Godzilla Minus One

published 2025-12-11 | tags: #backlog #movies #godzilla

In contrast with the dynamic fast pace of Shin Godzilla, Minus One felt contemplative. The pacing forced you to experience the hardships of the main characters, notice their growth and recovery, and empathize with their trauma as it came back at the worst times.

If I could do it again, I would watch Minus One after Godzilla Raids Again, or somewhere in the group of 60's-era Godzillas. It pulls from those heavily, like having the inventor scientist, or having a "boat guy", and having the solution to a problem be coming together and building the impossible.

Unlike those early Godzilla entries, this isn't propaganda for the Japanese government; instead this story champions people's collective action and rejection of the government's status quo. In that respect this is very similar to Shin Godzilla, injecting a youthful critique of the establishment into (ironically) one of the oldest film series still around.

Minus one rightfully holds the place as the highest rated Godzilla movie ,even beating out the 1954 original which has 70 years of nostalgia propping it up. I can't say it's my personal favorite, but it's easily in the top 3 and should be required viewing for all movie buffs.