The famous monster is back on our screens again in this Japanese-made origin story. It starts in 1945 when Godzilla emerges on an island to create havoc at a military outpost. A couple of years later, Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), one of the two survivors from that attack who is plagued by survivor’s guilt, gets involved in a mission to kill the creature when he heads for Tokyo.
We’ve had a lot of American Godzilla films in recent years, and another was trailed just before this film was screened. This Japanese movie has received lavish praise and there is a lot to like about it. The effects are better than usual and a lot of the monster is seen in some spectacular set pieces. The depiction of a post war Japan is interesting and the usual parallels to the atomic bombs dropped on the country are drawn.
But there are some deficiencies in the script with too many patriotic speeches. There are two twists towards the end, one is signposted twice, the other very predictable.
Enjoyable, but over praised.
Rating: 7 out of 10