho’s GODZILLA MINUS ONE. But was it a monster smash?
GODZILLA MINUS ONE was the movie that wound up taking the #2 spot on my list of favorite albums of 2023. So needless to say, I liked it.
This movie came out of nowhere for me. I had not even heard anything about it until a few days before I watched it at the theater. I had heard about it from some friends on social media and thought, yeah, I’ll give it a try. Frankly, I’m thrilled that I gave this movie a chance.
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of Godzilla, this one is the 37th film in the franchise and the 33rd movie to be produced by the Toho entertainment company. If you go into this movie thinking that you are getting another fix of the MonsterVerse universe, think again. This one fits more in line with the original 1954 film than films such as King of the Monsters or Godzilla vs Kong.
SUBTITLES AND MONSTERS
Many people dislike movies with subtitles and might think this would detract from the film. But in this case, they could not be further from the truth. I think that if this movie had been done with English dubbing or English-speaking actors, it would not have been as good. The subtitles just added to its authenticity.
Visually speaking, this movie was incredible. They got the Godzilla character down perfectly and treated it with high regard. The special effects and CGI are spectacular, making it a perfect popcorn movie. Set primarily in 1946, the film takes place right at the close of World War 2. Godzilla Minus One tells us the story of a former pilot embroiled in the clean-up and recovery efforts of Japan following its destruction due to the dropping of the atomic bomb. However, the pilot winds up deep in another crisis when the title monster ravages the city.
It is the perfect balance of action, watching a giant radioactive dinosaur trashing the countryside and drama. It takes you on an emotional journey through PTSD, shame, and moving on with your life after disaster strikes both your country and family. While we get plenty of giant monsters destroying buildings action, the movie does well to put trauma and tragedy at the center of the story. Director Takashi Yamazaki did an incredible job on this film.
VERDICT
Although the film had a relatively low budget (costing less than $15 million to produce), one can’t help but love it for its visuals, its story, and its emotional impact. It is well deserving of its accolades. After all, it recently won the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Visual Effects. It is easily my all-time favorite Godzilla movie.
GODZILLA MINUS ONE is now showing in selected cinemas and will be re-released in black and white later this month for Japanese fans, courtesy of Toho Studios.
Steve is a fan of Star Wars, punk rock, comic books, and cats. In addition to writing for Future of the Force, he also sings for punk band Get Fired and hosts the podcast Rebel Rock Radio!
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