Monsters hold a special place in everyone’s heart, especially as epitomized by movies, particularly Hollywood films. Monster movies are some of the highest-grossing films of all time, such as Jurassic Park, Aliens, or Jaws, and they also gather a cult following that remains unmatched over time. From dinosaurs to King Kong, or super-sized Sharks to Crocodiles, humans have a fascination with size. Among all the iconic monsters immortalized by cinema, Godzilla stands tall. Godzilla, a lizard-like dinosaur that adapts well on both land and water but is primarily a waterborne creature, ignites awe, terror, and respect. Sublime in strength and power, Godzilla has been pitted against King Ghidorah and King Kong, among others. Godzilla is one of the most portrayed monsters in movies, making it a box office favorite. Today, where storylines are less prevalent and CGI visual effects are key to delighting the audience, this Godzilla film is a supreme example of both visual splendor and an effective storyline backed by a strong script and brilliant performances.
It’s 1945 on Odo Island, a fictional island off mainland Japan. A young pilot, Kōichi Shikishima, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki—Japan’s very own version of Michael J. Fox—lands his plane on the island. The next few minutes will be forever remembered in movie history as the most spectacular introduction of Godzilla, a fictional monster who has fascinated audiences globally. The first glance of Godzilla, a highly improvised mix of a dinosaur and lizard, emerging from the ocean to wreak havoc on the Japanese garrison, is worth a million words. This classic scene is comparable to the first introduction of the Tyrannosaurus Rex in Jurassic Park. The audience is both in awe and respectful of this fascinating god-like creature as it trumps its way through, disintegrating the bewildered and hassled Japanese soldiers. Few foreign movies can match big-budget Hollywood films given their hold on CGI effects. I dare say that this movie not only outmaneuvers but outpaces many Hollywood films with its well-interconnected storylines. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki of Shin Godzilla fame, and produced by Toho Studios and Robot Communications, this is the 37th movie in the Godzilla franchise and Toho’s 33rd Godzilla film. Considering the movie’s world-class articulation and finesse, you must acknowledge the high point the production has reached in their visual depiction of Godzilla. This movie is a high point in kick-ass visual spectacle.
The movie features an excellent cast that meshes together seamlessly, complementing each other for a well-rounded impact with classic action sequences—each outdoing the last. Although the movie is slightly over 2 hours long, it is well-paced and interspersed with many action sequences, some shot in the ocean with artistic flair and stunning landscapes. Among the supporting actors, Minami Hamabe as Noriko Ōishi, Kōichi’s girlfriend, and Munetaka Aoki as Sōsaku Tachibana, a former Navy Air Service technician, stand out. The scene where Kōichi and Sōsaku, along with other actors, attempt to kill Godzilla using mines in the ocean is reminiscent of the shark chase scene in Jaws. The movie uses various encounters with Godzilla to detail the true nature of the creature—its ability to replicate and the nuclear power innate within the creature to destroy any conceivable city or weapon. The dreaded heat wave that Godzilla vomits has no parallel, decimating anything in its path. The scenes where Godzilla uses the heat wave to destroy the Japanese warship are breathtaking. The differentiating factor between this Godzilla movie and others of the same genre is not limited to the mind-boggling visual effects that capture the menacing power of the giant lizard. It is the emotive and engrossing storyline that catapults the movie to a higher dimension. The film includes all the destructive scenes typical of a monster movie, such as Godzilla obliterating Ginza City and killing thousands with its heat ray. Over the course of the movie, it is revealed that Godzilla was mutated following a nuclear test explosion by the US in the Pacific. This mutation gives Godzilla near invincibility through self-healing and imbues it with radioactive capabilities. The movie also contains its share of personal tragedy. Noriko’s death in Ginza is heartfelt, enshrining her in cinematic history as she sacrifices herself for her love. It is more tragic to know that our hero, Kōichi, despite being in a relationship with her, never marries her. It is later revealed that this is due to his inability to come to terms with his failure to harm Godzilla when he had the chance, and the subsequent death of his parents due to the monster’s rampage, covered in the earlier part of the movie. Noriko’s death turns out to be the turning point for Kōichi as he finally vows revenge by killing Kaiju.
The movie has its cerebral moments as Sōsaku uses the laws of physics to devise a plan to kill Godzilla, given its immunity to conventional weapons. Donning the hat of a brilliant scientist that would make the evergreen “Doc” character from Back to the Future proud, Sōsaku hypothesizes a plan to kill the monster using freon tubes to submerge the creature to the deepest depths possible in the ocean near mainland Japan by lowering the water buoyancy. The idea is to kill Godzilla by subjecting it to the extraordinary pressure of the deep water. If this does not work, the plan involves using inflated balloons to rapidly bring the creature to the surface, thereby killing it through decompression. Although the idea does not work as planned, the heroes in the movie improvise to kill Godzilla. The movie has its own share of heroism mixed with jingoism as the final motivational act for sailors who know they are going to certain death as they set out to kill Kaiju in the final showdown between humans and a demi-creature that has supernatural powers to remove man-made structures like ants and flies. The movie lacks consistent humor in its narrative, although there are blessed one-liners that make you laugh out with gusto. For example, there is constant humor around the government. The best one-liner is when a sailor asks if there is any probability that they would ever come back alive when Sōsaku implores them to help him kill Godzilla using his ingenious plan. When Sōsaku replies positively, the sailor shoots back that the probability is better than joining the imperial army for WWII.
Godzilla Minus One is an excellent example of what makes a movie tick. In an era marked by a lack of creativity and originality, Godzilla Minus One is a fresh breath of substance. Best seen on big screens, this Godzilla film is a champion of foreign cinema. It showcases that world-class movies with top-notch visual effects can be made at a fraction of Hollywood budgets. The Middle Road highly recommends this movie, a sublime piece of art, flair, action, and storytelling—a triumph of humanity.
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Kaiju is used for monster intermittently | Cover Image: Wikipedia
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