In Godzilla Minus Zero, director Takashi Yamazaki takes us back to the world of Godzilla Minus One two years later. Noriko (Minami Hamabe), Koichi (Ryūnosuke Kamiki) and little Akiko (Sae Nagatani) are now a real family. Doc Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka) leads a team at the Tokyo Disaster Response Bureau. Sumiko (Sakura Andō) runs a local orphanage for children left without families in the aftermath of the war. It’s a time of healing and rebuilding until suddenly a new giant monster attacks Japan and Godzilla returns.
Here’s how I see it. There are two types of movies in this world: regular movies and Godzilla movies. A regular movie is, by definition, a “regular” movie that is minus Godzilla. Any regular person can watch it and enjoy it. A Godzilla movie is a different story. A Godzilla movie is one that, of course, includes Godzilla, but also requires active participation by the viewer to suspend their disbelief. This isn’t always easy for everyone.
When you look back at the history of Godzilla films, you find such a wide range of filmmaking quality, acting styles, and story wackiness. To enjoy them all, you have to meet them where they are.
So, when Godzilla Minus One showed up on the scene, everything changed. Now we had a Godzilla movie that had somehow also become a regular movie. Through the performances and streamlined story, it takes very little suspension of disbelief and keeps you more firmly planted in reality. It’s true movie magic.
Where did Godzilla Minus Zero land for me? I think it lands more in the Godzilla movie category. Whereas Minus One has a really straightforward narrative, Minus Zero has a lot of moving parts. It gets a little messier and it’s a much grimmer movie, if you can imagine that. It does tackle some serious, mature topics like war, revenge, and the roles we play in them like no other Godzilla movie has before. The violence has real consequences. But it’s also a Godzilla movie where space globs from outer space can land on Earth and absorb wildlife to form a flying dragon! This is why I love Godzilla movies so much. Anything goes.
Full disclosure, it took me two viewings to gather my thoughts. I let my incredibly high expectations and regular movie eye dull my opening weekend viewing. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it! But after giving it some thought, I went to see Minus Zero again two days later with my Godzilla movie mindset and had a completely different experience. Any critical feelings I had the first time simply vanished. The movie just flew right by without a hitch. I also found myself spending less time focused on reading the subtitles and instead just focusing on the performances. Zoo Wee Mama! I had all the emotions this time and really felt like I saw the movie that Takashi Yamazaki wanted us to see.
I was talking to my sister after she saw Minus Zero with her family. During the film, she was unsure whether her teenage son was enjoying it. When she asked him afterward what he thought, he replied, “This is what Godzilla movies should be!” He loved it. My middle school son and his friend loved it, too. The kids aren’t watching this with a hypercritical eye. They’re enjoying themselves and watching a Godzilla movie. As a 53-year-old man, you sometimes forget how to watch a movie like that. This is the way.
I’m really happy to see that it’s already made something like $63 million globally in one weekend on a $19 million budget. This is also the way. Thrilled for everyone involved in making this movie. I’m hopeful they’ll release a Minus Color version. Something about this one seems so suited for it.
It’s also been marketed as the final film in this series, but the movie clearly sets things up for spinoffs and sequels in this Godzilla storyline. I would be fine with them ending it here, but I’m also hopeful they’ll come back in a few years and bring us another banger. Can’t wait to see what comes next!
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