Godzilla Minus One, IMAX poster. Photo Courtesy of @Platon via X
His immense size, his haunting roar, and his fearsome, atomic breath took the world by storm on November 3, 1954.
The ‘King of the Monsters’ welcomed moviegoers to theaters to get a glimpse “Godzilla Minus One.”
Godzilla became a global icon, launched several sequels and made many cameos in countless media, but on Nov. 3,
2023, almost 70 years after the first ever movie was released, director Takashi Yamazaki, known for his films like “Always: Sunset on Third Street,” “Always: Sunset on Third Street 2,” and “The Eternal Zero,” would make arguably his most significant film, “Godzilla Minus One.”
“Godzilla Minus One” celebrates 70 years of the iconic Japanese monster Godzilla. The movie is a complete reboot and is a fresh start to the franchise for the next generation. While one does not have to be a Godzilla fan to enjoy “Minus One,” as it explains his origins pretty well, there are a lot of references from other previous Godzilla movies.
To name a few, Godzilla’s atomic breath causing a smoke cloud is a direct reference to the 2001 movie, “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack,” though the smoke cloud aspect also fits the movies theme of it being post World War II. Another reference to a previous Godzilla movie is the 1999 movie “Godzilla 2000.” In “Godzilla Minus One,” a bomb drops in Godzilla’s mouth, exploding half of the left side of his face off. He then grows the skin back, eminently making a very grotesque, but entertaining scene. This comes from the “Organizer G-1” ability in “Godzilla 2000,” where they explain why Godzilla is able to resist such hostile behavior. Another reference is from the American blockbuster, “Jaws,” when Godzilla follows a small boat in the water.
The list of movie references goes on, but “Godzilla Minus One” also references other aspects, like the behind the scenes special effects. In the beginning of the movie, when Godzilla is on Odo Island (a fictional island from the Godzilla franchise) and is pre-mutated, his dorsal plates sway as he moves. This references the classic latex material that the Godzilla suits were made out of back in the 50s, 60s and 70s, where the dorsal plates would sway as the actor inside the suit moved. Godzilla’s skin color through the years has varied, with colors consisting of black, green and most commonly charcoal gray. In “Godzilla Minus One,” his skin appears brown. This is because the original Godzilla suit, even though the movie was in black and white, was brown in color, making Minus-goji the second Godzilla variant with brown skin.
The film has lots of character development and is very accurate to post WWII Japan. The film takes place around a two year period from 1945 to 1947. The movie shows Japan’s recovery after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks over the span of years it takes place. To be more specific, when Shikishima arrives back to the mainland, the town he lived in is destroyed, but as the movie progresses, it gets rebuilt. But this creates the sense of chaos always being around the corner. While Japan’s still recovering from the war, and thinking that’ll be the end, Godzilla arrives to bring the same devastation like that of the nuclear bomb. This aspect brings Godzilla back to his original roots, making him a metaphor for nuclear annihilation.
“Godzilla Minus One” was a massive success around the world and received a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film
was shown in theaters worldwide, but banned from countries like China, South Korea and India. This was due to the political aspects of the movie as it reflects a lot on the political side of WWII. “Godzilla Minus One” also had a black and white release that premiered in theaters after its regular showing. “Minus One” won an Oscar for best special effects in the 2024 Oscar ceremony, making it the first ever Godzilla movie to receive an Oscar. But “Godzilla Minus One” won’t be a stand alone movie because Yamazaki announced a sequel, and Godzilla won’t be alone.
“Godzilla Minus One” is a great movie that brings Godzilla back to his original roots. It’s filled with lots of character development and plenty of entertaining moments, as well as political aspects at the time. “Godzilla Minus One” brought the original Godzilla back for the new generation, earning the film 5 out of 5 on the Warrior feather rating.
