Movie Review – Godzilla Minus Zero

There is something special about the new Godzilla films coming out of Japan as of late. While they are most certainly monster movies, they also have a human element to them that was missing from the Godzilla movies from their American counterparts. Perhaps it’s the post-world war setting. Perhaps it makes the family aspect of the film the most important. Perhaps the performance of one little girl is just that good. Regardless, this film was one hell of a ride.

Godzilla Minus Zero picks up two years after the events of the first film, Godzilla Minus One. We find Koichi (the kamikaze pilot from the first film) working with a disaster response team as they confront King Ghidorah, a three headed alien monster. The Americans are hiding the fact that Godzilla has regenerated after the events in the first film and when Koichi and company find this out, they hatch a plan with a scientist to lure Godzilla to Ghidorah so that the two will fight, and hopefully destroy each other.

The catch, because there’s always a tragic catch with these films, is that Noriko (Koichi’s now girlfriend who was miraculously found alive at the end of the first film) had been exposed to Godzilla’s radioactive G-cells during the first film which caused her to heal quickly. It has also caused her body to start changing, growing scales on her shoulder. In order to draw Godzilla to Ghidorah’s location, they need to use Noriko with a machine created by Professor Murakami, a man holding a vengeful secret. He blames Godzilla for killing his family during the events of the first film and wants to use Noriko to do it at great cost to her.

While Noriko and Koichi are out saving Japan from Godzilla, their adopted daughter Akiko is left behind at an orphanage that Noriko works at. Because of Noriko’s exposure to the Godzilla G-cells, the government will always want to treat her like an experiment and the couple must choose between leaving their daughter behind to keep her safe or keeping their family together as they go into hiding.

This film has multitudes of emotional narratives. One character predicts weather patterns to help them fight Ghidorah, but she is in a male dominated field and made a mistake previously on another disaster, so she is out to prove herself. The professor has a bit of a split personality issue during which he talks to his vengeful side in a mirror and his obsession with getting revenge on Godzilla puts their entire team at risk. And the family dynamic also dealing with the lingering trauma of the first Godzilla attack shows just how differently people deal with PTSD. It also makes parallels to PTSD from having to fight in a war which makes this monster movie a war movie as well. Countries at war with each other. People at war with themselves. A lot to take in.

And Akiko really is the heart of her family. This little girl has such highs and lows emotionally, from fear to happiness to sadness, that her emotional arc will give you all the feels. Bring tissues.

This film isn’t just emotional. It’s gorgeous to look at as well. The special effects, both the practical and the CGI are so good that it’s an immersive experience to see it in the theater. Godzilla and Ghidorah feel real and in the moment even when they are regenerating limbs and drinking in lightning like a drug. And it’s loud. LOUD. In the same way that The Odyssey was loud. This isn’t a complaint but bring earplugs if you plan on seeing it during its theatrical run. I usually wear earplugs in the theater anyway, but I was glad to have them for this.

4.5 out of 5 G-cells. Damn near perfect movie.