Nearly 70 years after the original Godzilla movie was released in Japan, Japanese filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki has reimagined Godzilla's introduction with the new movie Godzilla Minus One. There have been countless Godzilla movies over the years, from both Japan and the US, but Godzilla Minus One is stomping its way to the front as one of the best-reviewed movies ever featuring the iconic monster, and better than recent major US movies like Napoleon and Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Godzilla Minus One was released in Japan on November 3, but as of December 1, is also playing in US movie theaters (it arrives December 15 for UK movie fans). And with that US release comes reviews, which are almost unanimously glowing. The movie has a 97% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of December 1, with Lucas Trevor of The Washington Post calling the movie "nothing short of magical," and Rolling Stone's Christopher Cruz describing it as an "artfully made throwback to kaiju classics" that demands to be seen on the big screen. Audiences tend to agree, as they give the movie a 98% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The only thing preventing Godzilla Minus One from officially being proclaimed the best-reviewed movie of the entire franchise is that one previous entry has a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, 1995's Godzilla vs Destoroyah. However, that comes with a bit of an asterisk, as there are only six sourced reviews for Godzilla vs Destoroyah on Rotten Tomatoes compared to 50-plus for Godzilla Minus One.
Those who have seen the movie have been sharing some thoughts on social media, which you can see here:
GODZILLA: MINUS ONE is one of the best films of the year. This is a monster film where the human conflict is just as compelling, if not more so, than the tremendous action sequences. This is emotional, hard-hitting, and simply the best Godzilla movie I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/dfBDNfW76YNovember 30, 2023
GODZILLA MINUS ONE is a stunning achievement in Japanese cinema that had me in literal tears at the end. A gripping, fierce, horrific and heartfelt mediation on survivor's guilt and trauma. It has what is potentially the greatest sound mix I've ever heard in Dolby Cinema. 9.5/10 pic.twitter.com/jLWoMZEUaONovember 30, 2023
GODZILLA MINUS ONE should be Japan’s Oscar entry. There I said it. Riddled with subtext, it’s a Kaiju masterwork, that while celebrating the original is equally as impressive with what it’s trying to say and accomplish with its carnage. #GodzillaMinusOne pic.twitter.com/GUkxzwi8VsNovember 30, 2023
The synopsis for Godzilla Minus One says the movie is set in postwar Japan when a new terror rises: Godzilla. Can the devastated Japanese people survive? The movie stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando and Kuranosuke Sasaki.
Godzilla Minus One arrives as the monster is having its own moment on TV with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. While the Apple TV Plus original series is not exclusively about Godzilla, his presence plays a large part of it.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is also part of the same cinematic/TV universe that the latest US Godzilla movies occupy, which include 2015's Godzilla and Godzilla vs Kong. In fact, we are getting a sequel to the 2021 monster mash-up with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, expected in 2024.
But there appears to be something special about Godzilla Minus One, which makes it a must-see for any fan of the franchise. Get a preview as to why by watching the trailer below:
