Godzilla Minus One

Devastated after the end of World War 2, Japan faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla.

I was lucky enough to watch Godzilla Minus One in IMAX and it was such a special experience. I can think of no better way to appreciate director, Takashi Yamazaki's, incredible kaiju. 

Fully deserving of its Oscar nomination for best visual effects, Godzilla is impressively realised – the embodiment of unimaginable terror, trauma and devastation. Yamazaki, who led the visual effects team, maximises his relatively small budget (reportedly less than $15m). From the film’s very opening scenes, we appreciate the might of Godzilla. 

Of course, after 70 years, we are all familiar with Godzilla. While Yamazaki’s monster honours past iterations, it also feels fresh and exciting. Many moments in the film showcase Godzilla’s terrifying stature and utter relentlessness. A force to be reckoned with, there is certainly no reasoning with this beasty.

However, Godzilla Minus One’s real power lies within its smaller, more human moments. Amid all the impressive spectacle, there is so much heart in this film. 

Yamazaki explores themes of guilt, loss, trauma and the redeeming potential of love and friendship. He invests time in his characters and ensures that we really care about every one of them. As a result. the film’s final scenes are gripping and incredibly moving. 

I loved every single minute of Godzilla Minus One (so called because Godzilla takes Japan beyond its lowest point of zero). Action and monster movie filmmakers take note – this is how it is done.

Director: Takashi Yamazaki

Writers: Ishirô Honda, Takeo Murata,Takashi Yamazaki

Stars: Minami Hamabe, Sakura Ando, Kamiki Ryunosuke

Runtime: 2 hours 4 minutes

Rating: 12A