A core memory from my time in film school is when my class took the time to watch the original 1954 Godzilla film, complete with background around the film’s context within Japanese history. I hadn’t necessarily been a fan of the films before, but as I began investing time into the original I found myself amazed by the emotional connection the giant lizard had with Japan. Sure, it’s a kaiju film to some, but it also represents the effects of World War II on the country. 

The later Americanized films lose any sense of cultural context while usually missing the mark in countless other places as well, so I was delighted when 2023’s Godzilla Minus One strengthened the iconic monster’s ties to post-war Japan. A sequel to the 2023 film, Godzilla Minus Zero (2026), continues the story of Kōichi, his wife Noriko, and their child Akiko trying to lead normal lives in the wake of Godzilla’s attack on Japan. However, Godzilla isn’t the only problem on their hands this time around. 

At its core, the film is about the people that want to return to their lives after horrific trauma. In this case, Godzilla’s attacks in the previous film call into question how long it will be until something else comes to Japan to destroy everything they hold dear. Godzilla’s connection to post-WWII Japan is impossible to underestimate, and writer/director Takashi Yamazaki goes even further than he did in Minus One. 

Koichi wants to spend time with his family and continue the life he built with Noriko. His family is an integral part of what makes this film so important, as the performances and character work here easily outsell anything I’ve seen from Warner Bros.’s Monsterverse. One character is directly connected to the Hiroshima bombing of 1945, which is used to spark an impeccable, unexpected character arc. While these characters reckon with the atrocities committed during the war, they also focus on rebuilding their community. This focus shifts when a new three-headed kaiju rolls in. 

King Ghidorah, to put it simply, is the scariest guy I’ve ever seen in my life. The opening sequence (shot as an incredible one-take) features the creature destroying Matsumoto City like it’s a model train set. His presence is another level of harrowing and made my heart drop into my stomach. The approach to scale for this creature (and every creature in these films) taps into the fear that everyone has of a large-scale disaster coming and wreaking havoc on innocent lives. One Ghidorah sequence featured in the trailer brought me to tears with its daring, depressing approach to the attacks these monsters commit against the people of Japan. I felt like I was watching a war film (which, in a way, I was). 

Much of the film challenges the West in terms of form and style, but most interesting to me was how the film approaches the United States and its appearance to those around them in the story. Godzilla Minus Zero does not shy away from criticism of the US and the use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The film’s exploration of the States from the Japanese perspective works not just to criticize the use of the atomic bomb, but to explore how our characters react to the US involving itself in the Ghidorah situation. Yamazaki taps into post-war resentment and anger towards the US, and channels that into Godzilla.

Our characters decide to summon Godzilla and get him to fight Ghidorah, because nothing man-made will take this creature down. Godzilla’s presence is not extensive, and some may get annoyed with that, but I’d argue he’s used perfectly. He appears as a direct response to Ghidorah and the failure of the US to help in their attempt to vanquish the dragon, and much of his screentime is toward the end of the film. Too much Godzilla would have taken away from the character work and themes that make these movies so enjoyable, so I think Godzilla’s screentime is just enough for the story it’s telling. I heard comparisons to the 2014 American film, but that film has the disadvantage of having a terrible script and boring characters. In a film that has compelling arcs and far more memorable characters, Godzilla is right where he needs to be.

Godzilla Minus Zero lived up to my experience watching Minus One for the first time. The earth-shattering work done by everybody involved with this film is a sight to behold on the closest IMAX screen you can find. Equally impressive as a kaiju film, it would be unfair to limit it to that moniker. Yamazaki and company tackle themes US filmmakers would not dare think of. 

Minus Zero is not just a massive feat of epic action filmmaking, but a bold swing that filmmakers in the West will need to catch up with.

Review Courtesy of Nadia Arain

Feature Image Credit to Toho via Wikizilla