It’s amazing how much of a resurgence the Godzilla franchise has gotten recently. While I will admit that some of the credit has to go to Legendary Pictures‘ MonsterVerse series, it still should be said how Toho, the original people behind the King of the Monsters, is still showing them up when it comes to actually making an authentic Godzilla film. This is strongly evidenced by Godzilla Minus One, Toho’s latest reboot of the franchise. This film was both a critical and financial success for the Japanese film studio, raking in around seven times its modest $15 million budget worldwide. It even won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects despite not having an astronomical budget. Take that, Hollywood!
But more importantly, Godzilla Minus One introduced The King of Monsters to a whole new generation of viewers. As someone who loves Godzilla ever since I was a kid, I couldn’t be happier. I’m super glad Toho is making Godzilla movies and them proving to be a success all over and not treated as late-night sci-fi cable fodder. So, when they announced they were making Godzilla Minus Zero, a direct continuation to the 2023 film, I was ecstatic! Takashi Yamazaki, the man behind Godzilla Minus One, was back doing, well, pretty much everything again for Godzilla Minus Zero, which did make me somewhat concerned, however. Would he be able to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was Godzilla Minus One for its sequel? Well, as I just did get to see Godzilla Minus Zero, I can actually say, yes. Yes, he did… for the most part.
Now, when I was thinking of how to review Godzilla Minus Zero, I was split whether or not if I should relay spoilers as a lot of the reasons why I loved it was because of the reveals. However, the trailers do not actually reveal them so I will still be making this a SPOILER FREE review. I will be limiting the review to what’s been shown in the trailers I’ve seen, though. I know longtime Godzilla fans would have already deduced the big reveal from the trailers as they strongly hint on what’s going to happen since the reveal is a king-sized callback (pun intended). But, since the trailers don’t really show it, I still have to make this a SPOILER FREE review for all the, shall we say, casual Godzilla fans out there. So, yep. Still a SPOILER FREE review!
Two years have passed since the events of Godzilla Minus One and Japan is reaching a sense of normalcy. Former kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima is now living a rather peaceful life with Noriko, who had amazingly survived Godzilla obliterating Ginza, and their adopted daughter, Akiko. However, it looks like there’s no respite as a new kaiju appears and it may be a bigger threat that Godzilla ever was.
I do have to say I feel a little dirty because, despite the above plot summary being deliberately vague, I kind of feel it reveals a lot already. But, in all honesty, that is the best way I can describe it without revealing too much. Now, as a veteran Godzilla fan, I already knew what this new kaiju is all about, which was another reason why I was excited. But I know the casual fans wouldn’t have any idea about it. I will say I love the mystery kaiju’s designs! It pays homage to the original but with a few twists here and there to make it much more frightening. Toho did a fantastic job of updating the mystery kaiju’s abilities as well, making his more silly attacks actually frightening! In my humble opinion, even though Godzilla here still looks awesome, the mystery kaiju is definitely the scene stealer here. A part of me wouldn’t have minded if this film was more of this kaiju’s solo story. But I know we gotta have Godzilla here because, without the King of the Monsters, this wouldn’t be as good.
Speaking of which, I’m actually surprised at how Godzilla feels more like a plot convenience here rather than a major plot point. It’s almost like they needed Godzilla here just so he can face off against the mystery kaiju. Then again, I’m not complaining because, like in the original films, the fight was pure awesomeness! I will say I am rather disappointed that we don’t really get to see too much of Godzilla here because the film does have to focus on the mystery kaiju more here as he’s the bigger threat in a sense. Still, this is a Godzilla film, so I would much like to see more of him, please.
Once again, much like with Godzilla Minus One, I am very thoroughly impressed with how much I actually cared for the human characters in Godzilla Minus Zero. Typically in a Godzilla film, even longtime fans don’t really care for the stupid humans as we mostly watch to see massive kaijus wreck stuff. So I gotta give praise to Takashi Yamazaki for writing humans I actually want to see survive the kaiju carnage! It certainly doesn’t hurt that the acting here is pretty good all around, albeit a little melodramatic at times. Every one here is great when they do need to act “normal” but they do tend to overact slightly when their supposed to convey their emotions running high. I do have to highlight Sae Nagatani, the young girl who plays Akiko. I’m so used to child actors acting annoying and too innocent but she does a good job of walking that tightrope of behaving like an innocent child who does understand that something really dangerous is happening but she can’t understand what it is exactly.
Godzilla Minus Zero introduces new characters and they do seem like references to concepts from Godzilla movies in the past. I can’t really talk about these Godzilla tropes because this is a SPOILER FREE review but seasoned Godzilla fans will probably be pointing at the screen and muttering “I understood that reference” when they see it. The actors that do portray these new characters also do a really good job acting but their introduction does mean a couple of the characters who did appear in Godzilla Minus One have to be almost written out of the story. They do appear but they’re more like glorified cameos.
The new characters also highlight something that I do feel hurts my enjoyment of the film a little. That would be these new characters actually introduce a more sci-fi element rather than the more grounded tone of the first film. Like I said, Godzilla fans will know what they’re supposed to connote. But I am a little torn with these additions as I really like the more realistic ways the humans dealt with a kaiju threat in the original. I know it’s a little silly complaining about realism in a movie when there are giant monsters firing laser beams out of their mouths. That’s just what I feel.
Speaking of giant laser beams and kaiju, I do have to say the special effects here is another Oscar contender to Best Visual Effects. Everything seems so seamless and I honestly could not detect a hint of green screen or whatever special effects magic Takashi Yamazaki utilized to make the kaiju, explosions, flying and everything else appear like they actually filmed it! I guess that’s what happens when you have the director (and writer) also being the same guy who handles the VFX for a movie. Suffice to say, Godzilla Minus Zero is another tour de force when it comes to Visual Effects.
As good as the Visual Effects are, I actually think the sound design of the film is much better. The sound effects are phenomenal, with everything, from Godzilla’s roar to the explosions, they just enhance the action on the screen. But I personally love the soundtrack. I guess there’s a little bias here but hearing the Godzilla theme whenever the monster shows up accentuates it perfectly. The other music also punctuates the tone of each scene really well also. There isn’t a after-credits scene in Godzilla Minus Zero but I still stuck around because of how much I loved the music here.
If I were to spout a notable negative about Godzilla Minus Zero, I would have to say it would be its ending. While there is some finality to the proceedings, it does kind of end on an Empire Strikes Back kind of tone as in you know there’s enough setup made for a sequel. But it’s a little more sloppy as there were times when it looked like it was going to end but it didn’t. It’s not terrible but it’s just not as satisfying as it should have been.
Overall, I loved Godzilla Minus Zero but, as of right now, I still think its predecessor, Godzilla Minus One is better because of the tighter ending as well as how realistic it came across. However, I do have a feeling I might change my mind or I might bounce around regarding which is better in the future. There’s simply a lot to love about Godzilla Minus Zero. If you’re a Godzilla fan, I don’t have to recommend this because I know you’ve already bought your ticket to see it. But if you’re not someone familiar with the King of Monsters, I can still say I strongly recommend you see this, even just for the spectacle of watching wonton destruction caused by a kaiju. It’s just really good.
Have you seen Godzilla Minus Zero? Do you think it’s better than Godzilla Minus One? Let me know in the comments section below!
