Final Rating: 4/5
As streaming has become the de facto way in which many people consume movies these days, there is a growing concern I’ve seen that thought-provoking indie films will get squeezed out of cultural relevance. The logic goes that if the only profitable films to release theatrically are the “theme park” $200 million+ budgeted blockbusters (or micro budget Blumhouse style horror films), independent films will mostly be bought up by streamers to be released amongst dozens of others movies each week and forgotten by next month.
Sure you have studios like A24 who have been shown to be able to make the indie model work, but even then they’ve signed a deal with WB to put their catalog on Max and are also looking at making larger projects to please investors. While I’m not necessarily an insider who can forecast the future, I do know of at least one franchise that not only is able to provide the large screen spectacle that will get butts in ever more expensive reclining plush chairs, but also will still have that thought provoking element of indie films at the same time – Godzilla.
Godzilla has always been a franchise straddling this line of spectacle with commentary. You have the original, which served as an allegory of Japanese fears about the impact of the atomic bomb, to a more cautionary tale of human hubris at trying to control the environment, to the recent iteration in Shin Godzilla which served as a critique of the Japanese government’s inability to effectively respond to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
At the same time, (especially in the more American versions), it’s just fun seeing giant monsters wreak havoc and fight other giant monsters (see Godzilla v Kong as the first big movie back in theaters post pandemic). Being able to hold both desires of movie goers at once is what allows the most recent entry into the franchise, Godzilla Minus One directed by Takashi Yamazaki, to have that universal appeal.
Taking the franchise back to its roots, Minus One is set in post war Japan and follows failed kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) who returns to civilian life after being one of two survivors of Godzilla’s attack on an island outpost where he had fled to avoid his duty. As he starts to try and rebuild his life while also helping Noriko (Minami Hamabe), a female survivor, and Aki-chan, a young orphan, he gets a job on a minesweeping boat.
After the Bikini Atoll tests cause Godzilla to mutate and attack Tokyo, Koichi and his crewmates (and other private citizens) begin to form a plan to take down Godzilla and keep Tokyo safe. The exact mechanics aren’t necessarily important to this review, but certainly are a blast to watch on a big screen play out.
The visceral monster smash stuff aside, here Godzilla perhaps acts as an allegory for the most personal story yet in the franchise. Where before as we mentioned he is more a force of nature that feels as though he is against all of humanity, the way he is presented here is really that of grief and survivor’s guilt that Koichi feels – of being the only survivor of the island attack, of shirking his duty as a kamikaze pilot.
He doesn’t feel as though he can move on with his life – as he says at one point in the film “my war hasn’t ended yet.” And while he tries to avoid or ignore it, it is only when he and the other civilians tackle the problem head on that they are able to exorcize their personal demons leftover from the war and begin to heal and move on with their lives. That added emotional catharsis is what really separates this film from other kaiju films where the destruction is almost for the sake of having a climactic ending versus a real character development moment.
Of course all the hallmarks for fans of the franchise are here – the classic score, the roar and heat ray, even a respect for big G once he is defeated. However in particular a lot has been said about how this film cost only $15M USD to make and looks just as good as other $200M Marvel films or even better.
Some of this comes down to the director, Takashi Yamazaki, who is known for his expertise as a visual effects director, letting them frame shots and shoot them in a way to make things easier for post production. Of course there is an element as well that animators in general in Japan are paid less than here in the States which does bear mentioning when people question how it could be made on such a budget.
The questionable pay of animators aside, if there is something within the film that keeps it from getting a full five stars from me, it is that within the literal last minute of the film a major plot point from the middle of the film is reversed which felt like a cheap cop out to get a happy ending for Koichi. While I can see it playing thematically into the idea that once he is able to face his own demons head on he can have his happy ending, it does somewhat rob the film of the emotional impact of the early plot point, cheapening it and leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
That aside though, Godzilla Minus One is certainly a worthy addition to the big monster smashing things canon and again, definitely worth seeing on the biggest screen near you as soon as possible.
