Agreed. I was blown away over how much I wanted the humans to survive this. How much I grew to care for them. Every single man, woman and child who survived and took part in the battle against this bipedal nuclear warcrime that was Godzilla damn well deserved their shared victory.
It was one of mine too. After Godzilla dispersed his atomic breath and it made that explosion that was one of those moments that made you think to yourself “daaaaamn….”
Agreed he conveys the shear anger and sadness in his reaction along with the music. I knew Godzilla Minus One would at the very least be good, I didn't think it would be this good, and even more surprising resonate with non Godzilla fans.
My dad grew up a huge Godzilla fan and got me into it as a kid. His birthday present was movie tickets to the film. We dragged my mom, who could care less about monster movies and dislikes subtitles said this was one of the best movies she's seen in a long time and deserves an Oscar. There were tears in her eyes by the end. Enough said.
I feel like Godzilla is scaled to whatever size the tallest building is. So in the Hollywood versions set in huge cities with massive skyscrapers, Godzilla has to be massive to be a threat to those buildings. But in post-WWII where the buildings aren't nearly that high, he can be smaller and still be a legitimate threat.
I feel like people are missing the writing on the wall with this one. It's a period-piece, a bit of a reboot, and hearkens back to the original. He's that size because it's the same size as the OG from the first one. I think technically he's 0.1 metres taller in Minus One lol but still.
Same! And i never get teary watching movies. I'm actually a huge Starwars fan and i did not even get teary at the appearance of the original *Luke Skywalker* in the Mandalorian Season 2 Finale (like practically every other fan did); i had goosebumps and it was truly awesome. But the ending of Godzilla was beautiful, it was earned, everything they had all been through and i actually really wanted that woman to not have died. Just wonderful, toho outdid themselves here. they really deserve all the praise they're getting right now for Minus One.
Same... I love godzilla, and I want my boy to win. But my god, i did not want any of the cast to die. Especially near the end, when the scientist described how much they should value human life. It was so beautiful
This movie hit me in a way I would've never expected from a Godzilla movie. My wife and I watched it in Japan without subtitles on our recent honeymoon and we don't speak Japanese. We went in knowing nothing about the film other than it was a Godzilla movie. The movie was directed so well that we always knew what was going on and the emotional messages the characters were trying to get across got us invested in the characters even though we couldn't understand any of what they were saying! It even got teary in a couple places. I think this movie is a masterpiece of the "show don't tell" rule in film. It still works great as a film even if you can't understand all the dialogue.
Cool. I actually watched shin Godzilla in Japan 7 years ago with no subtitles. It was definetly a special experience which I know you had yourself with this one. And in Toho cinemas over there, it's crazy how courteous and silent people are at the movie theatre. Not a single sound you hear even with a packed theatre.
Exactly! I mean I’m not in the habit of seeing movies in languages I don’t speak, but I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to see Godzilla in Japan. I just got really lucky it was Godzilla Minus One- which blew every other Godzilla movie I’ve seen out of the water- no pun intended.
Probably genuinely my favorite movie of the year. The exploration into survivors' guilt, ptsd, and using Godzilla as an allegory for how war follows soldiers home from the battlefield were just so deeply impactful to me. So many times in this movie, I felt myself tearing up, which I don't think has ever happened to me during a Godzilla movie. As for top five Godzilla movies, in no particular order: 1954, Shin Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, Godzilla Final Wars, and Godzilla vs. Mothra.
thats something i dont think enough people are talking about, the exploration of ptsd. I love the way you see the main character suffer it throughout, the results such an event like ww2
Director Takashi Yamazaki said in an interview that due to lack of budget and time, the staff ran out of time to plant CG trees, so he planted them himself. The director also said the following about the girl who cried in the play. I did not give her strict acting instruction, but waited for the right moment when she happened to start crying and shot the sad scene. I also chose to shoot the family reunion scene when she was enjoying herself.
This was a shockingly beautiful movie! Filled with tragedy and heartache, but also hope, with a message about what it means to CHOOSE to live! Holy fuck, I did not expect this from a Godzilla film
That ending legit made me tear up, and I was shocked when I started getting misty eyed. I was like, "Wtf?? I'm tearing up at a Godzilla movie?? Huh???" It actually caught me off guard. This movie is a masterpiece.
I cried. Godzilla, the human-made embodiment of the atomic bomb, is a terrifying and sad symbol. This Japanese-produced Godzilla movie lies in the way it sends out messages to humans in various ways, including the mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb, radioactivity, and pollution related to war. This movie is not a monster movie like those produced by Hollywood, but definitely a human drama about people's struggle to survive after the war.
I agree this Godzilla can be super metaphorical. I kind of saw it as a representation of the monster growing in the main character’s head as he let his emotions and shame fester. No matter how you interpret it it’s an awesome and intense movie
I saw it last night in IMAX from 3rg row. It was like travelling to the past, to a time where movie producers were interested above all in entertaining audiences keeping them on the edge of the seat eating their nails and letting them go home shaken, moved and happy of having gotten a quality product for their money. I took a look at the outgoing crowd and man, did they look excited.
"Travelling to the past" yes I agree, that was exactly what I thought when I had finished watching it at the cinema. A return to good old fashioned decent movie making. It hit the right emotional notes without being preachy and trying to push a message.
You should watch more Japanese films most have this appeal. They have smaller budgets but they took many years to make. Hollywood has big budgets but pumps them out quick lol
I'm Japanese, but this was the first time I was moved by a Japanese science fiction movie. Due to the lack of budget in these types of Japanese movies, they tend to end up with clichéd CGI, but this time they were able to create such high-quality content on a low budget. As a Japanese person, this gave me hope for the future of Japanese movies. From now on, I want Japan to think about its overseas strategy and export more and more wonderful Japanese movies to foreign countries!
Here’s hoping that future Japanese filmmakers are also able to teach modern Hollywood studios a lesson on how to make decent movies again. Anime and manga have been dominating the global animation and graphic novel industry in the past years. Perhaps motion picture will be the next realm to conquer.
Yes, my thought exactly. They need be more like the Koreans and export more Jdrama. I also understand that they have their anime but Japan can be more if they make some big budget movies as well. Now is a good time too because Hollywood has been so disappointing with a lot of their movies.
I 100% agree , I’m English n have enjoyed Japanese content but the issues has been is budget on CGI, it just doesn’t look good enough. But the story lines are always far better than Hollywood. Now they can get CGI to look good enough for their budget. Who knows how popular ‘ Japanese Hollywood’ could become, especially with the recent downfall of American Hollywood
This is how good this movie is: if you remove Godzilla and tweak it slightly (on account of this element being removed), you still have an amazing movie focused on the the aftermath of WW2 Japan and what the people had to deal with. With Godzilla in it, you have what I think is the best Godzilla film to date. As a lifetime Godzilla fan (saw the 1954 version on TV when I was 4 or 5), I've seen almost all of these movies, and some have been hit or miss, and some have been really good. None of them have ever reached the heights of Minus One. When people would complain about the acting in those other movies, my result was always "no one watches a Godzilla movie for the humans, they watch it for the monsters". This movie, for the first time, makes you care about the humans. This movie made me shed a few tears as well. This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time period, with or without Godzilla.
the black rain scene to be honest should be the award winning. so much emotion in just 5 minutes that show just how devastaing his power is was just wow. alot of movies do explosion but never have emotion attached but this one had lost, anger and godzilla seemed to just fucking enjoy it all.
I'm saying this as massive Godzilla fan, I freaking loved it. I was crying by thr end because it was so good. I longed for the time Godzilla to be scary again.
You just blew my mind letting me know it was made on only $15M🤯. That should honestly embarass certain parts of hollywood tbh. This movie was sooo freaking good
Certain parts? More like the whole fucking circus that is Hollywood....this is what they should aspire instead of actively trying to insult thir audiences.
Regarding the budget, a big reason is the director is also the writer and the vfx supervisor, which saves a lot on expenses. Also, the Japanese vfx studio workers get paid very little (basically sweat shops) compared American vfx union workers.
@@IdealUser isn't that ironic, sad but ironic, how people getting paid absolutely a fraction of what those hacks at Hollywood make can deliver a far better performance than all those millionaire stars these days, complacency is the killer of inspiration it seems.
Director Takashi Yamazaki himself said in an interview that the team in charge of VFX for Godzilla was unable to complete the video production in time due to a lack of manpower, so he himself studied CG and bought a high-spec computer to produce the film.
Movies like this show why Godzilla lives on through the decades, why it transcends more than just a movie monster and why we will always see him as the King of Monsters
@@kp1x I view godzilla movies more on the "fun movie" side rather than the "good movie" side. The fights are worth the boring parts. But that's just my opinion on it.
Even though Japan and the United States were at war in the past, I am really happy that the American people who watched Godzilla Minus One had the same impressions as I do as a Japanese person, and I am moved by the fact that it is such a wonderful movie.
I didn’t think many Americans truly understood the terrible things that their government did to Japan. Honestly, that is my biggest critique of the film. It could have been more of an anti war film if it went into a little more depth of the gruesome things that war brings with it.
And many Japanese people don’t know about what their own military did during the war. The human testing, torture, and not to mention the entire Nanking…. event. It goes both ways
@@KanielDthat’s not what the story was about for this movie. Also, it didn’t touch on all the horrible things Japan did to its own people either, just some of the more well known stuff, and that’s all it needed to do. Not every movie that takes place in a war era needs to be anti-war, especially since Godzilla is more of a message on nukes
After Oppenheimer we're bound to have some idea what happened. I know a good deal of the entire story of WWII and have had many conversations about the A-bomb. Was it wrong? Some don't know about the brutal bombing of Tokyo though. The present generations are moving away from the horror of it but it still is effecting the mind set. Obviously one can say Japan started it, but really, only certain people in Japan started it. Just like every where, the regular people seldom get a say in it.
I had to take my glasses off and let my eyes dry out before I could leave the theater. The human characters in this movie are the most well written characters in any Godzilla movie I’ve seen. There is a CLEAR and FOCUSED through-line for the film. An emotional journey. So well done.
I know right! Ive been a huge Godzilla nerd for 40 years and to see my guy get this kind of treatment is heartwarming! I just hope everyone understands the assignment here and keeps spreading the word to get butts in seats so this director gets another turn behind the camera to make an equally amazing sequel!
Minus one isn’t one of my favorite Godzilla movies like everyone is saying but I can’t help but appreciate that this movie is showing the general audience what a Godzilla movie is really capable of. If this movie can turn people into Godzilla fans then it’s got my praises as well even if it’s not the best one imo.
I was on the fence about this film. This review prompted me to give it a chance. Zero regrets. It is my favorite Godzilla movie, and my favorite movie this year. Brilliant filmmaking.
Loved the small boat scene with Godzilla chasing them. It had hints of Jaws with the music build up. The music and sound FX were definitely next level in this movie.
Took my thirteen year old daughter to it last night and was not disappointed at all!! This movie took me back to ten years old again. My daughter came home so excited and wanted to see all the old movie's now. This is how you make a movie and how you bring a new audience to a franchise!
This movie hits you in the feels on a personal level. The story writing is superb, the acting is top notch, and the entire cast as well as the survivors are likable. You care for everyone! Godzilla also looked AMAZING and intimidating and his CGI wasn’t cheesy in the slightest. It’s the real deal. Don’t hesitate to watch this movie if you’re thinking about it. Just go! 😃
I had zero interest in this movie until the reviews between both critics and audiences exploded recently. I just got back from the theater and I have to say, this movie truly lived up to and exceeded the hype. I had no idea a Japanese low budget Godzilla movie could make me cry, make me scared, and feel as epic and high stakes as it did. Godzilla 2014 was good, but Minus One is actually what that movie tried to be. This is the greatest Godzilla movie ever made, and I fully expect it to win at the Oscars.
Just saw this with my gf. It really is as good as what everyone is saying. The scenes with the humans trying to survive against Godzilla genuinely gave me anxiety due to Godzilla being terrifying af. It literally had me wondering like...wtf can you do against something like that? ALL of the human characters were sooooooo good. My gf cried at the end and I'm not going lie, I struggled to hold back some thug tears myself. Lol. This is definitely something I want to have in my movie collection.
I love this movie! Godzilla is not just a genuine threat, but he truly is a monster. And his atomic breath is not a heat wave, but something even worse to its victims that really harken the tragedy of Hiroshima. Lot of social commentary about Japan's social attitudes back then which kind of reflect to now. I cared for both the monster but more for the humans too. Never thought Godzilla would actually make me care so much for the Japanese people.
Saw it in theaters with my wife and kids. Me and my kids are superfans, so we loved it. But my wife isn't a Godzilla fan, and even she liked it. She really appreciated the human characters. I really loved the message of community. I've been a fan of Godzilla for as long as I can remember. Yes, that Godzilla 2000 trailer was pretty epic lol
@@StriderZessei no worries, that kind of stuff doesn't phase them that much. They're 13 and 15. They've been raised on Godzilla and other forms of tokusatus like Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Power Rangers/Super Sentai.
This movie made me care about Humanity. Brilliant. Godzilla was not someone we were rooting for, but actually some monster we feared. It was great. And who'd think audiences would be dropping tears in a Godzilla film.
Cinema I go to is extremely popular, loud, full of young teens. No one at all talked during the extremely long silence. The movie built tensions PERFECTLY
Just watched Godzilla Minus One and I gotta say, it is an absolute masterpiece. My mom barely even likes Godzilla and even she agreed it was a 9.5/10. Minus One is easily the best Godzilla movie out there. Even better than the original in my opinion.
@@IdealUser G-1 (godzilla minus one) is one of those rare movies where everyone collectively agrees that it's amazing. I'm struggling to find a single bad review lol
This has the best human characters in a Godzilla movie. It feels different from other movies because it's not a political drama, it's an elevated version of the "nature strikes back" plot from the 2014 American version. it's just phenomenal to be a Kaiju fan again here In the states.
I really, REALLY, wouldn't take anything from the opinions of Rotten Tomatoes critcs. Especially considering most of them are bought and paid for shills like IGN.
I feel the need to point out this mindset is a bit silly. I don't want to live in the world where we NEED to absolutely like the same thing like we are all mindless followers. If they didn't like it they didn't like it. Respect there's other minds out there and don't attack because they happen to think differently. I mean, if you insist on 100% agreement and it doesn't happen so you become triggered. You are the problem in that situation.
Did a report in college on godzilla as a product of post-wwii sentiment, so it's delightful to see the godzilla genre realized in such a literal way. Thanks for the review
They released it in Japan with English subtitles just the other day. So glad they did that; been looking forward to this since the first trailers and they did not disappoint!
Oh they have it with English subtitles in Japan now? I watched it on opening day here in Japan so no subtitles of course, luckily the Japanese wasn’t too hard so understood almost everything but definitely wanna see it again someday with subs. It was amazing!
I've been a Godzilla fan ever since I was introduced to him in my childhood with Godzilla vs King Ghidorah. So that's easily 25+ years of me being his fan. While I absolutely love the giant monster romp that is the Legendary Godzilla, Toho reminded EVERYONE why Big G is THEIR IP. They absolutely pulled no punches with this movie, and quite frankly I truly beileve it is hands down the best Godzilla movie to date. Thank you for being a part of my life, Toho and Godzilla, and happy 70th birthday next year!
I just got back from the movie about half an hour ago and yeah I agree! I don't want to delve into spoilers of course but there was a couple of times in the movie where it gets a bit heavy and emotional and it kinda made me go 'Whoa... That was unexpected! 😳'. I forget his name but the kamikaze pilot, he was so bloody good in the movie and his character was interesting too! I liked all of the characters to be fair though and I cared about them which is nice to see in one of these types of movies! Yeah, excellent movie! I heard a lot of good things about this movie and I'm glad I saw it. It definitely lives up to the hype!
The scene where Godzilla is chasing the minesweeper, Shinsei Maru, and the battleship Takao comes to the 'rescue' is the single best Godzilla sequence ever. After it's over, in the quiet that followed, the silence in the theater was thick as a knife. And it was broken by me saying (quietly).... Wow.....
YEAH!!! You are god damn right! I accidently let out a yell when Godzilla screamed and my wife elbowed me. Did an unintentional fist pump when the the Takao came. Then afterwards I just 'kinda melted into my seat.
Not a huge Godzilla fan, until the broke out the OG score when he's wrecking shit. I was smiling ear to ear. And this film dove deep into the post WWII trauma the entire country suffered. Delivered on so many levels.
@@jesusbarrera6916 Shin Godzilla was an eldrich, more unknowable horror. It was suffering, but it was clearly on a level beyond and that numbs the fear for me. - Godzilla on the otherhand feels like he is sadistically enjoying his rampage, and that kind of fucked up sadism is all too human, and more knowable. That makes its scarier, for me at least.
Saw this movie today. Let me say.... Holy sh*t. Everything was so well put. The sound design is what blew me away. These movie needs all the awards for sound design. The music was phenomenal. The newly orchestrated Godzilla theme was monumental when it first played. The emotional attachment you feel to the characters is also a great feature of the movie. Didn't feel like normal Hollywood BS. This felt real despite being a fictional movie. Top 5 for me this year and I've seen a ton of movies this year.
What a way to celebrate the 70th anniversary, we saw it last night and the whole theater cheered at the end and couldn’t stop talking about it in the lobby.
This movie was incredible. Epic, emotional, and truly haunting. This has got to be my favourite movie of 2023, and possibly one of my favourite of all time.
@@thejudge1712 his raging eyes, and his wrathful nature. He has that atomic breath, which has been shown on trailers. He's got that atomic breath that really feels like an atomic bomb. Just everything that he represents metaphorically in real life, that's what makes him terrifying here.
@@thejudge1712 Not to mention that he's basically just an *sshole..! He always looks pissed off, you really get to see the scale of the destruction close up and people disappear... quickly(!) when he's on land.
It was the best Godzilla solo movie. The protagonist and the supporting three characters who helps the protagonist are all very likable characters. Without the protagonist’s character depth and development, this movie might’ve fell short. Glad that didn’t happen. 8.5/10
Saw it last night. Exceeded my expectations. A family of three sat next to me and my wife and their son was 8 or 9. It was his first Godzilla movie. He was so excited and lover every minute of it. This movie recaptured the awe of Godzilla, which of 70 years of movies of varying levels of quality, is extremely hard to do. This movie is must see for people of all ages, regardless of what type of movie you like. Excellent review as well.. keep up the good work and the passion
Also had a kid that age in my theater talking to his dad for a bit of the movie. But it didn't upset me because he was talking *about the movie* and how am I going to get mad at that?
I really enjoyed them touching on the element of ptsd and the main protagonist being able to deal with that. As a vetren struggling with that it just hits me right in the feels. Best movie I've seen in a while.
I love Godzilla, he is a huge part of my life so I was already so excited. However, it was so nice to finally watch this movie with people who aren't Godzilla fans (like my best friend) and see them get the excitement that I have always felt. This movie deserves all the love and praise it has been getting! I was eager to see if It would get your awesometacular rating and you didn't disappoint! What a time to be a Godzilla fan!
This wasn't just a great Godzilla movie...this was a great movie in general. It was *REALLY* well done. The human characters stood out with their personalities and they made you care about them. I didn't want anyone to get hurt or killed. And what I also loved was how they made Godzilla scarier than the last few movies that were released. He is the big bad killing machine in this movie and he had no sympathy. I loved every single thing about this movie and it was hands down one of the best movies of the entire year. Best Godzilla movie yet.
There's something incredibly charming that over all these years of watching your movie reviews, none of your aesthetics for your videos have changed lmao. Thank the Lord there's still a glimmer of old RUclips left. And you're still able to work the algorithm. I've been stoked to watch your growth as a reviewer over the years, man. Will check this movie out. Keep making sick videos.
I saw it in the theater today, December 2, 2023, and it is SPECTACULAR!! Best writing ever in a G movie. Best effects ever in a G movie. Best characters ever in a G movie. And Godzilla is absolutely terrfying! I have no idea how they made this movie on a Japanese movie budget, but it looks better than 99% of the movies coming out of Hollywood. I am in awe. 12 out of 10.
Regarding the budget, a big reason is the director is also the writer and the vfx supervisor, which saves a lot on expenses. Also, the Japanese vfx studio workers get paid very little (basically sweat shops) compared American vfx union workers.
One thing I noticed about this particular Godzilla is he really enjoys admiring his handiwork after he’s destroyed something. You can see that in one particular scene where even he’s amazed at something he created (and destroyed.) I don’t think we’ve ever had a Godzilla that was like, “That’s right… I did that. Don’t f🤬ck with me.”
Yeah, it was a side of his character we’ve never really seen before, and it made him feel almost sadistic at times, like he relished all the death and carnage he was causing.
Yeah i noticed that too. How he just stood there amazed at his work of destruction after the first blast, like maybe that was his first time using it. So freakin awesome
Haven't seen it yet but pretty sure in this iteration it's his first endeavour into the humans domain so everything he does to it will be newish lol. At least that's how I would look at it.
This movie just proves that it really is about Creativity and Originality! On a Budget of 15 Mil. And this movie is Oscar worthy!! So exciting from Start to Finish and the biggest Surprise of it all I wanted to follow the Human Characters!!!! Best Godzilla Film of all Times!!
One of the Godzilla movies from the late 80s or early 90s made me get a bit emotional, but this one made me tear up quite a bit here. It is a great job of showing what PTSD, survivors guilt, and anxiety are like for some people. I also love how it balance that out with the aspects of people willing to work together for each other and even finding ways to be joyful. For any future King Kong and Godzilla writers, please take note from this movie. It is beautiful.
As a person with a massive interest in the Second World War pacific theatre the weaponry, ships and tanks shown in this film warmed my heart they were so beautifully accurate.
What I liked about it was that the other characters came around to the idea that kamikaze's are an unfair ask for soldiers. By the end of it two characters who hated for him grew to understand at least why he did it and let go of their hate.
Well, the movie's condemning the concept of dying for your country just because it said so in general, kamikaze pilots being the biggest example of why it's bad.
Just saw it today and it was really good. It pulled at the heart strings and got some tears to well up in my eyes. It's amazing to know how foreign films are knocking it out of the park, and this movie, production-wise had a very quality shine to it. I didn't have any interest in the film, mainly because I did not hear about the film, and the times I did, I assumed it was a Netflix exclusive film or a fan-film (the title sounds like it). I only got a good gist about a week or two back when I saw this video and considering everyone's opinion is overwhelmingly positive, I was willing to see it. Literally, the movie was packed, way much more than some of the films I have seen this year. And when the film was over, the crowd was clapping in applause...Let me be clear, I have not heard an applause for a film in a LONG time (like almost two decades), so it was surprising to hear this and as strong as it was (it was not loud, but enough to know the majority of the crowd enjoyed the film). As well, it seemed the show was the only one where a massive crowd literally took up a section of the theater when me and my mother was leaving. Needless to say, this was a very good film, and the audience reflected the praise that the film is getting.
On my way out of this movie I was brought to tears as not only spectacular and amazing it was but it as I go long back with this franchise. As a child, my father (RIP) who would take me to blockbuster and Hollywood video and would rent me the old school TOHO movies and it really hit a heartstring for me and made me think of those good times with him and how I love seeing this movie icon be shown the proper respect and love he deserves from both toho and legendary. It is amazing to be a Godzilla fan and I thank my dad for introducing me to this amazing icon who's legacy will long last long after I am gone.
I went and saw this movie on a whim. Never saw a commercial or preview. Had no clue what to expect. It was legitimately a great movie. Really surprised. I actually teared up at the end. Guess I'm getting soft.
Your not soft, just human. Your body is reminding you that you are still a human being and when truly great art is present, it evokes the humanity in you.
The sequence of the guys on the rinky-dink boat trying to make a dent in Godzilla while he later blew up a whole destroyer ship was incredible, it felt on par with the first Jaws movie with its tension.
when the takao showed up i was thinking “oh yeah its time for the navy to save the day!” right before i saw goji glow blue and completely vaporize the ship
What I love as a long time Godzilla fan is how flexible this character is. You can have the fun popcorn munching films like GvK, the upcoming Godzilla x Kong and many of the Showa Era films. But on the other hand, you can have the thought provoking and harrowing movies like Minus One, the original Gojira and Shin Gojira, as well as every movie in between. And that’s completely ok. People have in their minds it has to be one or the other, but the magic of this character is that he can be whatever the director needs for their story. That being said, Minus One reminded me what I truly love about Godzilla. Never before has a Godzilla movie made me cry and feel so emotionally attached to its story. It really emphasized the beauty of life through the death and destruction and gave a glimmer of hope throughout to keep fighting for. The score is so well done and atmospheric and pacing is top notch.
Went into this movie knowing the high praise it was receiving and left it having it in my top 3 movies of all time. Everything about it was perfect, so much so that even before it was over it already secured a spot in my top 3 movies of all time.
Just got home from seeing this and was pleasantly surprised how good this film was. The character arc, the storytelling, THE Music! I am so glad I saw this at the cinema, it deserves all the praise it is getting. Please, someone get the message to Hollywood, this is how to make a movie!
Minus One not only takes elements of some of the best Godzilla films (54, 84, 2000, GMK, Shin) but even resurrects overlooked, promising aspects brought up in other films in the franchise (Godzilla Raids Again, Vs King Ghidorah) and not only improves on them but even SHOWS us things that were only ever implied or just explained through exposition in the past. Heck it even one-ups the Jurassic Park movies of recent years at one point and it took me by surprise how well done it was. The human characters are shockingly good too, probably the best ones we’ve had in a very long time, and setting it in the 40s post-WW2 worked to their benefit, and I liked how it brought attention to a lot of the guys that were chewed up and spat out by the Japanese war machine (the allegory works very well due to being nuanced and the movie does not feel like a petulant lecture). I hope Yamazaki gets his wish and we get another film from him, preferably a sequel because Minus One deserves it, and I’m tired of Toho doing just one-offs like they have done these past 10 years.
Same - I really want to see a sequel with these characters and this rendition of Godzilla. It’s the truest in terms of vibe and feel to the original that we’ve ever had, and I loved it.
@@nicholascazmay2126If they don’t do an immediate sequel, then I can see them do the 84 approach where Godzilla returns years later but juxtaposing it by way of Raids Again with a new monster coming in (no Mothra or Ghidorah, use somebody else) and maybe have an adult Akiko be at the center. That’s just one idea I came up with for how they could go about it.
Primarily, this is a movie about coming to terms with personal guilt and personal trauma. Secondarily it is a movie about Japan and the Japanese people getting back up after WWII. For both instances, this trauma is personified in Godzilla. This alone makes this a damn good monster movie. Put on top lovable characters, stunning visuals, a riveting score and awesome sound design and you have a genre- and era-defining masterpiece. It's that good!
Out of curiosity how's Imperial Japan framed in this movie. Are they framed as victims of the American government, or is it more introspective about what their war of aggression did to the world? The way the topic of Imperial Japan in Japanese cinema is framed can be kind of schizophrenic tbh. Depending on the director Imperial Japan can be celebrated, while others paint them as a once great society turned victims of foreigners, while others denounce it entirely. Even older Godzilla films were a bit schizo about it. 90s Godzilla vs King Ghidorah painted them as heroes while the movie Godzilla Mothra and King Ghidorah giant monsters all out attack's plot centered around the monsters being a manifestation of the victims and war dead of Imperial Japan taking revenge on modern day Japan for not being in remembrance of them. I'm just curious because Godzilla is one of the most iconic anti war / anti nuclear weapons symbols in art to me. I have confidence this film will capture Ishrio Hondas intent when he made the 54 original and I know Toho studios is very diligent in how the Godzilla IP is used these days.
@@MrIndiemusic101 Minus One is anti-war. It criticizes the foolish ambition of Imperial Japan's war machine as well as depicts the utter wanton devastation left by the USA's response.
@@MrIndiemusic101 They are very self-aware here, mostly blaming themselves. There are key scenes in burnt down Tokyo, but never a word that the US was wrong in any way. Many characters openly speak against the Japanese government both pre- and post-war.
Being a Godzilla fan in America wasn’t easy growing up. After watching these films for the past 30 years, i’m really happy that my biggest fandom is finally getting so much love. 🥲 All hail the king!!
The good thing about this movie is that even if he didn't understand everything that was being said in the subtitles, you can still follow along and understand the story pretty well nonetheless
I also loved the attention to detail how Godzilla's atomic breath actually hurt himself using it, so it he couldn't just spam it over and over, which kind of answers that question why in the Godzilla movies doesnt Godzilla just use his strongest weapon over and over and over again.
It makes sense with the movie's internally established logic too. They established that Godzilla is more vulnerable on the inside than the outside, and he has to channel that atomic energy through his innards, so naturally using his breath attack would fuck him up at least a bit. It also gives more weight to when Godzilla uses it, since it means that he REALLY wants you dead, internal pain and damage be damned. A great parallel for the self-destruction and heavy cost of using Nuclear Weapons.
Possibly the best film I’ve ever seen in IMAX (heck, possibly the best film I’ve seen in a movie theatre in a long time). Completely speechless after the film. This film made me feel so weak during the scenes of crisis, every time Godzilla would roar it shattered me and made me feel the trauma and terror of the characters, it was like you were there. The characters were all phenomenally written and acted. Calling this film my fav film of 2023 would be an understatement.
I loved this movie so much. I've been a fan since I started renting the Showa and Heisei era movies from Blockbuster as a kid. Godzilla's design looked great. I loved the main characters story, feeling like he was the reason Japan lost, and then learning to end this new "war" without having to sacrifice his own life like he was supposed to in WWII. I also liked that this time, it wasn't the military that took out Godzilla, but instead veterans and regular citizens. When the movie was over, my wife said it was the most stressful movie she had ever seen. 10/10 and I can't wait to see what Toho does with the Big G going forward.
I'm glad that you enjoyed this as a non-fan! This is probably one of the best things in Godzilla's franchise! The other best Godzilla movies aside from this one I think would be 1.Gojira(1954) 2.GMK:Giant Monsters All-Out Attack 3. The Return of Godzilla (1984) 4.Godzilla Against Mecha-Godzilla(2002) 5. Godzilla Vs. Deatroyah!
I know the western 1999/2000 godzilla wasn't really well received and the plot is nonsensical and they try to set up a sequel that makes no sense etc....but as a 10 year old at the time, I remember leaving that movie in absolute awe. I've loved godzilla content as I got older and went back to watch the Japan originals as they became more readily available, I did realize what I missed out on but I think that 1999/2000 Godzilla does deserve some respect for bringing in US audiences in a time before the modern internet
I'm from Thailand, and it's so disappointing that Toho would not release this movie in many countries in Asia for some reason. Now, I can only wait to watch it when it's live on streaming. This movie is what I have been waiting for. You guys are so lucky to get to see it in theater.
I took my ten year old son, who absolutely loves godzilla to see it last night. He has seen all the movies including the old Japanese ones from way back. His favorite scene was when he used his atomic breath in the city! It was so epic!
"Then when Godzilla shows up and threatens that, you have this protective nature of no that has to be dealt with." These statements perfectly describe how I felt about this movie. I've watched a lot of Godzilla films since I was a kid, but I've never felt so protective over the humans characters. Usually when the human characters die you just think "That's awful... anyway back to Godzilla.." But with this movie because of how they handled the human's story it felt more like. "Please live I don't want any of you to die. I want this family to be happy please. They've been through enough."
Finally!! I’m so pumped you enjoyed this movie man. I’m one of the people you described in the beginning and I think a lot of us have differing opinions on what we consider good Godzilla movies but if you’re wanting more I’ll drop a list. #1 - Godzilla vs Mothra (1964) #2 - Godzilla 1985 (kinda hard to find a copy, amazon has it I’m pretty sure) #3 - Godzilla, Mothra, & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack #4 - Terror of MechaGodzilla #5 - Godzilla against MechaGodzilla/ Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (Double feature)
Good review. I have always rooted for Godzilla against the horrible humans or the usurping non-Godzilla Kaiju, but not here. I was fully on board with the humans and rooting for them to live! Well done.
this was like a James Cameron film bc it felt like the filmmakers understood 100% what the audience WANTS and what they DON'T WANT. and that's the magic ingredient that's been missing from so many blockbusters nowadays. there are so many little scenes where they take care to MAKE THE AUDIENCE HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE, even as they're showing things that are tragic. it never feels like they're sticking a knife in you and twisting it and then rationalizing it as "serious" and "grownup". people are nice, relationships are pure, hope is rewarded, love is real. this is why Avatar The Way of Water was a hit, this is why Suzume was a hit, and this is why this movie is a hit. I never thought going in that this film would end up on my top 10 list for the year in which we've gotten films like Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Suzume, Past Lives, The Boy and The Heron, etc. but it absolutely will be up there with my favorites. easily my favorite Godzilla movie ever (yes, despite any issues it may have had with acting and whatnot, none of that takes away from the film bc the film has infinite soul).
@@ryanbradshaw3813 not at all. he's routinely regarded as one of the best in the business when it comes to gauging audience tastes and preferences, and steering away from things both big and small that audiences don't want to see. Godzilla Minus One had a truckload of details that evince a similar conscientious focus on fulfillment.
I was very hesitant to watch your review of this movie Jeremy because of how you have reviewed Godzilla in the past. I happy to hear that you really enjoyed it. I had an absolute blast with the movie. It is my movie of the year. In fact, I have seen nearly every film in the Godzilla franchise and I think that this one was my favorite. As for a top 5: 1. Minus One 2. Godzilla (1954) 3. Shin Godzilla 4. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All out Attack 5. Godzilla vs. Destroyah
@coldpunk1087 most of the American movies are good (except the 1998 one). But for me the movies I listed are my favorite. They just happened to be the Japanese films.
It seems like it has what I have always wanted these monster movies to have. Strong human characters, stakes and an awe inspiring and yet helplessly terrifying Godzilla.
I was never a big fan of the Godzilla franchise and had no attachment towards Godzilla, but after watching this movie it blew my mind. I was in a roller coaster of emotions and the post WWII aesthetic really made it more immersive. I love how it makes you feel at the edge of your sit whenever Godzilla appears and hoping the characters that you care about make it out okay. I love also how anyone whether you’re a diehard Godzilla fan or someone who isn’t can enjoy this movie. Highly recommend.
I highly recommend Shin Godzilla if you haven't seen it. It's a huge tribute to the first Godzilla movie, while also having its own unique take. I also love how it serves as a commentary on how bureaucracy failed Japan in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster
Shin Godzilla was good in it's own right. But for me Minus One has taken over by a mile in terms of story and direction. No hate for Shin though the plot is just politically heavy 😂
@@Wired4Life2 fair enough! It does give us a glimpse of how a government would handle a major crisis like a Godzilla attack but honestly I think Minus One is the better overall film. Both are solid Godzilla movies.
Going to watch that next thanks. I absolutely loved this one. And also enjoy the new show they have. I haven’t seen the 2014 one yet either. I did love the Godzilla vs Kong movies and the king king of monsters movies.
They made us care about human characters in a monster movie.
That's a feat in of itself
Agreed. I was blown away over how much I wanted the humans to survive this. How much I grew to care for them. Every single man, woman and child who survived and took part in the battle against this bipedal nuclear warcrime that was Godzilla damn well deserved their shared victory.
That's what good writing does, my friend.
Godzilla 2014, Kong: Skull Island, and Godzilla vs. Kong did a great job too.
@@Z3ROMythKong vs Godzilla not so much for me. 2014 was outstanding though imo.
@@Z3ROMyth tbf we only care about Byran Cranston's character in that G2014
That shot of Shikishima screaming at Godzilla as it rains is emotionally and visually one of my favourite shots ever.
It was one of mine too. After Godzilla dispersed his atomic breath and it made that explosion that was one of those moments that made you think to yourself “daaaaamn….”
That allegory made me tear up.😭
😂😂😂😂😂 favorite shots ever wtf you know about greatest shots ever and you clearly watched 10 movies you whole life
@@ilyesilyes9485yeah, to each their own
Agreed he conveys the shear anger and sadness in his reaction along with the music. I knew Godzilla Minus One would at the very least be good, I didn't think it would be this good, and even more surprising resonate with non Godzilla fans.
“It’s not how much money you have, it’s what you do with it”
This movie certainly makes that point. At a $15 million budget it’s an astonishing film.
Pump it back into a franchise
holy shit... only 15 million???? That is an insanely small budget for how amazing this film looks. Can't wait to see it !
Meanwhile Disney throws $200,000,000 at every fucking movie they produce with diminishing returns
The yen to dollar ratio at play here; plus the Japanese are S+ tier at CGI so it makes sense
An excellent point that I keep screaming about!
My dad grew up a huge Godzilla fan and got me into it as a kid. His birthday present was movie tickets to the film. We dragged my mom, who could care less about monster movies and dislikes subtitles said this was one of the best movies she's seen in a long time and deserves an Oscar. There were tears in her eyes by the end. Enough said.
Unforgettable movie for me definitely going again and buying physical when it comes out
Awesome reading about your parents enjoying the movie. Can't wait to see it myself!
@@galatician8063 It's soooooo good. Comeback and tell us how it went for you
Your dad's a real one 🤙 can't wait for it to come out in the UK in my town
@@Pay-No-MindWhen? I'm in the UK as well.
This movie 100% delivers. Even though Godzilla is actually much smaller, he is considerably more fearsome. That heat ray gave me chills!
I feel like Godzilla is scaled to whatever size the tallest building is. So in the Hollywood versions set in huge cities with massive skyscrapers, Godzilla has to be massive to be a threat to those buildings. But in post-WWII where the buildings aren't nearly that high, he can be smaller and still be a legitimate threat.
that was a KAMEHAMEHA!
Yes it did! I’m still hype about this one!
I feel like people are missing the writing on the wall with this one. It's a period-piece, a bit of a reboot, and hearkens back to the original. He's that size because it's the same size as the OG from the first one. I think technically he's 0.1 metres taller in Minus One lol but still.
@@ShutterSnappedalso, because it's set so early on in the timeline, this may be a Godzilla that's still growing
I literally got teary eyed at the end of Godzilla Minus One. This was the best movie of 2023 and the best Godzilla film in the entire series.
Same! And i never get teary watching movies. I'm actually a huge Starwars fan and i did not even get teary at the appearance of the original *Luke Skywalker* in the Mandalorian Season 2 Finale (like practically every other fan did); i had goosebumps and it was truly awesome. But the ending of Godzilla was beautiful, it was earned, everything they had all been through and i actually really wanted that woman to not have died. Just wonderful, toho outdid themselves here. they really deserve all the praise they're getting right now for Minus One.
So did I! 🤣
Same. To think a monster movie would make me tear up. Bravo
Same here as well. Thats how good it was wow. Totally impressed!
Same it was so sad
Godzilla brought the critics and audiences together. A rarity in today’s movie industry
It's not from Hollyweird
Except a couple of them who wanted to be "different" and gave it a super bad score just to lower that 100% at RT.
Godzilla vs Kong saved the movie theaters in 2021 from the Pandemic fallout. He's Timeless. 💪🏼
Shows your Hollywood is trash. It’s all about pushing their agenda. Woke BS
@@Rodan16 Yes, it is an inspiring monster 😁
I’m a longtime Godzilla fan. This is the first time I’ve actually rooted against the big guy. That to me speaks volumes on how good this movie is.
Same... I love godzilla, and I want my boy to win. But my god, i did not want any of the cast to die. Especially near the end, when the scientist described how much they should value human life. It was so beautiful
Yes! I’ve always rooted for the G Man, except when watching ‘54 and GMK, but this one really made me want humanity to triumph. Beautiful story!
You rooted for him in the original or Shin?
This might be the most enthusiastic I’ve seen Jeremy right out the gate 🤣
I know! Man I'm excited to see this tonight!
Nice 😂
The year hasn't put out much great things, so when something good comes out, you take that W!
@@branenchristian saw it in IMAX yesterday. It’s amazing. Enjoy!
Can we also take a moment to appreciate the fact that this movie was made on a budget that’s about 1/10 of American blockbusters and it was awesome!
no
no
Yes
Literally the point of the vid, so..... Yes?
Every one here said yes in their own way 😂
This movie hit me in a way I would've never expected from a Godzilla movie. My wife and I watched it in Japan without subtitles on our recent honeymoon and we don't speak Japanese. We went in knowing nothing about the film other than it was a Godzilla movie. The movie was directed so well that we always knew what was going on and the emotional messages the characters were trying to get across got us invested in the characters even though we couldn't understand any of what they were saying! It even got teary in a couple places. I think this movie is a masterpiece of the "show don't tell" rule in film. It still works great as a film even if you can't understand all the dialogue.
Cool. I actually watched shin Godzilla in Japan 7 years ago with no subtitles. It was definetly a special experience which I know you had yourself with this one. And in Toho cinemas over there, it's crazy how courteous and silent people are at the movie theatre. Not a single sound you hear even with a packed theatre.
Lmfao what? You went to see a movie understanding you could potentially not understand a thing.
Exactly!
I mean I’m not in the habit of seeing movies in languages I don’t speak, but I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to see Godzilla in Japan. I just got really lucky it was Godzilla Minus One- which blew every other Godzilla movie I’ve seen out of the water- no pun intended.
aa
i remember seeing an anime film in japan with my sister. neither of spoke japanese. it was fucking bewildering.
Probably genuinely my favorite movie of the year. The exploration into survivors' guilt, ptsd, and using Godzilla as an allegory for how war follows soldiers home from the battlefield were just so deeply impactful to me. So many times in this movie, I felt myself tearing up, which I don't think has ever happened to me during a Godzilla movie.
As for top five Godzilla movies, in no particular order: 1954, Shin Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, Godzilla Final Wars, and Godzilla vs. Mothra.
This is the correct list. Nice work.
thats something i dont think enough people are talking about, the exploration of ptsd. I love the way you see the main character suffer it throughout, the results such an event like ww2
@@beren1handI would swap out Final Wars for GMK.
@@justinswinehart5361 That's Giant Monsters All-Out Attack right? Just making sure because I FUCKING LOVE that film!
@@SuperBat63 yep. Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack.
Director Takashi Yamazaki said in an interview that due to lack of budget and time, the staff ran out of time to plant CG trees, so he planted them himself.
The director also said the following about the girl who cried in the play.
I did not give her strict acting instruction, but waited for the right moment when she happened to start crying and shot the sad scene. I also chose to shoot the family reunion scene when she was enjoying herself.
It makes sense, as at that age, she can't really be instructed. I wondered about that. Work around the toddlers' natural tendency and your set.
old school movie making works everytime 👍
Ah, thanks for that. She was so realistic, which is a good thing, but I was worried he then did something to her to make her cry.
This was a shockingly beautiful movie! Filled with tragedy and heartache, but also hope, with a message about what it means to CHOOSE to live! Holy fuck, I did not expect this from a Godzilla film
I cared about the characters in Godzilla GMK
Well said.
That ending legit made me tear up, and I was shocked when I started getting misty eyed. I was like, "Wtf?? I'm tearing up at a Godzilla movie?? Huh???" It actually caught me off guard. This movie is a masterpiece.
Exactly...I walked out remembering their names. I was mad at pops for leaving my girl Akiko at the end 😂
You should watch the og 1954 Gojira (not the American 1954 version) and Godzilla vs Destroyah. Very poignant films!
I cried. Godzilla, the human-made embodiment of the atomic bomb, is a terrifying and sad symbol. This Japanese-produced Godzilla movie lies in the way it sends out messages to humans in various ways, including the mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb, radioactivity, and pollution related to war. This movie is not a monster movie like those produced by Hollywood, but definitely a human drama about people's struggle to survive after the war.
😂😂😂😂
I agree this Godzilla can be super metaphorical. I kind of saw it as a representation of the monster growing in the main character’s head as he let his emotions and shame fester.
No matter how you interpret it it’s an awesome and intense movie
Most of those “Hollywood” monster movies had messages too.
Puss
@@firstlast9846no, they dont.
I saw it last night in IMAX from 3rg row. It was like travelling to the past, to a time where movie producers were interested above all in entertaining audiences keeping them on the edge of the seat eating their nails and letting them go home shaken, moved and happy of having gotten a quality product for their money. I took a look at the outgoing crowd and man, did they look excited.
I totally agree! It was unexpectedly moving, as well as a ton of fun!
Fr it reminded me why I love going to the cinema and why I love this type of movies ✨✨
I was do into this movie that it almost gave me an anxiety attack but I caught myself in time. The concern for the people almost put me over the edge
"Travelling to the past" yes I agree, that was exactly what I thought when I had finished watching it at the cinema. A return to good old fashioned decent movie making. It hit the right emotional notes without being preachy and trying to push a message.
You should watch more Japanese films most have this appeal. They have smaller budgets but they took many years to make. Hollywood has big budgets but pumps them out quick lol
I'm Japanese, but this was the first time I was moved by a Japanese science fiction movie. Due to the lack of budget in these types of Japanese movies, they tend to end up with clichéd CGI, but this time they were able to create such high-quality content on a low budget. As a Japanese person, this gave me hope for the future of Japanese movies. From now on, I want Japan to think about its overseas strategy and export more and more wonderful Japanese movies to foreign countries!
Here’s hoping that future Japanese filmmakers are also able to teach modern Hollywood studios a lesson on how to make decent movies again. Anime and manga have been dominating the global animation and graphic novel industry in the past years. Perhaps motion picture will be the next realm to conquer.
I thought Shin Godzilla was the first modern take on Godzilla that did a decent take on the characters. and the effect were awesome.
Yes, my thought exactly. They need be more like the Koreans and export more Jdrama. I also understand that they have their anime but Japan can be more if they make some big budget movies as well. Now is a good time too because Hollywood has been so disappointing with a lot of their movies.
I'm not Japanese, but personally, I really liked Shin Godzilla and Shin ultraman, although unfortunately, those 2 only got limited releases.
I 100% agree , I’m English n have enjoyed Japanese content but the issues has been is budget on CGI, it just doesn’t look good enough. But the story lines are always far better than Hollywood. Now they can get CGI to look good enough for their budget. Who knows how popular ‘ Japanese Hollywood’ could become, especially with the recent downfall of American Hollywood
This is how good this movie is: if you remove Godzilla and tweak it slightly (on account of this element being removed), you still have an amazing movie focused on the the aftermath of WW2 Japan and what the people had to deal with. With Godzilla in it, you have what I think is the best Godzilla film to date.
As a lifetime Godzilla fan (saw the 1954 version on TV when I was 4 or 5), I've seen almost all of these movies, and some have been hit or miss, and some have been really good. None of them have ever reached the heights of Minus One.
When people would complain about the acting in those other movies, my result was always "no one watches a Godzilla movie for the humans, they watch it for the monsters". This movie, for the first time, makes you care about the humans. This movie made me shed a few tears as well.
This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time period, with or without Godzilla.
i'm just discovering them all now. there are some real crazy godzilla movies!! the mothra ones are especially funky
Yeah but what if Godzilla was an obese black lesbian?? It makes everything better!
The boat chase was awesome, and that first atomic breath attack was incredible.
the black rain scene to be honest should be the award winning. so much emotion in just 5 minutes that show just how devastaing his power is was just wow. alot of movies do explosion but never have emotion attached but this one had lost, anger and godzilla seemed to just fucking enjoy it all.
I'm saying this as massive Godzilla fan, I freaking loved it. I was crying by thr end because it was so good. I longed for the time Godzilla to be scary again.
How did you like Shin Godzilla? I loved that one
@@bplusstudios9031 It was pretty good. Can't beat Japan in their own game
@@bplusstudios9031 That movie deserved a sequel. It sounded like a terrifying sequel too.
It's weird that making Godzilla the "bad guy" is part of what makes it great. You never root for him amd that's how it should be.
same here like monster movies don’t make me cry but this one at the end did😊
You just blew my mind letting me know it was made on only $15M🤯. That should honestly embarass certain parts of hollywood tbh. This movie was sooo freaking good
Certain parts? More like the whole fucking circus that is Hollywood....this is what they should aspire instead of actively trying to insult thir audiences.
@@DarkRipper117 idk gave them the benefit of the doubt because i dont watch all of hollywoods stuff lol
Regarding the budget, a big reason is the director is also the writer and the vfx supervisor, which saves a lot on expenses. Also, the Japanese vfx studio workers get paid very little (basically sweat shops) compared American vfx union workers.
@@IdealUser isn't that ironic, sad but ironic, how people getting paid absolutely a fraction of what those hacks at Hollywood make can deliver a far better performance than all those millionaire stars these days, complacency is the killer of inspiration it seems.
Director Takashi Yamazaki himself said in an interview that the team in charge of VFX for Godzilla was unable to complete the video production in time due to a lack of manpower, so he himself studied CG and bought a high-spec computer to produce the film.
Movies like this show why Godzilla lives on through the decades, why it transcends more than just a movie monster and why we will always see him as the King of Monsters
I wish this could be said about the 2019 movie but imo I would say the complete opposite about king of the monsters
@@kp1xking of monsters was very fun. Just a Godzilla fans dreams. Ghidorah was done great. I think this one harkens back to the classic more.
@@kp1x I view godzilla movies more on the "fun movie" side rather than the "good movie" side. The fights are worth the boring parts. But that's just my opinion on it.
@@kp1xKOTM was peak showa. Which is fine. It’s nice to have balance.
Yall are right the fight scenes are dope but man I really did not like the characters.
Even though Japan and the United States were at war in the past, I am really happy that the American people who watched Godzilla Minus One had the same impressions as I do as a Japanese person, and I am moved by the fact that it is such a wonderful movie.
At war in the past, and now they're some of our closest friends!
I didn’t think many Americans truly understood the terrible things that their government did to Japan. Honestly, that is my biggest critique of the film. It could have been more of an anti war film if it went into a little more depth of the gruesome things that war brings with it.
And many Japanese people don’t know about what their own military did during the war. The human testing, torture, and not to mention the entire Nanking…. event. It goes both ways
@@KanielDthat’s not what the story was about for this movie. Also, it didn’t touch on all the horrible things Japan did to its own people either, just some of the more well known stuff, and that’s all it needed to do. Not every movie that takes place in a war era needs to be anti-war, especially since Godzilla is more of a message on nukes
After Oppenheimer we're bound to have some idea what happened. I know a good deal of the entire story of WWII and have had many conversations about the A-bomb. Was it wrong? Some don't know about the brutal bombing of Tokyo though. The present generations are moving away from the horror of it but it still is effecting the mind set. Obviously one can say Japan started it, but really, only certain people in Japan started it. Just like every where, the regular people seldom get a say in it.
I had to take my glasses off and let my eyes dry out before I could leave the theater. The human characters in this movie are the most well written characters in any Godzilla movie I’ve seen. There is a CLEAR and FOCUSED through-line for the film. An emotional journey. So well done.
As a longtime Godzilla fan, I honestly cannot believe how much praise this movie is getting. It feels like a dream! 🤯
Godzilla is exciting again!
I know right! Ive been a huge Godzilla nerd for 40 years and to see my guy get this kind of treatment is heartwarming! I just hope everyone understands the assignment here and keeps spreading the word to get butts in seats so this director gets another turn behind the camera to make an equally amazing sequel!
Minus one isn’t one of my favorite Godzilla movies like everyone is saying but I can’t help but appreciate that this movie is showing the general audience what a Godzilla movie is really capable of. If this movie can turn people into Godzilla fans then it’s got my praises as well even if it’s not the best one imo.
Bro same godzilla was probably the first franchise to really hit me as a kid I've loved it ever since.
@@twistedmetal100Honestly curious what movie you like better. Godzilla 2000?
'Yeah!!!'
Pretty much my exact reaction, this movie was awesome.
I took my 14 yr old son to see it, he loved it too.
I wanna see it again.
YEAH!
Seeing it for the second time this weekend and then...maybe a third next week? hahaha
I was on the fence about this film. This review prompted me to give it a chance. Zero regrets. It is my favorite Godzilla movie, and my favorite movie this year. Brilliant filmmaking.
Loved the small boat scene with Godzilla chasing them. It had hints of Jaws with the music build up. The music and sound FX were definitely next level in this movie.
Hundred percent agreement from me. I felt the jaws vibes very strongly here. This film was easily the scariest I have ever seen Godzilla.
Oh yeah, serious Jaws vibes in that scene. Loved it. 💚
Yep. He even had to shoot an explosive that was in Godzilla's mouth, just like Jaws
@@Rayzboomboomroom to be fair, explosives in the jaws feature in almost all shark movies…
@@GodIsInHisHeaven yeah but it originated with Jaws 1, specifically with the creature coming directly at them while they shoot at the explosive
Took my thirteen year old daughter to it last night and was not disappointed at all!! This movie took me back to ten years old again. My daughter came home so excited and wanted to see all the old movie's now. This is how you make a movie and how you bring a new audience to a franchise!
Heck yeah!
Awesome
This movie hits you in the feels on a personal level. The story writing is superb, the acting is top notch, and the entire cast as well as the survivors are likable. You care for everyone! Godzilla also looked AMAZING and intimidating and his CGI wasn’t cheesy in the slightest. It’s the real deal. Don’t hesitate to watch this movie if you’re thinking about it. Just go! 😃
Godzilla is a metaphor for the Hiroshima bombing and devastation. Read up, junior
@@aaadesktopCaptain obvious
Perfection!
@@alimo4610 glad to hear
@@aaadesktopmaybe in the 1954 version. This one had a lot less focus on that.
i love how much smaller godzilla was in this movie, ironically it made him more intimidating and more of a threat
Especially on the island in the beginning. He looked awesome
Apart from island scene wer it was young.
He felt way more grounded, the smaller size made the threat he posed feel real.
Literally had my mouth open from being in awe of this movie. Really hope it wins some awards at some point
I had zero interest in this movie until the reviews between both critics and audiences exploded recently. I just got back from the theater and I have to say, this movie truly lived up to and exceeded the hype. I had no idea a Japanese low budget Godzilla movie could make me cry, make me scared, and feel as epic and high stakes as it did. Godzilla 2014 was good, but Minus One is actually what that movie tried to be. This is the greatest Godzilla movie ever made, and I fully expect it to win at the Oscars.
Wow...Congrats. You cant think for yourself and needed to be influenced by others.
@@Aaliyahchannel2024It’s quite a shame.
I didn’t want it end. Absolutely incredible film.
Just saw this with my gf. It really is as good as what everyone is saying. The scenes with the humans trying to survive against Godzilla genuinely gave me anxiety due to Godzilla being terrifying af. It literally had me wondering like...wtf can you do against something like that? ALL of the human characters were sooooooo good. My gf cried at the end and I'm not going lie, I struggled to hold back some thug tears myself. Lol.
This is definitely something I want to have in my movie collection.
*Thug tears* LOL couldn’t have said it better myself 😂
You only liked it because your girlfriend were with you so hold your horses
@@ilyesilyes9485 lmao what, u clearly don't have one by this dumb ass comment
@@ilyesilyes9485I mean it's a good movie, girlfriend or not. You hold your horses instead.
@@ilyesilyes9485huh? whats the correlation?
I love this movie! Godzilla is not just a genuine threat, but he truly is a monster. And his atomic breath is not a heat wave, but something even worse to its victims that really harken the tragedy of Hiroshima. Lot of social commentary about Japan's social attitudes back then which kind of reflect to now. I cared for both the monster but more for the humans too. Never thought Godzilla would actually make me care so much for the Japanese people.
Saw it in theaters with my wife and kids. Me and my kids are superfans, so we loved it. But my wife isn't a Godzilla fan, and even she liked it. She really appreciated the human characters. I really loved the message of community.
I've been a fan of Godzilla for as long as I can remember.
Yes, that Godzilla 2000 trailer was pretty epic lol
Odd question here, but the kids weren't too disturbed by the more violent wounds Godzilla takes?
@@StriderZessei no worries, that kind of stuff doesn't phase them that much.
They're 13 and 15. They've been raised on Godzilla and other forms of tokusatus like Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Power Rangers/Super Sentai.
What do you mean Godzilla 2000 trailer ? It’s one of my favs as a kid.
@MassiveManStudios94 he mentioned the trailer here 4:48
@@maybetoby oh I didn’t get that far into the video. Thank you 🙏🏻
This movie made me care about Humanity. Brilliant. Godzilla was not someone we were rooting for, but actually some monster we feared. It was great. And who'd think audiences would be dropping tears in a Godzilla film.
Cinema I go to is extremely popular, loud, full of young teens.
No one at all talked during the extremely long silence. The movie built tensions PERFECTLY
Just watched Godzilla Minus One and I gotta say, it is an absolute masterpiece. My mom barely even likes Godzilla and even she agreed it was a 9.5/10. Minus One is easily the best Godzilla movie out there. Even better than the original in my opinion.
Yea it's ATLEAST a 9.5/10. I did not expect to fuckin cry at a Godzilla film
Would rate it a 10, but since its called minus one...
@@akumakurosawa Are you family of THE Kurosawa?
My mom was the same way. She said the ending took a bit off for her. Don't want to spoil but yeah I sort of agree. Everything else was perfect.
@@IdealUser G-1 (godzilla minus one) is one of those rare movies where everyone collectively agrees that it's amazing. I'm struggling to find a single bad review lol
This has the best human characters in a Godzilla movie. It feels different from other movies because it's not a political drama, it's an elevated version of the "nature strikes back" plot from the 2014 American version. it's just phenomenal to be a Kaiju fan again here In the states.
"Nature strikes back" was basically the elevator pitch for the original godzilla films, before they turned into a family-friendly action franchise.
Those critics that took away Godzilla's perfect 100% score from Rotten Tomatoes should never critique a movie again
Exactly!
I really, REALLY, wouldn't take anything from the opinions of Rotten Tomatoes critcs. Especially considering most of them are bought and paid for shills like IGN.
Rotten Tomatoes is a joke anyway, just like every other review website. All completely at the mercy of influencers and agendas.
Nope just Rotten Tomatoes, just give it a damn rating who cares about if its fresh or not fresh lol@@ROFLKNIEFGOESSLIEC
I feel the need to point out this mindset is a bit silly. I don't want to live in the world where we NEED to absolutely like the same thing like we are all mindless followers. If they didn't like it they didn't like it. Respect there's other minds out there and don't attack because they happen to think differently. I mean, if you insist on 100% agreement and it doesn't happen so you become triggered. You are the problem in that situation.
Did a report in college on godzilla as a product of post-wwii sentiment, so it's delightful to see the godzilla genre realized in such a literal way. Thanks for the review
The human arcs really got me emotionally invested. I rooted for them all the way. And their acting is soo good! I felt their emotions.
They released it in Japan with English subtitles just the other day. So glad they did that; been looking forward to this since the first trailers and they did not disappoint!
Oh they have it with English subtitles in Japan now? I watched it on opening day here in Japan so no subtitles of course, luckily the Japanese wasn’t too hard so understood almost everything but definitely wanna see it again someday with subs. It was amazing!
I was so afraid they would dub it to English. luckily they did not
Released in just a few Tokyo Cinemas with English subs eg roppongi, Hibiya and shinjuku
@@JunkieViruswe always have subs and dubs though in theaters
I've been a Godzilla fan ever since I was introduced to him in my childhood with Godzilla vs King Ghidorah. So that's easily 25+ years of me being his fan. While I absolutely love the giant monster romp that is the Legendary Godzilla, Toho reminded EVERYONE why Big G is THEIR IP. They absolutely pulled no punches with this movie, and quite frankly I truly beileve it is hands down the best Godzilla movie to date. Thank you for being a part of my life, Toho and Godzilla, and happy 70th birthday next year!
The Godzilla movie that will bring tears to your eyes....never expected that...Spectacular
I just got back from the movie about half an hour ago and yeah I agree! I don't want to delve into spoilers of course but there was a couple of times in the movie where it gets a bit heavy and emotional and it kinda made me go 'Whoa... That was unexpected! 😳'. I forget his name but the kamikaze pilot, he was so bloody good in the movie and his character was interesting too! I liked all of the characters to be fair though and I cared about them which is nice to see in one of these types of movies! Yeah, excellent movie! I heard a lot of good things about this movie and I'm glad I saw it. It definitely lives up to the hype!
The scene where Godzilla is chasing the minesweeper, Shinsei Maru, and the battleship Takao comes to the 'rescue' is the single best Godzilla sequence ever.
After it's over, in the quiet that followed, the silence in the theater was thick as a knife.
And it was broken by me saying (quietly)....
Wow.....
YEAH!!! You are god damn right! I accidently let out a yell when Godzilla screamed and my wife elbowed me. Did an unintentional fist pump when the the Takao came. Then afterwards I just 'kinda melted into my seat.
Lmao me too😂
Not a huge Godzilla fan, until the broke out the OG score when he's wrecking shit. I was smiling ear to ear. And this film dove deep into the post WWII trauma the entire country suffered. Delivered on so many levels.
Sounds like an absolute banger!
Yeah this movie was incredible. Godzilla actually felt scary for once! 10/10. Best Godzilla movie I’ve ever seen!
so you didn't watch SHIN GODZILLA....
@@jesusbarrera6916 Watched both. Shin Godzilla is a good movie, but Minus one is a masterpiece.
@@jesusbarrera6916 I saw Shin Godzilla. Loved it. Wasn’t nearly as good/scary as minus one
@@jesusbarrera6916 Shin Godzilla was an eldrich, more unknowable horror. It was suffering, but it was clearly on a level beyond and that numbs the fear for me.
- Godzilla on the otherhand feels like he is sadistically enjoying his rampage, and that kind of fucked up sadism is all too human, and more knowable. That makes its scarier, for me at least.
I feel same way
Saw this movie today. Let me say.... Holy sh*t. Everything was so well put. The sound design is what blew me away. These movie needs all the awards for sound design. The music was phenomenal. The newly orchestrated Godzilla theme was monumental when it first played. The emotional attachment you feel to the characters is also a great feature of the movie. Didn't feel like normal Hollywood BS. This felt real despite being a fictional movie. Top 5 for me this year and I've seen a ton of movies this year.
Feeling the roars and the explosions was AWESOME!
with the godzilla theme as well. it was excellent
I'm a Godzilla fan. Watched it with my lady who isn't and we both shed a tear towards the end. This movie was an epic masterpiece
What a way to celebrate the 70th anniversary, we saw it last night and the whole theater cheered at the end and couldn’t stop talking about it in the lobby.
Absolutely phenomenal movie, the writing, pacing, action, design and fx - all a masterpiece
Legit made me teary eyed in a few scenes
This movie was incredible. Epic, emotional, and truly haunting. This has got to be my favourite movie of 2023, and possibly one of my favourite of all time.
really dude, of all time? it possibly cannot be that good
@@ryan2270 My brother in Christ, at no point did I say "In my objective opinion".
I genuinely loved how absolutely terrifying Godzilla is in this movie.
just how he should be
Without spoilers, what makes him so terrifying?
@@thejudge1712 his raging eyes, and his wrathful nature. He has that atomic breath, which has been shown on trailers. He's got that atomic breath that really feels like an atomic bomb. Just everything that he represents metaphorically in real life, that's what makes him terrifying here.
@@thejudge1712 Not to mention that he's basically just an *sshole..! He always looks pissed off, you really get to see the scale of the destruction close up and people disappear... quickly(!) when he's on land.
@@rcguitarcovers8614 for sure those eyes were very menacing, they were giving t-rex in the original Jurassic park
It was the best Godzilla solo movie. The protagonist and the supporting three characters who helps the protagonist are all very likable characters. Without the protagonist’s character depth and development, this movie might’ve fell short. Glad that didn’t happen. 8.5/10
The best solo movie? So what is the best godzilla movie then?
Second best.
@@cheekschu2152Godzilla 1954, The Return of Godzilla, Shin Godzilla
@@alejandrolizarraga3924all 3 of those are solo Godzilla movies
@@cheekschu2152 Best that I have seen is the 2014 Godzilla movie.
Saw it last night. Exceeded my expectations. A family of three sat next to me and my wife and their son was 8 or 9. It was his first Godzilla movie. He was so excited and lover every minute of it. This movie recaptured the awe of Godzilla, which of 70 years of movies of varying levels of quality, is extremely hard to do. This movie is must see for people of all ages, regardless of what type of movie you like.
Excellent review as well.. keep up the good work and the passion
Definitely wish I could say this was my first Godzilla Movie.
Also had a kid that age in my theater talking to his dad for a bit of the movie. But it didn't upset me because he was talking *about the movie* and how am I going to get mad at that?
I really enjoyed them touching on the element of ptsd and the main protagonist being able to deal with that. As a vetren struggling with that it just hits me right in the feels. Best movie I've seen in a while.
I love Godzilla, he is a huge part of my life so I was already so excited. However, it was so nice to finally watch this movie with people who aren't Godzilla fans (like my best friend) and see them get the excitement that I have always felt. This movie deserves all the love and praise it has been getting! I was eager to see if It would get your awesometacular rating and you didn't disappoint! What a time to be a Godzilla fan!
This wasn't just a great Godzilla movie...this was a great movie in general. It was *REALLY* well done. The human characters stood out with their personalities and they made you care about them. I didn't want anyone to get hurt or killed. And what I also loved was how they made Godzilla scarier than the last few movies that were released. He is the big bad killing machine in this movie and he had no sympathy. I loved every single thing about this movie and it was hands down one of the best movies of the entire year. Best Godzilla movie yet.
There's something incredibly charming that over all these years of watching your movie reviews, none of your aesthetics for your videos have changed lmao. Thank the Lord there's still a glimmer of old RUclips left. And you're still able to work the algorithm. I've been stoked to watch your growth as a reviewer over the years, man. Will check this movie out. Keep making sick videos.
I saw it in the theater today, December 2, 2023, and it is SPECTACULAR!! Best writing ever in a G movie. Best effects ever in a G movie. Best characters ever in a G movie. And Godzilla is absolutely terrfying!
I have no idea how they made this movie on a Japanese movie budget, but it looks better than 99% of the movies coming out of Hollywood. I am in awe.
12 out of 10.
Regarding the budget, a big reason is the director is also the writer and the vfx supervisor, which saves a lot on expenses. Also, the Japanese vfx studio workers get paid very little (basically sweat shops) compared American vfx union workers.
One thing I noticed about this particular Godzilla is he really enjoys admiring his handiwork after he’s destroyed something. You can see that in one particular scene where even he’s amazed at something he created (and destroyed.) I don’t think we’ve ever had a Godzilla that was like, “That’s right… I did that. Don’t f🤬ck with me.”
Yeah, it was a side of his character we’ve never really seen before, and it made him feel almost sadistic at times, like he relished all the death and carnage he was causing.
Yeah i noticed that too. How he just stood there amazed at his work of destruction after the first blast, like maybe that was his first time using it. So freakin awesome
@@Ares_gaming_117 not his first, he used it to destroy the battleship first.
I caught that too. It Made me crack up in the theater. He was standing there like, “You guys see this shit???”
Haven't seen it yet but pretty sure in this iteration it's his first endeavour into the humans domain so everything he does to it will be newish lol. At least that's how I would look at it.
This movie just proves that it really is about Creativity and Originality! On a Budget of 15 Mil. And this movie is Oscar worthy!! So exciting from Start to Finish and the biggest Surprise of it all I wanted to follow the Human Characters!!!! Best Godzilla Film of all Times!!
One of the Godzilla movies from the late 80s or early 90s made me get a bit emotional, but this one made me tear up quite a bit here. It is a great job of showing what PTSD, survivors guilt, and anxiety are like for some people. I also love how it balance that out with the aspects of people willing to work together for each other and even finding ways to be joyful. For any future King Kong and Godzilla writers, please take note from this movie. It is beautiful.
Oh which one was it?
@@kittycatdreamzMost likely Godzilla vs Destoroyah
Can’t believe I’m saying but this movie honestly is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Definitely deserves the award this year for best picture.
You’re not alone.
And the best G movie to date!!!
@@coletrain583....it's a darn good movie but nothing will ever surpass the Original 1954 movie....
If it isn't nominated I'm gonna scream. It doesn't have to win but it CERTAINLY deserves a nom.
@@yurifairy2969 ...it's not woke and doesn't have agenda so I doubt it will get nominated. . I stopped caring about stupid awards along time ago....
As a person with a massive interest in the Second World War pacific theatre the weaponry, ships and tanks shown in this film warmed my heart they were so beautifully accurate.
You know what Kancolle is don’t you
@@timber_wulf5775 uh can I choose to state no comment
@@timber_wulf5775I in fact did not 😂 I see now though, never got into but heard it’s got a big following
Absolutely yes
Takao, Yukikaze, Hibiki, the Zero, and the Shinden all looked so good. Very happy and surprised to see them in it.
What I liked about it was that the other characters came around to the idea that kamikaze's are an unfair ask for soldiers. By the end of it two characters who hated for him grew to understand at least why he did it and let go of their hate.
Well, the movie's condemning the concept of dying for your country just because it said so in general, kamikaze pilots being the biggest example of why it's bad.
Yeah they came to realize you should fight for your country and fight to live. Not die for your country just cuz you were ordered to literally die
@@ybyby3rdday Not for your country, no, for the people in that country.
Just saw it today and it was really good. It pulled at the heart strings and got some tears to well up in my eyes. It's amazing to know how foreign films are knocking it out of the park, and this movie, production-wise had a very quality shine to it.
I didn't have any interest in the film, mainly because I did not hear about the film, and the times I did, I assumed it was a Netflix exclusive film or a fan-film (the title sounds like it). I only got a good gist about a week or two back when I saw this video and considering everyone's opinion is overwhelmingly positive, I was willing to see it. Literally, the movie was packed, way much more than some of the films I have seen this year. And when the film was over, the crowd was clapping in applause...Let me be clear, I have not heard an applause for a film in a LONG time (like almost two decades), so it was surprising to hear this and as strong as it was (it was not loud, but enough to know the majority of the crowd enjoyed the film). As well, it seemed the show was the only one where a massive crowd literally took up a section of the theater when me and my mother was leaving. Needless to say, this was a very good film, and the audience reflected the praise that the film is getting.
On my way out of this movie I was brought to tears as not only spectacular and amazing it was but it as I go long back with this franchise. As a child, my father (RIP) who would take me to blockbuster and Hollywood video and would rent me the old school TOHO movies and it really hit a heartstring for me and made me think of those good times with him and how I love seeing this movie icon be shown the proper respect and love he deserves from both toho and legendary. It is amazing to be a Godzilla fan and I thank my dad for introducing me to this amazing icon who's legacy will long last long after I am gone.
I went and saw this movie on a whim. Never saw a commercial or preview. Had no clue what to expect.
It was legitimately a great movie. Really surprised. I actually teared up at the end. Guess I'm getting soft.
Your not soft, just human. Your body is reminding you that you are still a human being and when truly great art is present, it evokes the humanity in you.
The sequence of the guys on the rinky-dink boat trying to make a dent in Godzilla while he later blew up a whole destroyer ship was incredible, it felt on par with the first Jaws movie with its tension.
Shooting the mine in Godzilla's mouth sure felt like a nod to "Jaws"..."Smile you son of a bitch!"
Aboslutely had a Jaws vibe. I remember thinking "they're gonna need a bigger boat".
when the takao showed up i was thinking “oh yeah its time for the navy to save the day!” right before i saw goji glow blue and completely vaporize the ship
Hands down one of the best monster movies I've seen. Almost made me cry a little too
I’m a man’s man… and I almost had a tear well up in the far corner of my eye. Chefs kiss 🎉
What I love as a long time Godzilla fan is how flexible this character is. You can have the fun popcorn munching films like GvK, the upcoming Godzilla x Kong and many of the Showa Era films. But on the other hand, you can have the thought provoking and harrowing movies like Minus One, the original Gojira and Shin Gojira, as well as every movie in between. And that’s completely ok. People have in their minds it has to be one or the other, but the magic of this character is that he can be whatever the director needs for their story.
That being said, Minus One reminded me what I truly love about Godzilla. Never before has a Godzilla movie made me cry and feel so emotionally attached to its story. It really emphasized the beauty of life through the death and destruction and gave a glimmer of hope throughout to keep fighting for. The score is so well done and atmospheric and pacing is top notch.
Went into this movie knowing the high praise it was receiving and left it having it in my top 3 movies of all time. Everything about it was perfect, so much so that even before it was over it already secured a spot in my top 3 movies of all time.
What are the other two? List them by ranking.
Yea this movie is easily top 10 all-time. Going to see it again today
Just got home from seeing this and was pleasantly surprised how good this film was. The character arc, the storytelling, THE Music! I am so glad I saw this at the cinema, it deserves all the praise it is getting.
Please, someone get the message to Hollywood, this is how to make a movie!
Minus One not only takes elements of some of the best Godzilla films (54, 84, 2000, GMK, Shin) but even resurrects overlooked, promising aspects brought up in other films in the franchise (Godzilla Raids Again, Vs King Ghidorah) and not only improves on them but even SHOWS us things that were only ever implied or just explained through exposition in the past. Heck it even one-ups the Jurassic Park movies of recent years at one point and it took me by surprise how well done it was. The human characters are shockingly good too, probably the best ones we’ve had in a very long time, and setting it in the 40s post-WW2 worked to their benefit, and I liked how it brought attention to a lot of the guys that were chewed up and spat out by the Japanese war machine (the allegory works very well due to being nuanced and the movie does not feel like a petulant lecture). I hope Yamazaki gets his wish and we get another film from him, preferably a sequel because Minus One deserves it, and I’m tired of Toho doing just one-offs like they have done these past 10 years.
Same - I really want to see a sequel with these characters and this rendition of Godzilla. It’s the truest in terms of vibe and feel to the original that we’ve ever had, and I loved it.
@@nicholascazmay2126If they don’t do an immediate sequel, then I can see them do the 84 approach where Godzilla returns years later but juxtaposing it by way of Raids Again with a new monster coming in (no Mothra or Ghidorah, use somebody else) and maybe have an adult Akiko be at the center. That’s just one idea I came up with for how they could go about it.
Primarily, this is a movie about coming to terms with personal guilt and personal trauma. Secondarily it is a movie about Japan and the Japanese people getting back up after WWII. For both instances, this trauma is personified in Godzilla. This alone makes this a damn good monster movie. Put on top lovable characters, stunning visuals, a riveting score and awesome sound design and you have a genre- and era-defining masterpiece. It's that good!
Out of curiosity how's Imperial Japan framed in this movie. Are they framed as victims of the American government, or is it more introspective about what their war of aggression did to the world?
The way the topic of Imperial Japan in Japanese cinema is framed can be kind of schizophrenic tbh. Depending on the director Imperial Japan can be celebrated, while others paint them as a once great society turned victims of foreigners, while others denounce it entirely.
Even older Godzilla films were a bit schizo about it. 90s Godzilla vs King Ghidorah painted them as heroes while the movie Godzilla Mothra and King Ghidorah giant monsters all out attack's plot centered around the monsters being a manifestation of the victims and war dead of Imperial Japan taking revenge on modern day Japan for not being in remembrance of them. I'm just curious because Godzilla is one of the most iconic anti war / anti nuclear weapons symbols in art to me. I have confidence this film will capture Ishrio Hondas intent when he made the 54 original and I know Toho studios is very diligent in how the Godzilla IP is used these days.
@@MrIndiemusic101 Minus One is anti-war. It criticizes the foolish ambition of Imperial Japan's war machine as well as depicts the utter wanton devastation left by the USA's response.
@@MrIndiemusic101 They are very self-aware here, mostly blaming themselves. There are key scenes in burnt down Tokyo, but never a word that the US was wrong in any way. Many characters openly speak against the Japanese government both pre- and post-war.
Being a Godzilla fan in America wasn’t easy growing up. After watching these films for the past 30 years, i’m really happy that my biggest fandom is finally getting so much love. 🥲
All hail the king!!
The fact that this movie came out the same year as Oppenheimer is epic. The perfect dessert for an exquisite main entry.
This is cinema in its purest form. Awesome movie! Damn proud to say this is my first moviegoing experience in seeing Godzilla.
I just saw this movie with my 7 year old. He loved it. I was choking back tears a number of times. Definitely the best movie I've seen in a while.
Yup. I was openly crying in the theater.
The good thing about this movie is that even if he didn't understand everything that was being said in the subtitles, you can still follow along and understand the story pretty well nonetheless
@@seannyhan2254 ME TOO
I also loved the attention to detail how Godzilla's atomic breath actually hurt himself using it, so it he couldn't just spam it over and over, which kind of answers that question why in the Godzilla movies doesnt Godzilla just use his strongest weapon over and over and over again.
It makes sense with the movie's internally established logic too. They established that Godzilla is more vulnerable on the inside than the outside, and he has to channel that atomic energy through his innards, so naturally using his breath attack would fuck him up at least a bit. It also gives more weight to when Godzilla uses it, since it means that he REALLY wants you dead, internal pain and damage be damned. A great parallel for the self-destruction and heavy cost of using Nuclear Weapons.
Possibly the best film I’ve ever seen in IMAX (heck, possibly the best film I’ve seen in a movie theatre in a long time). Completely speechless after the film. This film made me feel so weak during the scenes of crisis, every time Godzilla would roar it shattered me and made me feel the trauma and terror of the characters, it was like you were there. The characters were all phenomenally written and acted. Calling this film my fav film of 2023 would be an understatement.
I loved this movie so much. I've been a fan since I started renting the Showa and Heisei era movies from Blockbuster as a kid. Godzilla's design looked great. I loved the main characters story, feeling like he was the reason Japan lost, and then learning to end this new "war" without having to sacrifice his own life like he was supposed to in WWII. I also liked that this time, it wasn't the military that took out Godzilla, but instead veterans and regular citizens. When the movie was over, my wife said it was the most stressful movie she had ever seen. 10/10 and I can't wait to see what Toho does with the Big G going forward.
I'm glad that you enjoyed this as a non-fan! This is probably one of the best things in Godzilla's franchise! The other best Godzilla movies aside from this one I think would be 1.Gojira(1954) 2.GMK:Giant Monsters All-Out Attack 3. The Return of Godzilla (1984) 4.Godzilla Against Mecha-Godzilla(2002) 5. Godzilla Vs. Deatroyah!
I will never understand anyone loving GMK, but you do you, fellow Goji-fan!
Shin Godzilla?
Shin is amazing.
I know the western 1999/2000 godzilla wasn't really well received and the plot is nonsensical and they try to set up a sequel that makes no sense etc....but as a 10 year old at the time, I remember leaving that movie in absolute awe.
I've loved godzilla content as I got older and went back to watch the Japan originals as they became more readily available, I did realize what I missed out on but I think that 1999/2000 Godzilla does deserve some respect for bringing in US audiences in a time before the modern internet
@@Morteih Of course it is, every Godzilla films that portray big G as terrify force of nature are all great.
I'm from Thailand, and it's so disappointing that Toho would not release this movie in many countries in Asia for some reason. Now, I can only wait to watch it when it's live on streaming. This movie is what I have been waiting for. You guys are so lucky to get to see it in theater.
Same here in the Philippines :(
สวัสดีครับ 555555
I was not expecting to tear up multiple times in a Godzilla movie. Loved it!
I took my ten year old son, who absolutely loves godzilla to see it last night. He has seen all the movies including the old Japanese ones from way back. His favorite scene was when he used his atomic breath in the city! It was so epic!
Wow 10 and seen all the Godzilla movies? Pretty cool
"Then when Godzilla shows up and threatens that, you have this protective nature of no that has to be dealt with."
These statements perfectly describe how I felt about this movie. I've watched a lot of Godzilla films since I was a kid, but I've never felt so protective over the humans characters. Usually when the human characters die you just think "That's awful... anyway back to Godzilla.." But with this movie because of how they handled the human's story it felt more like. "Please live I don't want any of you to die. I want this family to be happy please. They've been through enough."
SO MUCH THIS! I normally get very antsy if Godzilla gets hurt 😂 but this time I was so desperately hoping the characters would be okay.
Finally!! I’m so pumped you enjoyed this movie man.
I’m one of the people you described in the beginning and I think a lot of us have differing opinions on what we consider good Godzilla movies but if you’re wanting more I’ll drop a list.
#1 - Godzilla vs Mothra (1964)
#2 - Godzilla 1985 (kinda hard to find a copy, amazon has it I’m pretty sure)
#3 - Godzilla, Mothra, & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack
#4 - Terror of MechaGodzilla
#5 - Godzilla against MechaGodzilla/ Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (Double feature)
Good review. I have always rooted for Godzilla against the horrible humans or the usurping non-Godzilla Kaiju, but not here. I was fully on board with the humans and rooting for them to live! Well done.
this was like a James Cameron film bc it felt like the filmmakers understood 100% what the audience WANTS and what they DON'T WANT. and that's the magic ingredient that's been missing from so many blockbusters nowadays. there are so many little scenes where they take care to MAKE THE AUDIENCE HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE, even as they're showing things that are tragic. it never feels like they're sticking a knife in you and twisting it and then rationalizing it as "serious" and "grownup". people are nice, relationships are pure, hope is rewarded, love is real. this is why Avatar The Way of Water was a hit, this is why Suzume was a hit, and this is why this movie is a hit. I never thought going in that this film would end up on my top 10 list for the year in which we've gotten films like Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Suzume, Past Lives, The Boy and The Heron, etc. but it absolutely will be up there with my favorites. easily my favorite Godzilla movie ever (yes, despite any issues it may have had with acting and whatnot, none of that takes away from the film bc the film has infinite soul).
Way of Water was a failure, what you mean it was a hit?
@@domesticdragonwaffle back to the asylum with you, schizo.
James Cameron is an odd comp
@@ryanbradshaw3813 not at all. he's routinely regarded as one of the best in the business when it comes to gauging audience tastes and preferences, and steering away from things both big and small that audiences don't want to see. Godzilla Minus One had a truckload of details that evince a similar conscientious focus on fulfillment.
@@domesticdragonwaffleit was the third grossing movie of all time worldwide. That's a hit no matter how you see it.
I was very hesitant to watch your review of this movie Jeremy because of how you have reviewed Godzilla in the past. I happy to hear that you really enjoyed it. I had an absolute blast with the movie. It is my movie of the year. In fact, I have seen nearly every film in the Godzilla franchise and I think that this one was my favorite.
As for a top 5:
1. Minus One
2. Godzilla (1954)
3. Shin Godzilla
4. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All out Attack
5. Godzilla vs. Destroyah
Excellent top 5 list man
I knew when G was falling apart the movie would end with the heart in the ocean shot from GMAOA
Bro you didn't even add english movies are they that bad or your mentions are very top notch movies
@coldpunk1087 most of the American movies are good (except the 1998 one). But for me the movies I listed are my favorite. They just happened to be the Japanese films.
We absolutely LOVED it! Best overall monster movie in years - if ever. Even the human story was incredible.
It seems like it has what I have always wanted these monster movies to have. Strong human characters, stakes and an awe inspiring and yet helplessly terrifying Godzilla.
I was never a big fan of the Godzilla franchise and had no attachment towards Godzilla, but after watching this movie it blew my mind. I was in a roller coaster of emotions and the post WWII aesthetic really made it more immersive. I love how it makes you feel at the edge of your sit whenever Godzilla appears and hoping the characters that you care about make it out okay. I love also how anyone whether you’re a diehard Godzilla fan or someone who isn’t can enjoy this movie. Highly recommend.
I highly recommend Shin Godzilla if you haven't seen it. It's a huge tribute to the first Godzilla movie, while also having its own unique take. I also love how it serves as a commentary on how bureaucracy failed Japan in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster
I might have to rewatch Shin Godzilla, because I thought it was pretty mediocre at best. I might have fallen asleep during the movie.
Shin Godzilla was good in it's own right. But for me Minus One has taken over by a mile in terms of story and direction. No hate for Shin though the plot is just politically heavy 😂
@@erwinandres5332 That political heaviness is why I kinda prefer _Shin Gojira_ over _Minus One_ so far.
@@Wired4Life2 fair enough! It does give us a glimpse of how a government would handle a major crisis like a Godzilla attack but honestly I think Minus One is the better overall film. Both are solid Godzilla movies.
Going to watch that next thanks. I absolutely loved this one. And also enjoy the new show they have. I haven’t seen the 2014 one yet either. I did love the Godzilla vs Kong movies and the king king of monsters movies.