Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Godzilla Minus One (2023) 

The 37th film in the Godzilla franchise and the 33rd from Japanese production company Toho.

Laura’s Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Plot: As Japan attempts to heal from WWII, Koichi Shikishima, a former kamikaze pilot, deals with PTSD from his time on Odo Island, where he encountered a monster called Godzilla. When it seems the monster is back and threatening Tokyo, Koichi sees a chance to make things right.

Analysis: I expected an intense action film centered around Godzilla and his destruction. While that’s certainly part of it, what I really got was a poignant look into the postwar struggles of the Japanese people. The film felt like more of a drama, with some surprisingly intense and emotional scenes. The characters were well developed and sympathetic and I thought the acting was solid. There are powerful themes of destruction, resilience, and redemption.

The musical score was often subtle, but incredibly effective at the right times and I loved the use of the original stinger when the monster was on screen. 

The Godzilla monster is super scary looking and I like that you get to see him pretty early in the film. The heat ray was a bit cheesy in my opinion, but hey, it’s Godzilla. Overall, I thought this was maybe the best modern Godzilla film I’ve seen and I’d highly recommend it.