What is is About:
Godzilla: Minus Zero follows the story of disgraced Japanese kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki). Koichi, unable to go through with his suicide mission, fakes engine trouble and lands on the small repair station on the island of Odo. It is here where he suffers through an unforeseen catastrophe that leaves everyone at the station dead save for himself and one other mechanic. With the war coming to an end, Koichi is discharged and sent back home.
It is here, in the shambles of his war-torn home, that Koichi meets two other survivors: the resourceful Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and a baby she rescued named Akiko whose parents were killed during the bombing of Toyko. Wracked with survivor’s guilt, Koichi reluctantly allows the two to stay with him.
At first it seems like Koichi will finally be able to get past the horrors witnessed during the war. He gets a job, makes new friends, and even helps his community. Unfortunately, this all comes to a crashing halt with the appearance of a gargantuan creature known only as “Godzilla”.
With Japan on the verge of total annihilation, Koichi must face his inner demons if he has any hope in protecting all that in which he loves.
Review:
My relationship with Godzilla is a complicated one. I’ve always been a fan of the franchise despite never actually finishing a Japanese Godzilla movie. I have seen bits and pieces of them but never actually sat down to watch one. Because of this, my primary exposure to Godzilla came from the American movies – the 1998 Godzilla, the cartoon series on Fox, and, of course, the latest Monsterverse series. This makes Minus Zero the very first Japanese Godzilla movie that I’ve watched from start to finish.
And it blew me away.
I cannot describe in enough detail just how much I enjoyed this movie. It took the one complaint I had with the Monsterverse franchise – the human element – and made it not only the most important part of the movie but the motion engaging and emotional part as well.
I am not ashamed to admit that I watch Godzilla for the carnage. I want to watch a giant lizard beating on other giant monsters while destroying everything in its path. As such, I am not really a fan of the so-called human element that the Monsterverse crams into these movies.
However, that isn’t the case for Minus Zero.
The best way for me to describe Minus Zero is as follows. The Monsterverse movies are Godzilla films that just so happens to have people in it. Minus Zero is a war film that just so happens to have Godzilla in it.
Koichi’s story, along with stories of those around him, is so compelling that even if you removed Godzilla, it would still be a great movie. Watching Koichi battle his inner demons – his survivor guilt, the disgrace he feels from abandoning his kamikaze mission, and the struggles he faces daily to redeem himself – makes for a phenomenal character story.
Ryunosuke Kamiki’s performance as Koichi is masterful. You feel every raw emotion that goes through his mind. You feel his fear at going into battle. The guilt he suffers through from being one of the only two survivors on Odo. And the angry, primal pain he goes through when witnessing Godzilla’s destructive power.
I also love that he is not the typical “hero” that we’ve come to see. He doesn’t make these grandiose speeches to rile up the crowd nor does he run into battle guns blazing. He’s just a man. A man with fears, insecurities, and nightmares. As human as you and me.
The rest of the cast is just as good. There is not one person in this movie whom I feel is a waste. Koichi’s work friends are fun and entertaining to watch. The chemistry between the actors felt real and authentic – so much so that I found myself worrying constantly for their safety.
As for the finale? Oh man. Seeing the fear on their faces as they witnessed the sheer power of Godzilla in all his glory. I could not help but clutch the arms of my chair. What phenomenal acting by everyone involved in this movie.
And speaking of Godzilla. I’ve always heard of him being described as a “Force of Nature” and Minus Zero is the best example of that descriptor. He is literally an unstoppable force; a being of pure destructive power and we are but ants. Normally I cheer whenever Godzilla appears on screen but this time, I feared his presence. This was not the cartoony action “hero” that I’ve grown to love in the Monsterverse.
No.
This Godzilla is a monster through and through.
Now as much as I would love to go into more detail, I fear that if I did, I would be stepping into spoiler territory. So let me conclude with this final message.
If you have the chance to see this in theaters, do so. I went to see this in IMAX, and I don’t regret it one bit. Not only is the movie visually beautiful but the sound design is top notch. I felt every footstep, every growl, every roar as if I was there in front of Godzilla. And when his theme song kicks in – booming over the theater speakers? Oh man. What an experience.
I give Godzilla Minus Zero a 5/5.
