Kevin Smith has a strong review of Godzilla Minus One. The latest Japanese-language Godzilla movie, Minus One takes place in the aftermath of World War II and features a devastating attack on Japan by the King of the Monsters himself. With a budget of just $15 million, the movie has already earned nearly $100 million at the box office. Smith, meanwhile, earned his fame as the writer and director of Clerks, which was a success in its own right.
Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One has been drawing near-universal praise from critics, and Kevin Smith is no different. In an appearance on the Fatman Beyond podcast, Smith explained just how much he loved the movie. While he typically has disdain for the human elements of kaiju movies, he found it exceptionally well done in Yamazaki’s latest hit. Check out his quote below, via Comicbook.com:
“This Godzilla Minus One, kids — by far the best Godzilla movie that I’ve ever seen. Just a clinic in how to make a movie with the giant monster, that keeps the giant monster alive throughout the whole movie, and is compelling on the human level. You’ve heard me say on this show many times, ‘Oh, a f—ing human story. Why can’t they just show us f—ing kaiju battles? This is the first time I’ve seen a Godzilla movie and been like, ‘Can we move the giant kaiju out of the way? I was very intrigued by the story that’s happening in the background.’ The human drama is as interesting as some of the most horrifying Godzilla scenes. We grew up with this character — a guy in a rubber suit stepping on buildings was never all that scary. That f—ing shot of his head in the water, chasing that f—ing boat, is terrifying. It’s straight out of f—ing Jaws, man. I can’t believe it’s taken someone this long to be like, ‘Let’s do Jaws, but with Godzilla.’ Fantastic.”
Why Godzilla Minus One Is So Renowned
Despite having an extremely short theatrical run, Godzilla Minus One has become a massive success that is regularly breaking records. Foreign language movies rarely enjoy groundbreaking box office runs, but Minus One has proven to be an exception to the rule. It outgrossed even Shin Godzilla to become the greatest success of the Japanese Godzilla movies, and it continues to surprise at every turn.
A part of the movie’s success is its interesting setting. The idea of a post-World War II Japan evokes reminders of the original Godzilla, while also being a compelling period in itself. The movie’s willingness to show a realistic-looking Godzilla is additionally a welcome surprise on such a minimal budget, given that it helps to ensure that the kaiju always feels like a central part of the overall narrative. The characters may be the most important, as Kevin Smith suggested, but the monster always feels essential.
Is Godzilla Minus One A Prequel To Shin Godzilla?
Godzilla Minus One and Shin Godzilla are both recent, successful Japanese movies, but is Godzilla Minus One a prequel to Shin Godzilla??
The movie borrows from other films, including Jaws and the original Godzilla to make its kaiju both terrifying and intimidating. At the same time, its theme of a recovering Japan suffering from extreme trauma is an element that helps it to stand out among others. While it will never be quite as successful as the American movies have been at the box office, that is largely because of domestic box office limitations, as Americans prefer English-language movies. Godzilla Minus One continues to be an extreme success, drawing endless praise.
