Notable Cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki
Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Mio
Tanaka, Yuya Endo, Kisuke Iida, Saki Nagatani
At this point, we might be in one of the best ages for
Godzilla. As a long-time fan myself who used to watch Godzilla Vs Megalon
on repeat on a shitty VHS tape, it’s truly a golden age. Just in one year, we
have a new Godzilla TV show on Apple+, a new Godzilla/Kong film,
and the topic of this piece - the latest Toho Godzilla stand-alone
story, Godzilla Minus One. It’s so much content it’s hard for my heart
to hold it all in.
Godzilla is the word. And the word is spreading, even in the
US.
Despite Godzilla’s dominance in newer US films, TV, and
video game appearances, it’s hard to deny that a new Toho Godzilla film isn’t
the most exciting thing from the kaiju franchise. Even though Godzilla Minus
One is essentially remaking the original Godzilla film at its base,
the participation of director/writer/visual FX guru Takashi Yamazaki and strong
initial marketing hyped this film to a new level. Could it hold a candle to the
strength of the last Toho Godzilla “reboot,” Shin Godzilla? Could it tell
a new story with Big G in a way that could still be exciting?
The standing ovation that Godzilla Minus One received
at my theatrical screening says in its own deafening Godzilla-like skreeonk,
abso-fuckin-lutely.