GODZILLA MINUS ONE - Andy's Review

[AndyDursin]

Japan finally doing their own Godzilla thing again

[mkaroly]

HELL yeah!! Lol...

[Edmund Kattak]

"Only in Theaters December 1."

Does this also mean American theaters?

[AndyDursin]

That's a good question. I'm guessing probably not -- or maybe it'll be like how they screen anime movies or The Met performances (i.e. "special engagement" shows).

[AndyDursin]

That December 1st date IS the US theatrical release, so it is indeed going to be in theaters here. November 3rd is the Japanese release

[AndyDursin]

Looks pretty intriguing. Full trailer:

[AndyDursin]

8/10



Godzilla's 70th Anniversary celebration feature from its native land turns out to be the best film to ever star the lumbering big monster -- a Toho production that provides fan service in key ways, but more importantly, delivers a dramatically rich story with appealing characters and a refreshingly redemptive point of view unique to this series.

For instance, If you thought director Takashi Yamazaki's retelling of Godzilla's arrival in post-WWII Japan was going to be heavy on the nuclear bomb sentiment and sermonizing on mankind's punishment of nature (cue Raymond Burr) -- well, you can forgettaboutit. Instead, "Minus One" uses Godzilla's sudden, shocking appearance to a Japanese populace still recovering from WWII as a test to a devastated but proud people wanting to move on from waging their government's losing battle. Self-reliance, self-preservation, self-worth are praised as a number of former war veterans -- including a kamikaze pilot who couldn't pull the trigger -- band together, in spite of their own government's inaction, to stop Godzilla and his wrath of destruction. It's a surprisingly upbeat message of deliverance and redemption despite the movie's heavy dramatic stakes involving that pilot and the surrogate family that he bonds with after coming home from the battle, which included a run-in with Godzilla early in 1944.

Unlike Toho's other "serious" Godzilla films wherein the Big Guy served as the heavy, "Minus One" drops the finger-pointing at anything other than Japan's own government -- and its decisions during WWII -- for what becomes a surprisingly inspiring story of disparate individuals and adoptive families banding together to stop the unstoppable Godzilla.

"Minus One" manages to push its sentiments across in an effective -- if occasionally slow-moving -- way, but make no mistake, the film scores everywhere else that matters. Godzilla's appearance is "serious" but his movement intentionally, at times, recalls the "Man in the Suit" origins of Toho's series. The set-pieces are well executed, the climax is terrific, the animation solid and not overly cartoonish, and classic Godzilla tenants -- from dialogue lines about the monster needing "to recharge" after using his breath, down to "being territorial" towards a possible rival, and the very last shot recalling so many movies before it -- are delivered with panache and loving style.

Throw in the grand use of Akira Ikafube's themes in key spots in the second half and you have a tremendously fulfilling piece of entertainment that's a must for all Godzilla fans -- a "retro flashback" that's also forward thinking in all the best ways, resonating especially after the last few years we've all gone through.

[Monterey Jack]

Yep, Godzilla Minus One is absolutely fantastic, and it's ASTONISHING that it was made for only $15 million(!!) in an era where bloated, $200 million American productions so often look like ass. Thrilling, emotionally resonant (I never thought I'd be welling up at a Godzilla movie ), with an excellent sense of scale and menace buttressed against a surprisingly hopeful let's-all-pull-together climax (right out of Dunkirk, in a way) and with stirring use of Akira Ifukube's rousing theme music, Minus One is more like an A-Plus.

[AndyDursin]

SPOILERS

It was really great. I guess I was expecting something a lot more morose, darker and preachy -- as I wrote, I was unprepared for the direction it took. Really if it weren't for the subtitles it would have been perfect for Theo, it didn't even have much gore/excessive violence or material unsuited for kids (the "leisurely" pace and character-driven plot notwithstanding).

I'm also looking forward to watching it at home without the douchebag sitting next to me. He was some 20 something idiot who came in next to his buddies. They didn't talk but unfortunately he did -- to himself! Spends the first 15 minutes with his "crinkle bag" of candy that instead of just removing a handful of pieces of, he takes one piece out of at a time, so all the quiet beats in the movie are disrupted by his annoying, non-stop crinkling of the bag. Once that's out of the way he starts making comments to himself. When the pilot gets away he says "I WIN, I KNEW IT!" But the worst was the last scene, which I couldn't even enjoy. Once we end up in the hospital room, he angrily goes "WHATEVER!" and starts laughing as he gets up and storms out of the theater before the credits ran.

I'm just happy Theo wasn't there to watch a movie get wrecked by some asshat but this movie's use of quiet and introspection almost lends itself to not having an audience around -- at least this jerk. It was like I was sitting next to him on his couch or something, f----ng awful. Oh well at least it only cost $5! (and it was still great). The theater had no empty seats so it wasn't like I could change rows either.

[mkaroly]

Can't wait to see it this weekend.

[Monterey Jack]

Sorry to hear about your audience experience, Andy. People like that should not be allowed out in public. Reminds me of when I saw Rise Of Skywalker on opening day, and some idiot was playing HIDE & SEEK with his clearly-bored four or five-year-old for half of the movie's running time! No matter how many people asked him to please keep his child quiet, he kept yelling back things like, "You gonna MAKE me?!", and "I paid for my ticket too!" And what, we didn't?

I mean, it was Rise Of Skywalker, so it wasn't like a good movie got wrecked (the guy sitting next to me was glued to his cell phone screen for half the movie ), but still, it's the principle of the thing.

[AndyDursin]

Can't wait to see it this weekend.

You WILL be satisfied Michael, I assure you.

[Eric Paddon]

My worst experience with an annoying audience member was at a Broadway musical. I was seeing a preview of the Titanic musical and the guy sitting next to me was constantly mumbling under his breath disdainfully, "hit the damned berg and get it over with" or making some other disparaging comment. Finally at some point I remember literally wheeling on him and telling him bluntly to shut up or words to that effect. He just stared at me and so did someone else and I then added, "I didn't pay seventy bucks to come here to listen to your editorializing". Well he got the hint and was gone after intermission, thank God.

My breaking the ice seeing "Napoleon" with my cousin a couple weeks ago might just get me out to see this film by myself for the heck of it.

[AndyDursin]

That's a great reaction Eric, especially at a Broadway show too, you expect more! I recall my Mom doing the same a few times when I was younger, like when we saw HOOK when I was in high school. She and I took my grandmother on the Friday it opened, on a matinee show around 3 or 4pm, and there were literally only 3 other people in the theater, some women who looked like they just got out of work. They were chatting and not paying any attention to the movie, and my Mom walked over, and kind of calmly said "we took my mother out to see this movie, if you intend to keep talking, please tell me now so we can leave and get our money back." They never said another word after that. (These days I'd be afraid of the reaction you'd get).

I think you'll enjoy this film Eric on a number of levels. Not to spoil it further, but I'd be surprised if you didn't find it worthwhile.

This was the first "post COVID" experience I've had with an obnoxious movie-goer. And he wasn't horrendous all the time, just in some...key moments. Most of the time it seems to me you get people who "want to be there" at the movies now, since they've lost a large segment of audiences that they've been unable to get back (i.e. the casual viewer not interested in going back to a theater, content with streaming, or whatever).

Maybe it was just the fact it was Godzilla and $5 Tuesdays that brought him in. Though I should've known when he started sighing when the PG-13 rating came up, like he thought the film was going to be R. That ending though really got to him (everyone else seemed sufficiently moved!). He got up and knocked into someone who had their feet up on his way out of the aisle also, since he couldn't even wait for the credits to start to leave.

[Monterey Jack]

Though I should've known when he started sighing when the PG-13 rating came up, like he thought the film was going to be R. That ending though really got to him (everyone else seemed sufficiently moved!). He got up and knocked into someone who had their feet up on his way out of the aisle also, since he couldn't even wait for the credits to start to leave.

This is something that really seems to rankle a lot of people these days...movies that are 100% sincere in their emotional and dramatic moments that don't puncture them with a "Well, THAT happened...!" aside or a lame joke from a character on the screen. The MCU and WB "Monsterverse" movies do this a lot, and it's always annoying as hell (Bradley Whitford in King Of The Monsters and Brian Tyree Henry in Godzilla vs. Kong are the most obnoxious examples ). It's like people are afraid of sincerity, like they'll look "uncool" to shed a tear or have a swelling emotional reaction to a movie without undercutting it. Top Gun: Maverick was the rare recent example of a movie that didn't do this, and it was rewarded handsomely at the box office for months on end. It just made you feel GOOD, and was never ashamed of doing it in a manner bereft of snark or condescension. I saw The Abyss on the big screen last night, and the crowd (maybe thirty or so all-told) all applauded at the end, and it made me feel great to hear that backed by Alan Silvestri's old-school "Big Epic Resolution" music.