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Film Reviews

Film Review: Godzilla Minus One (2023)

STORY

When Japan is close to the Second World War, a giant reptilian monster shows up on one of the islands. Shikishima, a former kamikaze pilot, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing the horrors of the bloodshed it created that day. That giant monster is called Godzilla.

REVIEW

Godzilla Minus One is the first live-action Godzilla film from Japanese production and distribution company Toho since Shin Godzilla in 2016 and thirty-third overall. And has no connection with the Monsterverse of the Legendary Pictures that mostly involves Godzilla and Kong.

Although, Monsterverse has done justice and we finally got to see the frightening existence of Godzilla in the most suitable setup of the universe. But I think this was about time that Godzilla must had an equally competitive narration and setting in its Japanese roots. But golly! Godzilla Minus One made a Godzilla film much better than the Monsterverse.

No wonder how spectacular are visual effects in Monsterverse but I have been criticizing this universe for years that the human factor of this universe has always looked dragged in such an amazing Kaiju-action showdown. Monsterverse is now five films and ten years old but the human writing still has not grabbed or captivated any interest. The human angle in this universe has been annoying.

But Godzilla Minus One has a potential story where Godzilla itself is second to humans. This is about an already struggling and suffering post-World War Japan getting further nuked by this scary colossus. The Japanese are not ready for this kind of wrath and the scientists and military are jointly devising an ultimate plan to bring it down. And then there is poor Shikishima who already was suffering from PTSD given by Godzilla and now has distanced his close company Noriko from him by the atomic breath.

I say close company for Noriko because in all honesty, her relation with Shikishima was confusing. They were neither friends nor developed any romanticism. I think with so much destruction on their world to suffer, they were the need of the hour for each other and held tremendous respect. But one of the rare minuses of the film is that Noriko survived with injuries on her right eye and the right arm. How is that even possible? But wait. What is that black thing revealing on her neck?

The biggest accomplishment of Godzilla Minus One is winning the Oscar for the Best Visual Effects becoming the first Japanese film to win this particular award and the first Godzilla film ever to win an Oscar. Imagine a five-film Monsterverse not winning in ten years but the Japanese team of VFX winning it one go. You can realize how superior was the work on Godzilla and the entire visual creation that included blasts and destructions.

This Godzilla looks more terrific and terrifying than the one in America. Observe the work on the lightning spikes and when the flesh of Godzilla regenerates. The only plus of the American Godzilla over the Japanese one is that the former easily has the best roar in the films than the latter.

CLOSING REMARKS

I think Godzilla Minus One is an innovative arc of storytelling where a gripping emotional storyline is set in a war-torn Japan and has a strong reliability on a very sound visual effects based on a fiction, a legend, a monster. The film has deep human affection, a trauma of war and a larger-than-life shocking incident. I do not believe a monster story has ever been taken so seriously with a quality filmmaking.

Remember, this is a Japanese monster film that reached the global audience especially the West. The popularity of the film was enormous. And Japan nailed that in a comparatively extremely low budget for a VFX-bound action film. It is a win for the monstertainment cinema and the audience.

RATING 8.7/10

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Film Reviews

TV Review: Monarch – Legacy of Monsters

MONSTERS OF JAPAN

Two Japanese half-siblings Cate and Kentaro search for their missing father Hiroshi who was working for Monarch. Monarch is a covert organization that was built in the 1940s to monitor and study Kaijus called ‘Titans’. Kaiju is a Japanese word for a giant monster. It was Monarch who discovered Gojira, the original name of the globally popular monster, Godzilla.

The reason for highlighting the Japanese references is to acknowledge the Japanese legacy, that was built by the entertainment company Toho, for their science fiction films that introduced several kaijus that later established a universal fanbase. Toho’s Kaiju films are mostly centered around their Big Five who are Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla.

THE HUMAN ARCS

In all honesty, the human arcs have been dragged in the four Monsterverse films so far. A lot of screen-time were spent to value the human assistance in relation to these monsters. In the films based on creatures, the human connection looks bizarre because eventually, the humans with all the given science do not stand any chance to survive the wrath of these monsters. So what’s the point of shooting their scenes and introducing so many humans?

The reason for stating all this to the readers is to explain why this Ápple TV+ series is so important for those who are fond of watching these monsters. Because ‘Monarch’ is the only acceptable human angle in the world of Monsterverse.

This show completes the Monsterverse. A continuity of this cinematic universe that was questionable at some point between the four films will be cleared by watching this 10-episode series. The discoveries and developments that resulted in bombing Godzilla in Bikini Atoll are all in this show.

Monarch is run in two different timelines. The old age reflects on the trinity of scientists, Keiko and Bill, and an army officer Lee representing Monarch making groundbreaking efforts in their research. Whereas the half-siblings and a hacking friend May in the new age tries to uncover the mysteries of the secret organization.

CONTINUITY FATIGUE

 

In the middle of the series, I was irritated at the screenplay losing its direction and the show’s core purpose. In both timelines, the writers began to emphasize on their love angles. The old age trinity became a love triangle and much time was spent on Keiko’s relation with Bill and Lee. On the other hand, Kentaro and May were in relation whereas Cate turned out to be a lesbian who cheated on her girlfriend.

I understand that growing and developing the character in a television series is a must. But all this character work had zero value because their love stories contribute nothing to the main plot. So for quite some time, Monarch became some teenage crybaby drama and their romantic arcs ruined the show. During all this, Monarch missed the chance for not offering much action sequences between the monsters.

THE RUSSELLS

One factor that I really liked about the series was Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell playing the old and young versions of officer Lee Shaw. For dramatizing in different timelines, the involvement of the real father and son serves the purpose. I have no knowledge if Monarch has won the audience and the critics but if this series has survived, that is because of them. Their lively presence particularly Kurt’s is the reason why the continuity in the new age become very interesting.

Surely everyone were confused like me over Kurt’s character being a 90-year-old because obviously he looks too young for a nonagenarian. At first, I thought the makers compromised and ignored the personification of a man in an advanced age for the sake of hyping the involvement of the Russells but it was a relief that it was part of the story. I am impressed with Wyatt’s execution of the character. I feel sorry for him for all the backlash he had for being Captain America. If you observe, he is a fine actor.

CLOSING REMARKS

Easily, the season finale was my favorite and the saviour of the show’s efficacy. All the reunions were well-performed. Monarch is an important development between all the four films and cannot be ignored.

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