Godzilla Plus One Movie Review

One time, I was in my backyard as a kid digging for treasure. And because I was a stupid kid, I didn't have a map or a dying pirate's whispered secret or even a good shovel. I didn't find treasure but I did find a septic tank.

Godzilla Minus One is opposite of that. The boy in the Godzilla Minus One version finds treasure in the infrequent rampaging fire-dinosaur bits hidden amongst the deep strata of post-WWII Japanese reflection and silty layers of Imperial Japanese criticism. He also doesn't get in big troubles with his Dad for "fucking up the shit tank".

The premise for Godzilla Minus One is a real stretch for fans of Godzilla movies (of which I am one). Giant monster freaks out, smashes shit, repeat. Ok so not a stretch at all.

The original symbolism of Godzilla was the giant monster stands as a condemnation of the use of nuclear arms from the perspective of the victims of the use of those arms. That's hinted at here, but what we're really looking at in Godzilla Minus One is Godzilla is Imperial Japan, and the characters are all fighting in different ways to come to terms with their nation behaving monstrously and recklessly with human life. They all feel betrayed by their government and only by defeating the giant lizard will they be able to find the redemption they seek. Neato. Sounds like some other global super-power I know. *Looks around*

There was also lots of dinosaur waffle-stomping and atomic-breathing, in case you were getting bored with the feely stuff.

It's a silly movie with big ideas and lots of anime scream-acting, so you know ...pretty good.

You should watch Godzilla Minus One if you want an interesting (and potentially revisionist) history lesson in post-nuclear Japanese life and the societal struggles that occurred in order to drag that battle-weary nation into the modern age. (And don't talk about atrocities perpetrated on China, because that was a "whoopsie"). It's also good if you like laughing at Godzilla's silly little arms.

8/10