The king of monsters once again returns to take its throne as “Godzilla Minus One,” the first Toho-produced Godzilla film since 2016’s “Shin Godzilla,” arrives in American theaters Dec. 1 with several early preview screenings for fans on Nov. 29
The film has already enjoyed a lavish reception by critics and garnered an impressive 100 Percent Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie depicts a Japan still reeling from the end of World War II as it’s forced to endure a new tragedy, the arrival of a giant monster.
Film’s director Takashi Yamazaki other works include “Lupin III: The First” and “Stand by Me Doraemon” showcasing a talent for adapting classic franchises for the silver screen.
“I had been approached several times but turned it down until my team’s technology was capable of expressing the Godzilla I had envisioned. After seeing Shin Godzilla, my motivation increased, and my technology evolved considerably,” the director said in an interview with Deadline. He noted the advancements in CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) that allowed him to finally capture the Godzilla he imagined as a child.
“There was once a time when Toho kaiju movies, including Godzilla, were broadcast when professional baseball games were canceled due to rain, and I believe that was how my relationship with Godzilla began,” Yamazaki said when asked by Deadline about his relation to the monster movie monolith.
This Adaptation of Godzilla harkens back to the franchise’s early days with the post-World War II setting directly mirroring that of the first film and contrasting that of the last adaptation, “Shin Godzilla,” which deviated heavily from the formula.
This can be seen even in the designs of the titular monsters with the bloated, red tide-inspired design of shin being traded in for a far more classic one which is marred by radiation damage as the film progresses.
Critics have called the film “perhaps one of the finest movies of the kaiju genre,” said Eric Fransisco for the digital magazine Inverse.
The rapturous praise doesn’t stop there with discussing film writer Andrew Salazar who said: “Godzilla Minus One is unique and powerful enough to stand the test of time.”
Critics are one thing but what about the fans, genre movies like this often live or die by fan reception.