I avoided Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) for looking silly. But a bored, trapped audience will watch anything. I had no choice. Either this or stare at a wall. I’ve watched the wall too much, so…
I’m glad I did watch this Godzilla movie. I was transported to my childhood almost immediately. The lighting and filming style was kept in line with past Japan-based Godzilla movies. Everything within, though, was very modern.
Big-time spoilers ahead!
It’s a tale of human collaboration, worth ethic, natural talent celebrated, and scientific endeavor VERSUS the king of monsters, Godzilla.
The film begins with a glimpse of the monster fairly early, rare in classic monster movies. The formula was always to make your audience wait near the entire story. Knowing there was a creature in a Tokyo Bay, the Japanese government immediately launches into action. But that action was that of bureaucracy, red tape, procedure, rank etiquette, and what comes with the phenomenon.
The monster, an infant or early version of Godzilla, even made it to shore destroying buildings and the like for hours before the Japanese military did anything. Despite the intentionally frustrating procedural action scenes of the human group, the monster scenes were very unique and startling. Godzilla, at this point, couldn’t stand. Watching it plow through streets with a sea of cars flying into the air was ghastly, to say the least.
Humans still planning to make a plan, Godzilla’s early form starts to change a bit, getting larger and toppling twenty story buildings, still unable to stand properly. By the time the human’s move military responses to the location, Godzilla stands and lets out it’s trademark roar. It stands face to face with attack helicopters.
(All images via TOHO Co. LTD)
(A note on that roar. How did they make that classic sound? It is simply a bow strung bass sound, slowed down.)
Two humans on the ground, two hapless individuals that didn’t evacuate the area, ends up canceling the military operation. Godzilla drops low again and slithers back to sea.
The film goes on the reveal clues to Godzilla’s origins. A beast born from scientific mishaps, radioactive waste that also feeds on it. Drawn to Tokyo by nuclear plants. One character mentioned that a creature that size would have to get enormous amounts of energy from somewhere, at it didn’t seem to be consuming organic life. Logical, I suppose.
Caught off-guard by the return of Godzilla, the Japanese government launches back into its bureaucracy but gives more authority to the “nerds” figuring out the problem and the military acting on their guidance. Despite that, Godzilla’s “re-landing” came with the classic theme song…
(Only problem with the theme is I always expect to hear the Pharoahe Monch remix of it right after the opening.)
This was the adult, classic, form of Godzilla. Scientists, the nerds, figure that the creature can rapidly evolve to handle any situation that confronts it. With is an interesting way of looking at life, while paying homage to how Godzilla could handle any opposing monster in the older films.
Military collaboration of Japan and the USA face the monster. But, the soft fleshy, and youthful, looking Godzilla is long gone. Very little military barrages hurt him (her?). Only some special shells dropped from US bombers seem to hurt it. Only the first volley. But then Godzilla evolves to handle an air assault.
All is lost in one of the most horrifying giant monster movie scenes I have ever witnessed. Unstoppable, brutal, shocking, cool… all words that hardly do the scene justice. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
But, it leaves the area in ruin and drains Godzilla’s energy for a couple weeks. The beast remains motionless to recharge, so to speak.
During this time, the human opposition started working together. Communal work, scientific planning, committee and proper planning helped the humans win the day.
But, it’s the end of that day that is most troubling. At the end of Godzilla’s tail was a glimpse of the next evolution. Not one of overwhelming power, but perhaps one of collaboration. It’s left to interpretation, of course.
My take – he was beaten by thousands of individuals working together. Perhaps creating a community of like-minded beasts was the next step. Or perhaps a divide and conquer strategy. One monster per person.
Unfortunately, it seems that there will not be a sequel to Shin Godzilla. At least, not anytime in the foreseeable future. Too bad.
I rate this 4.22 out of 5.00
Well worth the time. And time is valuable, don’t waste it.