You can tell they’re going all in when the IMAX intro, which has looked the same since 2015, suddenly changes and gets a Godzilla-themed makeover. I think it’s extremely fun, and interesting, that Takashi Yamazaki’s take on the giant lizard, which began with Godzilla Minus One three years ago, has had such an impact. A Japanese film that gets blown up like that and even gets its own merch in the form of special popcorn buckets. It’s really cool. But then again, the giant lizard is very popular even in Sweden with numerous film adaptations and, not least, Legacy of Monsters on Apple+, whose first season I thought was quite cool in parts.
Godzilla Minus Zero takes place in 1949, two years after the first film, in a post-war Japan. Here is the plot: The war reduced the country to zero, and Godzilla plunged it down to minus. During the two years that have passed, the country has struggled to recover and finally regain its everyday life. Just as humanity has managed to cling to a hard-won peace, a new threat strikes and crushes hope in an instant. There will be no third time. Everything ends here. I honestly don’t remember much from Minus One other than it being fantastically well-made. But then again, it’s a monster movie we’re talking about, and they tend to be—regardless of how technically perfect they are—quite forgettable. I also want to forget Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla from 2014, which looked so incredibly damn gorgeous beforehand but turned out to be an unfocused snorer. What has come after that, apart from the previously mentioned series, we don’t need to talk about either. I remember seeing Shin Gojira when it came out, and it was some strange variant that mostly focused on the humans. It is with quite high expectations that I sit down in the cinema. Partly because the trailer was promising and because it has received very good reviews so far. Much like its predecessor.
The director’s name is Takashi Yamazaki. He also wrote the script and acted as the supervisor for the special effects work. Among the actors, we have Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, and Min Tanaka. The first two reprise their roles from Minus One. The acting is one of the things I perhaps have the hardest time with. It’s not that the actors themselves aren’t talented. It’s that Japanese film, like Korean, often has a very dramatized style that doesn’t quite resemble what we in the West are used to. It is often perceived as extremely exaggerated and causes many of the scenes that are supposed to be emotional to become the exact opposite. This doesn’t apply to all films, of course, but certain genres are more overrepresented. For example, there is a scene toward the end where the aging biologist Kanji Murakami (Min Tanaka) has some kind of crazy breakdown that actually makes me almost laugh out loud. That is not the intended reaction to the scene.
Moving on to the film’s absolute greatest strength: the effects. Because damn, what a beautiful film Minus Zero is. Everything from the destruction to the aerial combat and—of course—the monsters is actually insanely well-done. Unlike the American attempts where, as in countless superhero movies, all the big battles become tiresome because it looks like watching a cutscene from a video game. Minus Zero contains some of the most stunning effects I’ve seen in a cinema. It is a feast for the eyes all the way through. There are some scenes of destruction that are truly tense and cool where I genuinely enjoy myself. The first attempt to neutralize the new threat, for example, offers some very effective scenes. The whole idea of setting the timeline in post-war Japan also increases the impact and the feeling of vulnerability. Kudos for it actually being quite dark and brutal, unlike other monster movies. This is also partly an effect of the aforementioned era.
But now to the duller parts, for the moment of truth is here: Godzilla Minus Zero is a technical marvel. On many other levels, however, it really grates. I’ve mentioned the acting. Unfortunately, it affects the experience in a way that makes you not care excessively about the characters, who are quite thin to begin with. The dialogue also feels a bit clunky at times, though it’s hard to know how much is lost in translation. Beyond that, there are a fair number of scenes that feel unnecessarily drawn out and a couple that I perceive as outright unnecessary. Some of the calmer, more character-developing and emotional scenes become downright boring. I also feel there is a bit too little of the good stuff. I would have liked to see a bit more of Godzilla and even more of the beautiful, intense destruction. I’ll also be honest and say that by the end, I actually have a bit of trouble keeping up with the twists and turns—who is doing what and why. We are also left with a couple of question marks after the final fight.
The sound mix is also good and the music works. However, there are long sequences where there is just noise—a lot of it and very loud. It turns into an almost inharmonious wall of sound that irritates the eardrums. I know. It’s monsters and destruction and total devastation; I don’t mean it should sound beautiful, but sometimes it actually becomes almost painful to listen to. I understand that people like this if they absolutely love monster movies. I probably would have loved it if I were fourteen. I know that Godzilla is as big in Japan as Ronja and Pippi are for us. It really is an immortal cultural phenomenon. But I’ll be honest: I have a bit of trouble understanding how Minus Zero has received such incredibly high ratings in many places, if we set aside the fact that it’s a technical wonder.
In the end, I realize that I’m not really the target audience for this type of monster film. When big computer-animated monsters pummel each other, I lose interest. It’s well-done here, but not particularly exciting. Now, the “big fight” itself is over relatively quickly, which I find quite pleasant compared to many other attempts where the fight goes on for ages. But as previously mentioned, it also leaves some question marks that are either intentionally meant for a sequel or just clumsily executed. I won’t go into details as I do not wish to provide you with spoilers. I once again appreciate that they manage to evoke some extra emotion by showing human suffering more than is usual in this genre. It’s even heart-wrenching in places. And as mentioned, there are some scenes that are truly effective and get the pulse racing. But it’s not quite enough for a film that often feels very long. For me, Minus Zero as a whole unfortunately ends up being nothing more than a shrug.
