Godzilla Minus Zero
While less taut than its predecessor, Godzilla Minus Zero holds its own and sets the stage for more stories in a new, electrifying era of Toho’s kaiju epic
Giant kaiju are back to wreak havoc across a ravaged post-World War II Japan in writer-director Takashi Yamazaki's bold but slightly less impressive followup to Godzilla Minus One. Two years after the events of that thrilling film, Japan is still reeling from Godzilla’s attack and Minus One's devastating atomic epilogue when a new menace swoops down from the sky. Enter Ghidorah, a three-headed dragon-like creature whose regenerative power rivals that of everyone's favourite massive lizard.
We're reunited with key players from Minus One, including ex-kamikaze pilot Kōichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and Noriko (Minami Hamabe), who have married and are raising their adopted daughter, Akiko (Sae Nagatani). Any sense of normalcy is fleeting, though; the happy family are soon pulled apart when weapons specialist Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka), now overseeing Japan's Large-Scale Disaster Response Bureau, enlists Kōichi’s help to fight Ghidorah. When the Americans’ half-assed military plans fail, it’s Godzilla who might prove an unwitting ally in Japan’s tormented quest for stability.
The film charts familiar territory, relying on an irresistible mix of heartfelt drama and disaster movie to dissect the protagonists’ stoicism in the face of collective trauma. The scope is grander, as are the narrative intricacies, with multiple new characters joining in, each carrying their own hefty baggage. A hard-hitting story that doesn’t miss its target despite dragging in the final act, Godzilla Minus Zero is propelled by Yamazaki’s stunning visual effects and muted, moving performances from the cast that capture the impossible friction between bravery and self-preservation.
Released 6 Nov by Anime Ltd; certificate 15