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There are countless Godzilla movies available, from both Japan and the US. This newest addition to the franchise is among the top films. It rivals the original 1954 movie, the clever reboot Shin Godzilla from a few years ago, and my personal favorite, Godzilla vs the Smog Monster (1972), also known as Godzilla vs Hedorah. This film stands out with its inclusion of extras wearing white gogo boots, mind-bending sequences, and a catchy theme song called “Save the Earth” in the English dubbed version.
Similar to the other two excellent Godzilla movies mentioned, this one succeeds by placing the impact of history at its core, ultimately creating a tale of individuals coming together to recover and conquer an inexplicable power of devastation. “Minus One” begins during the final days of World War II, a particularly grim period in Japanese history. The main character, Shikishima (played by Ryunosuke Kamiki), is assigned to carry out a kamikaze mission, but due to fear and a natural will to survive, he instead makes an emergency landing on Odo Island (a nod to Godzilla’s origins) and fabricates an engine malfunction as an excuse.
The locals are terrorized by Godzilla, a well-known monster, who destroys and kills most of the inhabitants on the island. This once again causes Shikishima to be too afraid to fight back. Returning to a Tokyo that has been devastated by Allied firebombing, Shikishima discovers that his parents have died and his home is now just a pile of rubble. Despite this tragedy, he forms a makeshift family with Noriko (played by Minami Hamabe), a fellow survivor who has also lost everything, and a baby named Akiko (adorably portrayed by Sae Nagatani as a three-year-old), whom Noriko was caring for when Akiko’s mother died in a bomb shelter. As time passes, this small family seems to have a chance at rebuilding their lives thanks to the nation’s postwar recovery. However, there are other destructive forces at play, particularly with the testing of the H-bomb at Bikini Atoll.
The initial Godzilla movie portrayed the primary source of terror as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Oppenheimer and his team. The film also highlighted concerns about the nuclear tests in the Pacific, which were believed to contribute to Godzilla’s genetic mutation. In the modern-day Shin Godzilla, the blame is placed on institutions and international relations. However, it is the efficient utilization of these same systems, along with a skill in origami, that leads to Godzilla’s defeat. In all three movies, the hero is not a miraculous monster like King Kong, a common trope in American Godzilla films.
In Godzilla Minus One, the most successful way to combat Godzilla is through the collaboration of private citizens, rather than relying on the government. This involves individuals coming together voluntarily to share knowledge and create an efficient chain of command in order to use science to stop Godzilla. Shikishima and Noriko are often overshadowed by the destruction caused by the giant monster, but there is one particularly emotional moment when they are caught in the chaos. Director Takashi Yamazaki skillfully manipulates the audience’s emotions throughout the film with the help of a powerful minimalist score by Naoki Satô. Yamazaki also plays with perspective, shifting between the close-knit family’s personal struggles and the massive scale of the monster, capable of wiping out entire city blocks with a single swipe of its tail.
This depiction of Godzilla is not meant to be cute or lovable. He is filled with anger and his actions are difficult to understand, as he appears to be driven by neither hunger, desire, nor a desire for revenge. He is more like a deity, simply existing as a being that brings death and destruction, much like the inevitable course of history.
Source: theguardian.com
