GODZILLA MINUS ONE MOVIE REVIEW AND SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

Godzilla Minus One movie is an epic Japanese film directed by Takashi Yamazaki. The movie will be released in 2023 and marks a high achievement of success through its marvelous visual effects. It’s written scripture and Takashi Yamazaki made visual effects. Moreover, its production carries through one of the finest Japanese studios ever, Toho Studios, along with Robot Communication.

Overall, it’s the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise. Toho has also made Godzilla movies before, and this marks his 33rd Godzilla film. The Godzilla Minus One movie cast includes Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Ryunosuke Kamiki, and Kuranosuke Sasaki. This movie is set in post-war Japan, when a pilot named Kamikaze suffers from a psychological disorder after facing a giant monster on his way back, known as “Godzilla.”

It took almost three years to complete the official script for the movie. Further, in February 2022, Robot himself announced Yamazaki’s interest in a new Kaiju film. Kanto and Chubu remain the official shooting areas with the most scenic depictions.

RELEASED AND BOX OFFICE

On October 18, 2023, Godzilla Minus One officially premiered at the Shinjuku Toho Building in Japan. On November 3, it will be released in all of Japan on the day of the 70th anniversary of the franchise. In North America, it releases on December 1.

Overall, the film is officially a success. It made $107 million worldwide on an approximate expenditure of $10-20 million. It earned the award of becoming the fifth highest-grossing Japanese film of 2033, beating Shin Godzilla as the unbeatable giant on the list of most successful Japanese Godzilla films. It’s praised by almost everyone because of its fascinating story, utmost direction, stunning visual effects, characters, musical beauty, and societal representation.

It gets its nomination 12 times at the 47th Japan Academy Film Prize, winning 8 easily, also got 3 times among the nominees at the 17th Asian Film Awards and won the best visual effects award as well.

GODZILLA MINUS ONE MOVIE PLOT AND SUMMARY

Godzilla Minus One movie goes to be one of the finest movies in Japanese history because of its fascinating story and impressive visual representations. The story follows a Kamikaze pilot known as Koichi Shikishima returns to his Japanese base on Odo Island. Shikishima was accuse of being a betrayer and fleeing from the war on account of some technical issues.

Moreover, Godzilla, a dinosaur looking like a creature, attacked the garrison on the same night. Shikishima retaliates, which he does by attaching Godzilla to his plane, knocked unconsciously. Again, Shikishima considers being responsible for not attacking properly and having failed.

Shikishima returns and finds out about the deaths of his parents in a nuclear attack. He began supporting a woman, Noriko Oishi, a survivor of the bombings. She has also lost her parents. Further, the story moves forward, and Shikishima gets affected by the US nuclear test at Bikini Atoll, causing the destruction of many Japanese ships on their way back to Japan. Tensions between the Soviet Union and America got more tense, and the Japanese government felt insecure in this context.

In May 1947, Govt asked Shikishima and his crew to stop Godzilla from entering Japanese territory. Shikishima and the crew work hard, but all efforts fail. He again returns and tells Noriko the whole story of his encounter with Godzilla. Enraged by the attack, Godzilla turns to Japanese urban areas and starts damaging whatever comes his way. It began a new reign of terror. The government failed to tackle the situation, and many private people unleashed the situation.A former naval engineer, Kanji Noda, devises a plan to kill Godzilla with water pressure that would immediately spoil him, but it fails.

GODZILLA MINUS ONE MOVIE GOING FOR INTERVAL

Using heavy military tanks enables Godzilla’s movement a bit slow, but it doesn’t stop. Now Shikishima takes charge and kills Godzilla by making a suicide attack, landing in his mouth along with explosives. Finally, Shikishima uses his crew as a source of the final squad to crush the further movement of Godzilla.

He plans to crash the plane into the mouth of Godzilla to further stop him from using his heat detonators, causing most of the destruction at the spot. All the fields get settled, and finally, the time comes, and now it’s time for action for Shikishima. He is looking for an opportunity to prove his loyalty to the Japanese people and to ensure that he never flees from any battlefield. A flying plane, with Shikishima inside it, crashes into the very mouth of Shikishima, leaving him in a miserable condition.

Before the crash, Shikishima ejects from the plane, saving his life and returning to his people as a hero. He then meets Noriko back in the hospital, who survived now, and her life is out of danger after surviving the terrible attack. A heroic Shikishima again restores his status as a proud Japanese patriot, ready to accept any challenge that comes his way.

INTERVAL

Godzilla’s entry into the urban areas of Japanese territory marks an interval in the movie. Shikishima and his group get the task of destroying the Godzilla in the area where it was first spotted. The attack is carried out but doesn’t achieve success and rather infuriates Godzilla. This infuriation and anger brought him to the urban territories of Japan.

A new series of skirmishes starts, and the city seems to suffer from a worse situation than the nuclear attacks. The government tries its policies of retaliation by using military tanks and soldiers, directly firing and targeting Godzilla. It doesn’t make much impact on Godzilla, and rather, he seems to be more determined and active on the ground, even more ferocious than before. A naval officer, Kanji Noda, comes up with a plan to destroy Godzilla with the help of water pressure and balloons full of explosives.

It doesn’t work very well, and a continuous failure is still hanging over everyone. This situation now demands a heroic character who can now prove and save the whole Japanese nation from a threat they never had before in their lives. This scenario marks the interval of the movie. Depiction of Godzilla’s further penetration into parts of the city and destruction of everything. Buildings, trains, cars—whatever comes his way seems to be destined for destruction. This whole situation creates panic and chaos all over Japan, demanding some heroic character and action to finally make it over and bring back the lost peace of the city.

ENDING

The ending of the film marks an emotional touch in the story. When all the forces ultimately surrender in front of the giant, tyrant creature, then it starts to be tough for any machinery to handle the situation. Godzilla seems to be uncontrolled by all the unanimously opposing forces. Shikishema now takes charge of the mission to completely disrupt the further advancement of Godzilla.

He makes a plan to finally crash the plane into the mouth of Godzilla. He wants to execute the plan himself, for which he appoints his crew to suitable positions from which he can easily access the proper location and movement of Godzilla. In case of failure, he also sets up different strategies to counter the situation. Now Shikishema flies onto the plane, finding the target, which soon appears in front.

With no hesitation, Shikishima crashes the plane into the mouth of that giant monster, Godzilla, causing its downfall. Finally, the peace of the city returns and Shikishima proves his abilities and loyalty in front of his whole nation, making them not believe the old perspective of the story. He goes back to the hospital, where he again sees Noriko, who also seems to win against the bombardment.

SHORT DETAILS ABOUT GODZILLA MINUS ONE MOVIE

⦁ Directed
By Takashi Yamazaki

⦁ Written
By Takashi Yamazaki

⦁ Release dates
October 18, 2023 and November 3, 2023 in Japan

⦁ Running time
125 minutes

⦁ Country
Japan

⦁ Language
Japanese

⦁ Budget
$10–12 million

⦁ Box office
$107 million

⦁ Visual effects
By Takashi Yamazaki and Kiyoko Shibuya

⦁ Produced by
Minami Ichikawa, Shūji Abe, Kenji Yamada, Kazuaki Kishida, Gō Abe, and Keiichirō Moriya

⦁ Starring
Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki

⦁ Cinematography
By Kōzō Shibasaki

⦁ Edited
By Ryūji Miyajima

⦁ Music
By Naoki Satō

⦁ Production Companies
Toho Studios and Robot Communications

⦁ Distributed

By Toho