GODZILLA – MINUS ONE

Japan, 2023, 124 minutes, Colour.

Ruunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Sakura Ando, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka.

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki.

This 2023 addition to the Godzilla franchise, as the introduction indicates, timed for the 70^th anniversary of the first Godzilla film, released in 1954. Since then, 33 Japanese Godzilla films, four American films, including a confrontation between King Kong and Godzilla and its sequel for 2024.

Audiences have expectations of Godzilla films, of the portrayal of the monster, of the destruction, especially Godzilla walking through cities and destroying them, from Tokyo to New York, human stories as background, and the plans to confront and destroy Godzilla.

These are here but this is a prequel story, an origin story, starting at the end of World War II.

It is important to say that this film has been a commercial success, critical success, and, looking at the bloggers on the IMDb, of 89 posts, only three negative.

And this reviewer concurs. This is a very watchable Godzilla film. In fact, the narration and incidents are very much in the older, traditional style of storytelling. The human background story is nicely developed, audiences identifying with the characters, some emotion, a child, a reticent romance, a kamikaze pilot< Koichi, wracked by guilt for not trying to destroy Godzilla and the consequent deaths of soldiers. Another advantage is that this is all presented in a very “realistic” way, places and dates indicated, audiences identifying with them, from 1945 just before the war ends, an offshore island, then the end of the war, Tokyo after the war, the rebuilding of Tokyo and the country, the role of General MacArthur in the rebuilding of Japan, US-Soviet tensions, inadequacies of the Japanese government. And another advantage is that in the plans to destroy Godzilla, they are explained in quite some detail, offering some plausibility, scientific information about ships, planes, bombs, and the strategies.

The scene is set with Godzilla appearing very early in the film, terrorising the troops on the island in 1945, the audience, familiar with Godzilla, appreciating Godzilla’s return. The visuals are the same – and, the comment was made that the sounds in the original were recorded amplified for Godzilla sounds here.

With the human story in the rebuilding of Tokyo after the war, there is a context for Godzilla’s return and the massive destruction visualised as Godzilla treads through Tokyo. And there are some touches of tragedy.

The last part of the film offers the plans for luring Godzilla to a particular spot in the ocean, away from Tokyo, the scientific means to overcome Godzilla, to be sent all hello I will to the bottom of the ocean, technical details explained, the use of a plane that had languished after the war, intended to be a kamikaze plane but with the atomic bomb and the surrender, never used.

As expected, the plan does not work as hoped for, a move to Plan B, and, the possibility for Koichi to redeem himself, to work again with the mechanic who condemned him initially on the island after Godzilla’s massacre, and some heroics which the audience can cheer on.

This is a well told story, audiences identifying with the human element, expectations of Godzilla sequences well fulfilled, the confrontation dramatised, some happiness in the ending but, of course, the camera going down, to the company of beating music and of strong orchestral and choral music that has accompanied Godzilla throughout the film, and, there, at the bottom of the ocean is Godzilla returning to restored life.

1. The 70-year-old franchise of Godzilla movies? Origins, monsters, nuclear warfare, threats to civilisation? Defence? Created in the 1950s, 33 films from Japan, four American films? The development of franchise, the visuals, the variety of plots? Multi-media?
2. This title, an origin story, 1945-1947, starting with the end of the war, the isolated island, the repairs for the kamikaze pilots, co-each year arriving, his reputation, discussions with the mechanic, his fears? The sounds, the attack of Godzilla, the guns, the mechanic urging Koichi to fire, his fear, the destruction of the plane, the mechanic and is laying out the dead bodies, his denunciation of Koichi?
3. The visualising of Godzilla, elements of the dinosaur, the giant monster, the sinister eyes, face and head, tail, spikes? The sound – and the recording of the original and magnifying it?
4. The end of the war, the destruction of Tokyo, Koichi and his return, the ruins, the denunciation by the woman, the deaths in her family, his search for his parents? The chase of the woman through the ruins, her thrusting the baby at him, his sitting with it, the later return, her going with him to his place? The feeding of the baby?
5. Into 1947, people settling, the changes, the baby growing, the woman not the baby’s mother, the neighbour and her looking after the baby, Noriko eventually getting a job, in an office, in Ginza? Koichi and his getting a job, well-paid, the number of mines, Japanese and Americans, tracking down the mines, their destruction, cutting the wires, their servicing, firing the gun, the wooden boat so that the iron would not magnetise the mines? Koichi, nervous hand, shooting?
6. Seeming peace, Noriko and the baby, growing up, drawings, mummy, saying daddy for Koichi? His wariness? The visit at home from the crew of the mine hunting boat, the professor and his knowledge and talents? The surprise about the family situation?
7. The re-emergence of Godzilla, the boats, the destruction, the advance on Tokyo, the spectacular scenes of destruction, special effects, Noriko in the train, hanging, into the water, found by Koichi, the advance of Godzilla, Noriko pushing him out of danger, his grief at her death? The baby and care? The neighbour?
8. The screenplay and its anchoring the situation with a sense of realism, the straightforward storytelling, traditional, anchoring the times with the dates, with reference to the war experience of Japan, the scene with General MacArthur, the discussions about the relationship with the Soviet Union, the Bikini Atoll explosions, the Cold War… The comments about Japanese government, post-war management?
9. The plans for the destruction of Godzilla, the professor and his theories and plans, the government keeping at a distance, the call for volunteers, Koichi going, the crew of the boat, the captain and his support, the young man who had not fought in the war? The gathering, the professor explaining his plans, the technical details, sense of realism? To lure Godzilla, surround Godzilla, the theory with the Freon, Godzilla going to the depths, to be stranded there? Koichi and his objections, the plea to stay?
10. Koichi, his nightmares with Godzilla, shaking hand, sense of guilt, the dead on the island? The plan for the fighter plane which was not developed for the end of the war, the need for the mechanic, Koichi writing all the letters, challenging him, the mechanic coming out of hiding, attacking Koichi, the explanation, his agreement, his delight in seeing the plane, fitting it out, the enormous bomb, the ejector button (not shown until afterwards), the support for the strategy?
11. Godzilla’s return, the electric power, firebreathing? The details of the plan, the ships, the support, finally surrounding Godzilla, the mines, his descent, ascending again, the Freon, the seeming failure, Koichi, luring to the intended spot, his being needed, flying into Godzilla’s mouth, the enormous explosion, Godzilla’s head? The sadness for Koichi? And then the ejector seat, the parachute?
12. The final message, Noriko in hospital, their being reunited?
13. The end, Godzilla in the depths, and the audience knowing that Godzilla would reappear, destructively?