Toho has unleashed its newest, alternate-track sequel/prequel/reboot, Godzilla Minus One, written and directed by Takashi (Space Battleship Yamato) Yamasaki.
The fable occurs at the close of WWII, just prior to the atomic-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan's surrender to the Allies. For the record, Minus One's timeframe is within range of Godzilla (Gojira) 1954 and stays in conceptual step with Ishiro Honda's founding production. Nevertheless, once Minus One gets rolling, it steers down a more intrinsic track, which is saying a lot, considering the original's sullen reverberation.
Some have expressed concern that Minus One might depict Japan as a victim-without-provocation, when those with an honest view of history know that the Land of the Red Sun sealed its fate by attacking Pearl Harbor and teaming with Nazi Germany. Fortunately, Minus One is absent of any such heavy-handed, blame-game reflection (even as it offers no apology for the calamity the Axis spurred). It acknowledges yet marginalizes the WWII specifics, opting to elevate Godzilla's retold resurgence in allegory.
As such, Minus One's legendary behemoth is the most belligerent to date, churning the equivalent of a demonic plague for Japan, though the sideline view falls on a young man named Koichi Shikishma, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki. Shikishma is introduced as a reluctant, kamikaze pilot, who lands on the fabled Odo Island, where he encounters a rampaging dinosaur that will soon morph to even more dangerous heights (and abilities) due to radioactive remnants (a concept tested in Godzilla vs King Ghidorah).
Kamiki's war-weathered performance exudes strength, fear and anger, in particular when he wrestles with self-sacrifice in light of a perceived, greater cause, only to realize that his dictatorial government desires elitist preservation over its common citizenry.
Minus One's co-performers are just as worthy: Minami Himabe as Noriko Oishi (Shikishma's endearing, love interest); Sage Nagatami as Akiko (Oishi and Shikishma's adopted daughter); Sukura Ando as Sumiko Ota (the couple's impassioned neighbor); Munetaki Aoki's Sosaku Tachimana (an embittered, crackerjack mechanic); Karanosuki Susaki as Yoji Akitsu (brave captain of the Shinei Maru); Mio Tanaka as Tatsuo Hotto (brave captain of the destroyer, Yukikaze); Yuki Yamada as Shiro "Kid" Mizushima (a dutiful, novice sailor); Munetaka Aoki as Sosaku Takibana (a diligent, ex-Naval Airforce officer); and Hidetaka Yoshioka as Kenji Noda (a brilliant, weapons engineer and oceanic-mine expert, who devises an ambitious, twofold plan to destroy Godzilla).
Because of its principals' shared purpose, Minus One works like David Gordon Green's Halloween and Exorcist reboots, where communal cooperation trumps despair, with generous allusions to Jaws, Moby Dick and Lord Jim along the survivalist course.
On another (more basic) level, Minus One is a quality, kaiju adventure, which wastes little time in revealing its titular titan, all to the accompaniment of Naoki Satu's expressive, Ryuichi Sakamuto-esque score (in which Akira Ifukube's signature, Godzilla music intervenes with iconic impact). The monster effects are also exemplary, enough that it's impossible to tell if Godzilla is digitalized or animatronic, though in either/or case, Kozo Shibasaki's photography heightens the gnarly grandeur in ways that no previous, Toho chapter has done (and many look pretty damn good).
Minus One will remain in theatrical release through December before visiting home-viewing venues, but to experience the movie's full, artistic impact, catch it on the big screen. There are other Toho pictures that are considered classics, but this one epitomizes every iota of the sprawling term.
