Not Being Part Of A War Is Something To Be Grateful For

“Godzilla Minus One”  (2023)  —  movie review
Today’s film review is for “Godzilla Minus One” (2023), written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki and starring Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi Shikishima, a failed kamikaze pilot carrying guilt he can’t shake;  Minami Hamabe as Noriko, the young woman who pulls him back toward ordinary life;  and Yuki Yamada as Shiro Mizushima, a dockworker who becomes part of Shikishima’s improvised crew.  Supporting roles include Munetaka Aoki as the level-headed engineer Tachibana;  Hidetaka Yoshioka as the earnest scientist Noda;  and Sakura Ando as Sumiko, whose blunt practicality keeps the household running.  Godzilla himself is presented not as a symbol or a metaphor but as a physical threat—an unstoppable force that hits a country already on its knees.
Background:  My brother recommended this to me and said it was a lot better than the “MonsterVerse” versions coming out of Hollywood.  (He was correct.)  I had forgotten about it until some recent YouTube Shorts reminded me of it.  Released in 2023, “Godzilla Minus One” is Toho’s first live-action Godzilla film since “Shin Godzilla” (2016).  It was made on a relatively modest budget by modern blockbuster standards, but the production leaned heavily on Yamazaki’s experience with visual effects and practical staging.  The film became a major critical and commercial success, earning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, the first time a Godzilla film has ever won an Oscar.  It has also been widely noted for returning the character to his postwar roots — less superhero, more nightmare — while grounding the story in the everyday struggles of civilians trying to rebuild their lives.
Plot:  Set in the immediate aftermath of World War II, the film follows Kōichi Shikishima, a kamikaze pilot who faked mechanical trouble to avoid his mission and landed on Odo Island, where he first encounters a smaller but still deadly Godzilla.  He survives, but the guilt follows him home to a devastated Tokyo.  There he meets Noriko and takes in an orphaned baby, forming a makeshift family while working as a minesweeper on a converted boat.  As Japan struggles to rebuild, Godzilla returns — larger, mutated, and far more destructive.  With no functioning military and little government support, civilians and veterans band together to mount a desperate plan to stop the creature.  Shikishima must decide whether he will keep running from his past or finally face it head-on.  The story builds toward a straightforward but effective showdown that ties the monster threat to Shikishima’s personal reckoning.
So, is this movie any good?  How’s the acting?  The filming / FX?  Any problems?  And, did I enjoy the film?  Short answers:  Yes!  Strong across the board;  excellent;  a few;  absolutely.
Any Good?  Yes.  This is (IMHO) one of the strongest Godzilla films in decades (ever), and it works because it keeps the focus on people rather than spectacle.  The story is simple but sturdy:  a damaged man trying to rebuild his life while the country does the same.  The film doesn’t over-complicate things.  It sticks to clear stakes, clear motivations, and a Godzilla that feels like a genuine threat.  It’s a character-driven disaster film that doesn’t lose track of either half.
Acting:  Ryunosuke Kamiki carries the film with a grounded performance — quiet, tense, and believable as someone who can’t forgive himself.  Minami Hamabe brings warmth without slipping into sentimentality, and their scenes together feel lived-in.  Munetaka Aoki and Hidetaka Yoshioka give the minesweeper crew a solid backbone, and the supporting cast fills out the postwar setting without showboating.  No one plays their role as “monster-movie filler.”  Everyone behaves like a person trying to survive a hard time, which makes the destruction hit harder.
Filming / FX:  The visual effects are excellent, especially considering the budget.  Godzilla has real weight — every step, every blast, every impact feels physical.  The destruction of Ginza is a standout sequence, mixing practical debris with digital work that blends cleanly.  The minesweeper scenes are shot with a good sense of scale, and the water effects are convincing.  The film uses its resources smartly:  fewer shots, but better ones.  The Oscar for Best Visual Effects was well earned.  The sound design also deserves credit;  Godzilla’s roar is sharp and unsettling, and the explosions don’t blur into generic noise.
Problems:  A few.  The film leans heavily on Shikishima’s guilt, and some viewers may find the repetition a bit much;  the government’s near-total absence is explained, but it still feels convenient for the plot;  a late-film twist involving Noriko stretches credibility, even within a monster-movie framework;  Godzilla’s “breath” has never resulted in nuclear explosions before and no attempt is made to explain either the blast or the breath itself;  and, finally, the minesweeper plan, while clever (okay… logically, impossible), depends on a lot of things going exactly right.  None of these break the film, but they stand out, even on a first viewing.
Did I Enjoy the Film?  Absolutely!  The movie balances character drama and monster action better than most modern blockbusters.  It’s straight-forward, emotional without being sappy, and delivers a Godzilla that feels dangerous again.  The human story is strong enough that the quieter scenes work on their own, and the action scenes have real punch.  It’s a rare case where the smaller budget seems to have helped the filmmakers focus.
Final Recommendation:  Very highly recommended – essential if you are a “Godzilla” fan!  “Godzilla Minus One” is THE best entry (I’ve seen) in the long history of the franchise — tight, emotional, and visually impressive.  Its Academy Award for Best Visual Effects marks a historic moment for the series, and the film earns that recognition through smart filmmaking rather than sheer scale.  If you like Godzilla, postwar dramas, or character-driven action, this is well worth your time.  It’s not just a good Godzilla movie;  it’s a good movie, period!
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Click here (29 January) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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