Gojira Minus One / Godzilla Minus One (2023) - Still Standing Strong After Seven Impressive Decades - 9/10 (20/12/23)

I have been a massive fan of the Godzilla franchise since my early childhood for more than two and a half decades by now. Some instalments have been above expectations, most have been fairly average and others have been somewhat disappointing. Godzilla Minus One however deserves its universal acclaim by fans and critics alike and is the franchise's greatest entry since at least The Return of Godzilla released thirty-nine years earlier. No matter if you are a fan of the franchise or not, this movie is highly recommended to anyone caring about well-crafted cinema in general as this film qualifies for one of the greatest movies of the year.

There are several elements that make this particular entry stand out positively. First and foremost, the settings are authentic, captivating and dramatic. They manage to capture the bleak final days of the Second World War as well as the upcoming years of struggle in Japan. Viewers get to explore isolated islands in the Pacific Ocean, simplistic military facilities, gigantic warships and technically innovative planes, the poor suburbs of downtown Tokyo and its slowly growing modern suburbs. Despite its historical context, the movie never loses itself in inappropriate patriotism and instead decently criticizes some military decisions made back in those difficult times.

Up next, the characters of this film are easy to identify with. The protagonist is a fearsome failed kamikaze pilot who feels guilt for his betrayal and shame for his existence. The female lead actress portrays a woman adopting the child of a dying mother just to save its life and offering it a better future. These two characters meet by pure coincidence in the devastated downtown sector of the capital and start developing feelings of responsibility, then friendship and ultimately love in the most tender manners. The movie features numerous intriguing supporting characters such as the slowly growing adopted daughter, a courageous, innovative and progressive captain and a bitter military technician with outstanding abilities. Every single character is fleshed out so profoundly that viewers will care about their fates and might even be longing to meet them again in future instalments.

The special effects revolving around the titular monster are obviously what fans of the franchise have been anticipating most. Godzilla appears early in the movie and its nightmarish appearance will send shivers down the spine as the monster leaves a path of bleak destruction behind. The monster develops smoothly throughout the film as the viewers will learn more biological details about it step by step as the monster makes several short but intense appearances. The film's finale features Godzilla in all its gigantic monstrosity and comes around with a few captivating twists and turns. There is no doubt that Godzilla is the true star of this movie and this is exactly the way it should be.

Many franchises have been repeating themselves to death and have been boring even the most adamant supporters time and again. The Godzilla franchise however is celebrating its seventh decade of existence and is still going strong as Japanese cinema manages to reinvent the most magnificent monster to have been put onto the big screen time and again without denying its historical roots and splendid details that make it so memorable. Teenagers will dig this movie as much as elderly people as this film offers historical fiction and science-fiction at its very best. Enjoy this movie for the whole family and make sure to support high-quality cinema by watching it in a comfortable movie theatre nearby.