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Plot: A disgraced kamikaze pilot carries a tremendous burden of guilt with him even as post-war Japan struggles to rise from the ashes of war, but when a threat from the past rises in the wake of man's continued folly, he seeks a chance for redemption.
The Godzilla franchise is a storied one and, certainly, one with enough iterations to sate every type of fan that might be attracted to the King of Monsters. Despite its many ups and down, it seems that Godzilla plays best when creatives go back to the drawing board. From Return of Godzilla (aka Godzilla 1985) to Godzila (2014) and, of course, Shin Gojira (2016), support for the monster stirs up dramatically with a sharp tonal return to form, a renewed focus on the themes of the original, an attempt at stronger characters, and a shift in creature design and effects. Of all these elements, a core of strong human leads always seem to be a contentious issue with the viewing public. Rightfully so, to say that history is rocky all on its own is a severe understatement.
Fret no more, cinephiles! At long last a Godzilla movie that knocks that element out of the ballpark has made landfall and it's...FANTASTIC! Taking the strengths of the original source material and wedding them with a moving tale of shame and redemption spawns the rarest form of kaiju movie...one where you care for the human characters more than the rampaging beasts and destruction. Yes, you read that right.
Ryunosuke Kamiki absolutely commands sympathy and sorrow onscreen as Koichi Shikishima, a failed kamikaze pilot that carries not only the stressful burdens of PTSD but the more damaging ones linked to his survivor's guilt, lack of self worth, and punishing self-flagellation through a war-torn hellscape. Coupled with Miname Hamabe as Noriko, a scrappy survivor that gives her all to an orphaned child and the hope and illusion of some form of life with the troubled pilot, Koichi becomes as engaging a lead as you can hope for. So much so that the conspicuous absence of the titular monster quickly goes to the back burner of your mind until it makes its proper arrival known with an unshakeable impact.
Make no mistake, this is a Godzilla film but it's also just as much one about people finding the place where they belong. This applies not only to our hero but to the whole of Japan as they see to reclaim the identity that was ripped from them by the war and their government as they unite to battle the threat of the beast. The supporting cast absolutely shines in these moments and, because of this, raises the stakes tremendously as they are woven more and more into the story. All these elements come together in one of the most satisfying final acts in a good while. Truly, this movie is a beast in its own right. Incredibly moving at times (yes, I shed many a tear) and monstrously thrilling at others, it sweeps you up and takes you on a ride that feels both at home with Godzilla but also fresh and absolutely rousing.
Biding its time, the film manages to bring both raw, human emotions and tense set pieces to a tremendous boil before unleashing the titular beast with surgical precision to thrilling effect time and time again. Not only does this film juggle effects, a period setting, drama, and cinematography evocative of the franchises' past (in both its color and black and white forms) but it does so with jaw-dropping ease. This is especially noteworthy when you consider the film's paltry budget of $15 million.
A story of a man finding his worth in the face of adversity, a tale of a nation reclaiming the identity stolen by war and their government, and, yes, a monster story that honors the past but also manages to give us something vastly superior. Excellent. An absolute must watch, not only for G-fans but for anyone that wants to see a great film.
Fret no more, cinephiles! At long last a Godzilla movie that knocks that element out of the ballpark has made landfall and it's...FANTASTIC! Taking the strengths of the original source material and wedding them with a moving tale of shame and redemption spawns the rarest form of kaiju movie...one where you care for the human characters more than the rampaging beasts and destruction. Yes, you read that right.
Ryunosuke Kamiki absolutely commands sympathy and sorrow onscreen as Koichi Shikishima, a failed kamikaze pilot that carries not only the stressful burdens of PTSD but the more damaging ones linked to his survivor's guilt, lack of self worth, and punishing self-flagellation through a war-torn hellscape. Coupled with Miname Hamabe as Noriko, a scrappy survivor that gives her all to an orphaned child and the hope and illusion of some form of life with the troubled pilot, Koichi becomes as engaging a lead as you can hope for. So much so that the conspicuous absence of the titular monster quickly goes to the back burner of your mind until it makes its proper arrival known with an unshakeable impact.
Make no mistake, this is a Godzilla film but it's also just as much one about people finding the place where they belong. This applies not only to our hero but to the whole of Japan as they see to reclaim the identity that was ripped from them by the war and their government as they unite to battle the threat of the beast. The supporting cast absolutely shines in these moments and, because of this, raises the stakes tremendously as they are woven more and more into the story. All these elements come together in one of the most satisfying final acts in a good while. Truly, this movie is a beast in its own right. Incredibly moving at times (yes, I shed many a tear) and monstrously thrilling at others, it sweeps you up and takes you on a ride that feels both at home with Godzilla but also fresh and absolutely rousing.
Biding its time, the film manages to bring both raw, human emotions and tense set pieces to a tremendous boil before unleashing the titular beast with surgical precision to thrilling effect time and time again. Not only does this film juggle effects, a period setting, drama, and cinematography evocative of the franchises' past (in both its color and black and white forms) but it does so with jaw-dropping ease. This is especially noteworthy when you consider the film's paltry budget of $15 million.
A story of a man finding his worth in the face of adversity, a tale of a nation reclaiming the identity stolen by war and their government, and, yes, a monster story that honors the past but also manages to give us something vastly superior. Excellent. An absolute must watch, not only for G-fans but for anyone that wants to see a great film.
