Yamazaki's Gozkilla (Gojira -1.0) is Godsent, especially in a climate of so so super hero stories and poor monster movies. Tom Cruise can still put some action stunts (Top Gun and Mission Impossible) but not action movie with a story this strong since Avatar.
Ryunosuke Kamiki who himself had a brush with death in infancy plays the main character Koichi Shikishima with gusto and conviction. Shikishima is a Kamikaze pilot who failed to complete his mission and is guilt-ridden from his fallen comrades and perceived cowardice. Like much of postwar Japan he also suffers from general survivor's' guilt and struggles to find a place for himself to rebuild alongside the crippled country. The character is well-written and surprisingly well-played for a film heavy in special effects. The acting is poignant, emotionally charged, and both subtle and strong. Yamazaki's directing for him and the other actors is spot on, and the director's vision over all is what makes movies worth going to the theatre in this streaming era. Yamazaki also wrote the screenplay and directed the visual FX.
Noriko and the other supporting characters are also effective. The music and sound are riveting and accentuate tension and emotions. My senses were heightened most of the movie.
Now the story has some typical elements we expect, yet a few personal character arcs, philosophy and social commentary on war are strongly explored. The movie questions the need for war, patriotism and dying for your country. It asks who are the heroes, what is the price of war and the value of life.
The monster may not have been as much a metaphor as the original 1954 Honda version, yet the common threat it represents was utilized to examine the lessons learned by the losers of a costly war they initiated. The plot elements worked to support the suspense, narrative, action and likeable characters. The main disaster scene in Ginza's area of Tokyo is action and suspense at a high level with stunning visuals and innovative directing and cinematography. It has nothing to envy from the five Michael Bay's Transformers movies or the latest 2023 one with over 10 times the budget.
Even if the story is key, the visuals do not suffer and we are left with a complete package of drama, soundtrack, substance, suspense, and action.
This not the 1998 awful American version of starring Matthew Broderick. I did not think I could say monster movie and masterpiece in the same sentence but there it is. Best movie coming from Japan in a while along with The First Slam Dunk (2022). Godzilla Minus One (2023) gets a Ten.
Ryunosuke Kamiki who himself had a brush with death in infancy plays the main character Koichi Shikishima with gusto and conviction. Shikishima is a Kamikaze pilot who failed to complete his mission and is guilt-ridden from his fallen comrades and perceived cowardice. Like much of postwar Japan he also suffers from general survivor's' guilt and struggles to find a place for himself to rebuild alongside the crippled country. The character is well-written and surprisingly well-played for a film heavy in special effects. The acting is poignant, emotionally charged, and both subtle and strong. Yamazaki's directing for him and the other actors is spot on, and the director's vision over all is what makes movies worth going to the theatre in this streaming era. Yamazaki also wrote the screenplay and directed the visual FX.
Noriko and the other supporting characters are also effective. The music and sound are riveting and accentuate tension and emotions. My senses were heightened most of the movie.
Now the story has some typical elements we expect, yet a few personal character arcs, philosophy and social commentary on war are strongly explored. The movie questions the need for war, patriotism and dying for your country. It asks who are the heroes, what is the price of war and the value of life.
The monster may not have been as much a metaphor as the original 1954 Honda version, yet the common threat it represents was utilized to examine the lessons learned by the losers of a costly war they initiated. The plot elements worked to support the suspense, narrative, action and likeable characters. The main disaster scene in Ginza's area of Tokyo is action and suspense at a high level with stunning visuals and innovative directing and cinematography. It has nothing to envy from the five Michael Bay's Transformers movies or the latest 2023 one with over 10 times the budget.
Even if the story is key, the visuals do not suffer and we are left with a complete package of drama, soundtrack, substance, suspense, and action.
This not the 1998 awful American version of starring Matthew Broderick. I did not think I could say monster movie and masterpiece in the same sentence but there it is. Best movie coming from Japan in a while along with The First Slam Dunk (2022). Godzilla Minus One (2023) gets a Ten.