At the conclusion of World War II Japan is at its lowest, unable to deal socially or economically with the destruction left from the air raids. Godzilla Minus One sees Japan facing their next test, one that is sure to tear them apart at the seams and make their livelihood nearly impossible.
I’m impressed with how Writer-Director Takashi Yamazaki is able to create a film that exists on such a massive scale but is able to hone in on one character and their journey through life. Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) is the focus of Godzilla Minus One, regardless of how much time the titular kaiju has on screen. Shikishima is the entity that drives the film forward, that allows Godzilla Minus One to hit the emotional notes, and to ultimately find the film success. With that, everything that happens throughout the course of this film centers around what Kamiki is able to bring to the screen. Through his grounded and relatable performance, he delivers every step of the way.
Emotion seems like it might not be able to make its way into a film about a giant, radioactive lizard, but with Godzilla Minus One being so character based, Yamazaki achieves this with grace.
In a film that only cost fifteen-million dollars, it might appear to potential viewers that it would struggle with bringing the world-renowned monster to life. The reality, however, is that Yamazaki relies heavily on a minimalistic set to drive his film forward and juxtapose a massively terrifying Godzilla. Godzilla Minus One uses special effects only when necessary, and uses a brilliantly developed set that helps to create emotion, tone, and ultimately set the scene as a whole. Drab and withered colors often engulf the screen, only to be countered by Godzilla himself (and none too often), and viewers are able to get a true sense of the harrowing reality in which the Japanese people would have faced at this point in their history. Godzilla Minus One remains simplistic, focusing on the harsh reality of 1940’s, post-war Japan, and expressing those things through that minimalistic aesthetic.
Yamazaki and Director of Photography Kôzô Shibasaki incorporate incredibly long sequences by piecing together a series of shorter shots. While the editing in this regard is flawless, it’s those extensive sequences as a whole that are what appealed to me. I’ve seen a handful of kaiju films, and I’ve never experienced suspense like I did watching Godzilla Minus One. Those longer sequences are used to develop just that, suspense–and every second of the film drips with potential as a result. Even the less-than-pivotal (but still important) moments lend themselves to creating suspense in a number of ways, and viewers are reeled into this story as a result. Furthermore, what Godzilla Minus One is able to accomplish in this regard, particularly in regard to Godzilla, is so incredibly impressive. For the first time I was able to understand how Godzilla is able to strike fear into viewers, and it’s the partnership of Shibasaki and Yamazaki that allow that to come to fruition.
I had heard the whispers of people saying that Godzilla Minus One is one of the best films of the year and one of the best Godzilla films of all time. However, I chose to take those words with a grain of salt. I went in with an open mind, prepared to draw my own conclusions–and, yet, I simply have to agree. In a year full of truly remarkable filmmaking, Godzilla Minus One holds its own, and can easily be considered one of the best pieces of art to come out of 2023.
Written & Directed by Takashi Yamazaki.
Starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Munetaka Aoki, Yuki Yamada, Hidetaka Yoshioka, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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