By Chris Snellgrove | Published
As a franchise, Godzilla is in a strange place right now: the movies are the same Godzilla vs. Kong have breathed fiery life into this deadly kaiju, but those movies are part of a complex cinematic universe. Many fans wanted the franchise to go back to basics, and that’s exactly what happened Godzilla Minus Onea film that combines honest, emotional storytelling with great visual effects. If you’re ready to check out arguably the best Godzilla movie in decades, this Academy Award-winning masterpiece is now available to stream on Netflix.
The foundation of Godzilla Minus One that a kamikaze pilot survives World War II and an attack by Godzilla, who later makes a living managing a survivor’s case. However, Godzilla becomes stronger and begins to attack Japanese forces, and the country’s military seems unable to stop the creature’s fury. Protecting the country and perhaps the entire world may come down to the quick thinking of one pilot, but unless he can overcome his death wish, everyone and everything may be completely destroyed.
Giving Fans What They Want
Godzilla Minus One was a refreshing return to the franchise’s formula, and fans rewarded the film with many of Godzilla’s favorite colors: green. Against a budget of $10-$15 million, it earned a kaiju-equivalent $116 million at the box office. After all this financial success and big awards (more on this soon), the sequel got the green light, and Godzilla Minus Zero should hit theaters later this year.
When Godzilla Minus One came out, it had a kaiju-like impact on moviegoers around the world. It has a whopping 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the way the film balances compelling scenes of human drama with gruesome scenes of monster-mashing action. This praise is well deserved, too Godzilla Minus One is the rare action epic where you’ll care about the human characters as much as you care about everyone’s favorite killer lizard.
Academy Award Winning Special Effects
On top of that critical high praise, Godzilla Minus One received an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. This award was well-deserved, as this movie looks incredible: despite its low budget, the film has more attractive visuals and more impressive images than your average Marvel movie. To this day, the movie is held up as an example of how big budgets are necessary to create amazing films as long as you have the right script and the right talent in the director’s chair.
When I first saw Godzilla Minus OneI knew this movie for its kaiju equivalent reputation. I’ve enjoyed various movies about this famous lizard, but deep down, part of me didn’t like how camp this character has become. Personally, I consider the original Godzilla to be one of the most effective horror movies ever made, one that wasn’t afraid to treat its monstrous monster as a credible threat to all of humanity.
The Biggest Monster in Hollywood History
I was surprised and very happy, Godzilla Minus One continues in this tradition, portraying Godzilla himself as a force of nature above all else. Much of the story of the film focuses on the characters trying to stop the creature, but it’s clear that they could be trying to stop the storm. The film portrays Godzilla as an unstoppable force for people who are lucky to be alive, helping to inform the main character of the guilt of surviving a previous kaiju encounter.
Speaking of him, I was impressed with how much I enjoyed our character, who is in the midst of dealing with a lot of emotional trauma when he is called to serve his country again. In my experience, most Godzilla movies are like most Transformers movies: the human characters are just an annoying distraction while we wait for the titular behemoths to appear. But in Godzilla Minus OneI was fully invested in every inch of this human drama, and I found that the resolution to his story was emotional on a very deep level.
A Monster Movie With Real Human Drama
Godzilla Minus One finally, a film that appeals simultaneously to both die-hard fans and casual audiences: long-time fans of the franchise are sure to enjoy its return to form with a film that (unlike films like Godzilla vs. Kong) is based on the horrifying reality of the original film. Meanwhile, the general audience can sit back and enjoy this self-contained adventure, which you’ll love even if you haven’t seen another film in the franchise. Even if you’re a normal moviegoer who doesn’t like creature features, trust me when I tell you human drama Godzilla Minus One you will cry tears.
You will admit that Godzilla Minus One is it the ultimate monster mash, or would you rather drop this movie in the middle of an atomic bomb test site? The only way to find out is to spread all its deadly kaiju glory on yourself. After that, you can join the rest of us in waiting with cool, bluefire air for the next sequel.
