If you've been following my blog, you'll know by now I'm no Godzilla fan. Yet, every time there's a new Godzilla movie I find myself watching it - maybe hoping there would finally be one that I enjoy. And such was the case with 'Godzilla Minus One'. I think the biggest reason I enjoyed this blockbuster 'Godzilla' is the fact it was not made by Hollywood. I also enjoyed the fact this movie was not set in modern times. Another reason I enjoyed the movie more than the American versions, was the fact I liked the characters. (Most of the characters in the Hollywood films are bland and one-dimensional).
'Godzilla Minus One' starts in 1945 during World War 2. Koichi Shikishima is a Kamikaze pilot who abandoned his duties and pretended his plane was faulty. When Godzilla attacks a military base and Koichi freezes up when ordered to shoot the creature, Koichi is blamed for the deaths of the soldiers. This, together with the fact he abandoned his initial mission, sees Koichi being branded as a coward.
Returning home, he finds the city in ruins, having been bombed. He meets Noriko, who found a baby and now cares for it, and reluctantly allows her to stay with him because she has nowhere to go. Koichi finds a job disposing of landmines that were planted in the sea during the war.
Although a monster movie, the film also concentrates on character development and human drama. This allowed me to root for the characters in their fight against Godzilla. Godzilla is a giant, ugly sea monster and the film showed no mercy when it came to destruction and human casualties - just as it ought to be when a giant prehistoric creature attacks a city.
After causing unimaginable destruction, the authorities must now devise a plan to kill the monster. While the film's first half was pretty much character driven, the second half delivers more action as the fight against Godzilla ensued. I absolutely loved the film's toned down score (as opposed to the loud and bombarding score of most of the Hollywood blockbuster movies). In fact, the score was absolutely stunning. The visual effects are also incredibly good!
The film is also a display of heroism in the face of disaster, and an enemy almost impossible to defeat. I must be honest, I did find Godzilla's ability to produce heat rays causing atomic bomb like destruction maybe a bit too much, but that's just my opinion and it was still all good. This is a very entertaining movie.
'Godzilla Minus One' starts in 1945 during World War 2. Koichi Shikishima is a Kamikaze pilot who abandoned his duties and pretended his plane was faulty. When Godzilla attacks a military base and Koichi freezes up when ordered to shoot the creature, Koichi is blamed for the deaths of the soldiers. This, together with the fact he abandoned his initial mission, sees Koichi being branded as a coward.
Returning home, he finds the city in ruins, having been bombed. He meets Noriko, who found a baby and now cares for it, and reluctantly allows her to stay with him because she has nowhere to go. Koichi finds a job disposing of landmines that were planted in the sea during the war.
Although a monster movie, the film also concentrates on character development and human drama. This allowed me to root for the characters in their fight against Godzilla. Godzilla is a giant, ugly sea monster and the film showed no mercy when it came to destruction and human casualties - just as it ought to be when a giant prehistoric creature attacks a city.
After causing unimaginable destruction, the authorities must now devise a plan to kill the monster. While the film's first half was pretty much character driven, the second half delivers more action as the fight against Godzilla ensued. I absolutely loved the film's toned down score (as opposed to the loud and bombarding score of most of the Hollywood blockbuster movies). In fact, the score was absolutely stunning. The visual effects are also incredibly good!
The film is also a display of heroism in the face of disaster, and an enemy almost impossible to defeat. I must be honest, I did find Godzilla's ability to produce heat rays causing atomic bomb like destruction maybe a bit too much, but that's just my opinion and it was still all good. This is a very entertaining movie.