I love the way Reaper mentions Godzilla's appearances in this movie. The way he talks you'd swear he had his own personal vendetta against him or something.
It’s perfect. As the embodiment of overwhelming destruction beating the crap out of an already ruined nation, Godzilla is absolutely the enemy in this film. And it worked perfectly.
The movie is incredible. I love the characters, and I love how heroic everyone is in their own way. The ladies are LADIES, caring, loving, nurturing, with inner strength. They aren’t running around with guns and spitting on the men. The men are MEN, honorable, brave, protectors who respect themselves and the ladies. I absolutely love this movie.
Noriko was still a girl boss saving the weak man in military and surviving a monster sized hurricane level wind and structural carnage as she vanished off screen. Don't delude yourself.
Well, when we see the neighbour Noriko for the first time she isn't very nice to the protagonist. Of course that changes during the film because she has a better and bigger character arc than most Hollywood movie characters in the last 20 years. When, at the end of the movie, she started hitting Koichi after he came back in a accusatory relieved way for making believe her that he wont come back... And gave him the letter... F*ck that make cry and she didn't utter a word. Sakura Ando is a insanely talented actress.
The growth creeping up her neck at the end of the film seems to imply that the radiation from the blast somehow mutated her, perhaps it also gave her some version of Godzilla's regeneration and allowed her to survive the shockwave.
“Unknown Japanese studio” my brother in Christ, that “unknown studio” has made Damm near every Godzilla movie. Also the budget was less than 15 million, so even more impressive
I love all the reviews Godzilla Minus One is getting. I also get a laugh out of the reviewers not knowing shit about Toho or the Big G! I hope this movie makes a new generation of Godzilla fans!
I’m so happy to see Reaper’s covering this gem. We need to support more movies like this. Fun fact: the projector died when we were watching the final battle. When Godzilla was about to release atomic breath, the screen suddenly turned pitch black and we thought it was a part of the movie for 10s XD. We then had to call the manager to fast forward the movie and the projectionist accidentally went too fast so we got a spoiler lol. Still, I am glad I experienced it in theatre. Great experience overall :)
That scene where the main character cries because he thinks his good life is a dream and that he is actually dead almost made me CRY. I did not expect that a monster movie about a big lizard will make me do that.
I'm from Malaysia, and it's disheartening for me that this film hasn't been released in our cinemas yet. I've been eagerly awaiting its release for a while now, and I was genuinely excited about it. Despite all the buzz and praise surrounding it, I can't even watch it to enjoy.
@@treystephens6166 Yeah, I can't wait. Hollywood has been churning out quite a few mediocre movies lately, so I'm excited for something promising such as this. Looking forward to supporting it on digital, but too bad, no cinema releases here where I am.
I knew you would love it 😄 It was kickass!! To think ... This is what movies used to be. Now we get a movie that's good and it feels like a rare occurrence.
My 5 year old son loves Godzilla. He'll watch almost every film Mothra onwards from the Showa era. I took him to see Minus one eventhough it was entirely in Japanese. I narrated the film to him and even he understood the stakes both amongst the humans at home and fighting Godzilla. It's written and directed that well. 10/10
I have never been a fan of Godzilla movies and, apart from the fantastic 1954 original, had never seen one that I liked. Until this movie, I couldn't believe I was sitting in a theater watching a Godzilla film and not only was it the best film of the year, it is the best film in many years. As an aside, Toho isn't an unknown studio. It released the original Godzilla as well as many of Akira Kurasawa's film including one of the best ever made, Seven Samurai.
Though there are many things to like about the film my standout is how emotionally relatable and accessible it is. The film has so damned much heart. Every emotional beat rings true and there's not even a hint of cliche or heavy handed cheesieness. And what's especially remarkable is that the film was clearly made with only the Japanese market and culture in mind, yet it easily resonates with some Joe at his local theater, who's never been outside of his county let alone to Japan.
Turns out that people love stories that bring us together and emphasize the shared things and experiences that make us all the same and human, rather than being told we're all different. The fact that a subtitled foreign-language period piece has managed universal praise for its relatable and very human characters is a perfect example of this.
Funny how you actually can resonate better with people when you have a clear audience in mind, instead of doing the Hollywood way of "appeasing to everyone while making a product for no one".
Dude finally! Might be just my film of the year. The acting and characters were so good, I almost forgot it was a monster film. I never cared about the humans in a Godzilla film until this. Proves it can be done.
I agree It’s the best Godzilla film, it is a great portrayal of Godzilla and the human characters are the heart of the story with their struggle actually moving me to tears(when the Child was crying, I felt that and actually teared up since she was alone and lost her guardian)
Godzilla: Minus One is going straight onto my shelf with pride. It’s the best movie I’ve seen this year and the reason why I don’t phrase it as “so far” is because I doubt Hollyweird can make anything this good.
I've been checking for a Blu-Ray release date like a tweaker looking for his next hit...I can't believe I may have to wait til the end of the year to get this on disc!
Hollywood made movies this good and even better, but it was atleast a decade ago. Still, don't deny the past just because of a deplorable present. Who knows what the future holds, right?
Only saw the minus color version but I cried. That’s how great the character development was. I cared about everyone in this film and Godzilla was just an afterthought that was just as scary as a nuclear bomb. There’s a very strong connection with the characters and a very real fear of their lives being threatened. It’s actually really sweet and it’s inspiring how they still have a sense of humor in this reality. The monster is just a very large pitbull on the loose that cannot be killed. War is horrible plain and simple. If nobody notices how brilliant this story telling is then I’m afraid for the cinematic future
I went to the cinema a while ago, and I had an AMAZING experience. I dragged my family with me who aren't into Godzilla, but they came out satisfied too. The acting was top notch, I found some aspects of the story to be very clever writing, and the visuals were stellar too, I'm struggling to believe this film was made for only $11M! There was an emotional twist in the story too which made me cry at the end XD. I won't spoil anything, and HIGHLY recommend this film
Napoleon released the same day and cost 20x more than Godzilla Minus One. One of these movies is still playing a full schedule in every one of the many cinemas in our area.
I freaking LOVED this movie!!! I saw it a few times in the cinema, the first time I've been back to the theater since The Last Jedi wrecked my love of anything out of Hollywood... and it was so worth it. I adored the characters and just enjoyed the heck out of it!
As soon as I saw they were releasing Godzilla Minus One Minus Color in the US for a week which I thought they wouldnt do , thought it was gonna be only Japan that got it - I immediately bought the first ticket I could find for it. Waxwork records announces pre-orders for the score on vinyl - immediate buy. I think its the only film I can think of in possibly the last 10 years where anything and everything I can get my grubby little mits on - I will - thats how much I love this film.
This movie is not only what we hoped for with the 2014/Brian Cranston Godzilla, but it genuinely has been an inspiration for me on stories I want to see and write I *never* would've guessed that a lizard movie would've had us rooting for a group of defeated men who just wanted a chance to make a difference, something that *a lot* of people can relate to...much less move you to a tear or two
Damn, the summary of the theme around civilians having to overcome the metaphorical atomic bomb reminded me of that moment in the movie and...yeah, best Godzilla movie ever. I bought the first release but I think I want the black and white version too.
When you mentioned how movies nowadays seem to always set up stuff for the next movie in their franchises: _Minus One did that too._ I won't give away exact details or spoilers of the film, but the ending had two scenes that are 100% going to be explained in a possible sequel... which I'm just going to say right now is something I very much want from the studio and the very same director, if possible. Minus One was _that_ good, and I want to see more of this Godzilla in action. It's about time the King of the Kaiju stood center stage as the King of the Cinemas lol. *Edit:* I just want to add that another thing I liked about Minus One is that there were no WOKE elements in the film. No token characters of different races and no token "girl power" moments or Mary Sue characters - just men; not only men, but Japanese men who survived war and who came together to put a stop to a threat terrorizing their homeland. I'm an American and even I felt pride in seeing that because _that_ is what it's all about to be a man... And in a world that demonizes us for our "toxic masculinity," it was a GD breath of fresh air.
Toku has had a good year. The action packed tear jerker that was shin Kamen Rider, one of the best ultra shows in a while with ultraman Blazar, and this movie.
The final depiction in minus one is a sort of cliche. Godzilla, for instance, never dies due to its notable regenerative abilities, a trait often seen in zombie movies as well. While this may leave room for a sequel, I didn't get the impression that it was the intention. Though, it'd be awesome if there's a sequel.
@@mrgodzillaraptors8632 Blazar is so good. Man, everything from action to characters, it's amazing how they can do that with a "small budget" compared to western shows that seem to waste 300 mil on something like Secret Invasion that has nothing but subpar special fx that you can hardly see because everything is too dark and poorly choreographed fights because they couldn't bother paying extra for good stuntmen and a director that actually knows how to film action.
Honestly it confused me how he talks about how the Monsterverse movies always need to set up a sequel when I don't remember them ever doing that outside of 2 post-credit scenes.
Gonna see it a third time on this week's cinema day today. Just had to show it to two other dudes and see how good it was as soon as you know the film inside out
One thing that made this movie superior is how dedication to the special effects, there’s only 35 VFX artists do the whole movie which can be presumed that they’re really love what they’re doing, despite the mass production nowadays with the mindset of “ Just consume the product then get excited to consume the next one” . Edit: They’re on the way to Oscar!!
The MonsterVerse has some good ideas in it, but I can no longer ignore the grim reality that it’s corporate as fuck. There’s nothing inherently wrong with Godzilla being the protagonist, provided that he never hesitates to show his hatred for Man after the enemy is vanquished. The Heisei films, for all of their blemishes, managed to find a perfect balance and stuck with it until the end. Even in the latter entries where you were meant to root for Godzilla, he never once showed any consideration for human life. The only exception was Miki Saegusa the psychic, who learned compassion and respect for kaiju life by the end of her character arc. She turned out to be one of the good ones and earned his respect. Godzilla is a dark avenger who fights to avenge himself. When he isn’t defending his spot at the top of the food chain, he punishes humans for making war, exploiting nature and for daring to have thoughts of greed and vanity. He has no actual way of knowing what humans think, but he assumes we’re all assholes anyway. That’s why he fuckin’ rules.🤘🏻☢️🐉🌊
This movie was incredible and the human story and how everything connects was a chief's kiss, I'll admit i shed tears but one of the best Goji films I've seen next to Shin Goji
"Really successful movies have cost a lot of money, so the more that we spend on a movie the better it will do." When you spell out their logic, it's not very logical.
Idk man, I think there is a market for both well written monster movies and dumb ones like Kong Vs Godzilla, sometimes it's fun to turn your brain off and watch some CGI destruction.
I watched this in theaters with my friends and we all enjoyed the movie. I guess I would be silly for thinking that it was going to be an English dubbed film, but reading sub was not that bad.
Not to be argumentative, but action figure smash-em-up Godzilla is just as true to form as somber allegory Godzilla. G-1 is an amazing addition to the franchise, possibly the best. But yes, I am still very much excited to see Godzilla and Kong have a kaiju rumble in a fantastical hollow earth setting.
@@heatseekerx51 1998 almost killed the franchise forever and Toho made multiple attempts to recover from that but they all weren’t enough. Until 2014 came and revived the Godzilla brand around the world because of its balance of action and suspense with good character moments that don’t act like annoying cartoon characters. It wasn’t until GvK messed up the tone the monsterverse was going for. Oh and calling me a tourist?! I’ve been a fan since 2010 you goofball
@@Izywik94G98 did not almost kill the franchise, but it did give it a black eye. Toho turned around quick with Godzilla 2000 to try and fix the image of Godzilla. The Millennium era movie had some very good entries, but the fact is that Toho had been milking Godzilla regularly since 1989 and frankly run the franchise into the ground. That's why they took a break after Final Wars to give the franchise time to breathe. G14 was good and made Godzilla look like a serious character again, ala Godzilla 1984. It is fair to say that GvK shifted the tone into something more actiony, since he draws inspiration from movie like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. I recognized GvK almost immediately as a Showa-style movie, which is the kind of Godzilla a lot of people still think of. MechaGodzilla, Hedorah, and '62 vs King Kong have way more public equity than any of the 'cooler' Heisei movies. I do have my own issues with GvK, but it not being true to from Godzilla isn't one of them. A mere 10 years after the original Godzilla 1954, we got Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster, with aliens, psychic possession, MONSTER TALK, and turn of Godzilla into a defender of the Earth. And let us not forget that the Showa movies themselves had their own moments of brutality, for what had become a franchise for kids. And I would say I became a fan of Godzilla in maybe 1992-1993. (not to flex on you, you're likely just younger than me).
@@heatseekerx51 Yes but the Showa era films are different from the monsterverse. The MV started as it’s own depiction of Godzilla by him being a mysterious force of nature with a lot to be discovered. G14 made him feel like the real deal and someone to not mess with. KOTM was good in concept but the final product was a mess with its inconsistent story, annoying and terribly written characters, badly shot fight scenes, and inferior CGI along with unnecessary screen filtering
― Japan: ❛❛So... you nuked us twice, then you appropriate the embodiment of our national trauma and turn it into a stereotypically misunderstood big boy of modern-day pop-culture?❜❜ ― U.S.: ❛❛YES!❜❜ ― Japan: * *MAKES A GOOD GODZILLA MOVIE* * ― U.S.: ❛❛Wait, that's ILLEGAL!!!❜❜
Toho made Godzilla a hero first, albeit out of necessity. Furthermore, he’s been a pop culture icon for a long ass time. Your grandad probably grew up watching Godzilla movies on his local tv station.
Also Toho: made Godzilla do a tail slide drop kick and fly using his atomic breath. Godzilla can be anything my guy, even if it’s wacky. There is no appropriation.
I like the moment where he's looking at the family photos of the men who died on Oda Island. He realizes in that moment that he lived to go back to nothing, while those families will never see those men again.
Less than $15 million, has characters that you like and hope they didn’t die, and not once did I think it was boring or the CGI was awkward Best Godzilla film I ever seen
I liked this video, but also there were just some things that I disagree with. You said Toho was an “unknown Japanese studio” which is completely untrue. They made every single Godzilla movie (including the original), until the first 1998 western Godzilla film. And you also say that being the best Godzilla film wasn’t a high bar (I know this was probably a joke), when movies like the original, Godzilla vs Destoroyah, and Shin Godzilla exist. And you also act like Godzilla hasn’t been the protagonist in Japan, when in almost every movie since the original, he was. Sorry for that rant lol, I still liked the video 👍
I feel like the Monsterverse is gonna go down a similar path to the showa era of Godzilla films, where Japan milked Godzilla until they couldn’t milk him any longer. This forced Japan to reboot the franchise and made Godzilla scary again. Japan, more specifically Toho, has never had a flawless track record with Godzilla and with the exception of minus one, the more recent versions of Godzilla in Japan are shit.
Shin was really good, but the anime’s felt like Toho dipping Godzilla in different things (anime, puppet shows, etc) and not really committing to anything.
@@Godzilla_Mechagodzilla The only Monsterverse film I liked was 2014, because unlike the other films, Godzilla feels real. He may not be "Evil", but he felt like the real deal and to not be messed with. After that film the others are just a fusion of MCU and Bayformers and its terrible.
it feels unreal to see a movie that is not plagued by the woke agenda no forced diversity and a focus on character and plot. i find no words its amazing and proofs that the inflated budget and money waste in the west that all starves us to death is planned and by no means needed. fu amazing movie
For me I love that Godzilla can be both serious and goofy/fun. Godzilla is easily the most versatile ip out there its why he has survived for so long. I absolutely loved Godzilla minus one, my only problem is that it drags in the third act, but the best Godzilla is film is still the original from 1954. I also can't wait for Godzilla x kong the new empire as that looks like a fun time. Also toho isn't an unknown studio, its very well known among kaiju fans.
Pure masterpiece! Despite The MonsterVerse being a guilty pleasure for me, they don’t compare to Minus One! They are just superhero movies disguised as Monster films, whereas Minus One is a horror movie about a monster that is a force of nature that can’t be reasoned with and doesn’t have justification for tearing up crap except is just mad probably for the nuclear bombs waking him up or destroying the environment, but neither of those hypothetical reasons are even in the movie so Godzilla could just be an ass hole who thinks we are insignificant ants to step on like toys because we aren’t worth a damm to the grand scheme of the world. Okay, I’m not saying he’s a psychopath but you get my point. He’s a giant creature that attacks for unknown reasons like if a bear spotted a bunch of us in the forest nearby.
I saw minus one; my friend bought the tickets and I didn’t know it was in black and white going into the theater, but the lack of color really adds to the experience. Watch it in black and white.
Minus One is a masterpiece of cinema and probably the best Godzilla movie ever made. However, in defence of the Monsterverse, they are still entertaining and do a good job with making the Monsters look amazing. Yes, they are goofy with poor human characters, but this is far from new for the Godzilla series as a whole. Until Minus One, possibly Shin Godzilla, humans in all Godzilla movies were boring and bland, aside from the very first film in '54. And it wasn't long after that original film, which was a horror movie, that Godzilla was sliding on his tail and drop kicking Monsters in the chest. The more bombastic and over the top movies might not be for everyone, but they are absolutely a part of Godzilla's identity and history as much as being an unstoppable engine of destruction.
Godzilla is one of the most versatile characters in fiction. The character has been adapted and changed to fit different purposes hundreds if not thousands of times for the purpose of telling stories in books, games, movies, tv, etc. minus one for as amazing of a movie as it is, has shined a spotlight on the franchise that has both harmed it and boosted it. It finally brought some critical recognition to the franchise, but unfortunately people seem to use the movie as a way to bash the rest of the movies and other forms of Godzilla media.The MV was never meant to be a movie even remotely close in any way to minus one, and that’s a good thing. Godzilla can’t just exist through one incarnation and that’s why despite the problems the movies may have in the eyes of critics, they have never changed the goal or direction.
The problem with the MV is it suffers the same problems as the Michael Bay Transformers movies. Action is milked to an exhausting extent, annoying human characters, cheap fan service to get fans to d**k ride the movie instantly, predictable storylines, etc. 2014 was the only MV movie I liked because it did something unique but now the MV is trying to be a modern Hollywood version of the Showa era and it’s horrible.
@@Izywik94 I wouldn’t say it’s anything like the Showa era, and the only reason that similarities could be drawn is that people don’t like the human characters, and even then it’s for different reasons. Sure they milk the action but they do pay respect to the franchise, and when they have tried to make new monsters and do new things (2014, SKI) people complain that it’s different and that they don’t like it.
@@Izywik94 as I said before, my point is that Godzilla is not a one note character and never should be, and if critics don’t like that than they shouldn’t comment on the character at all. It’s fine to give praise to the iterations you enjoy and elaborate on your distaste for the ones you don’t, but the line should be drawn when you actively push for the wipeout of a certain adaptation of Godzilla, and in this video he pushes his distaste for the MV, but in a way that doesn’t seem understanding on why the MV exists and why the movies are still being made. In general he doesn’t show any signs of understanding the complexity of the franchise and that’s why I think his comments on the MV can and should be pointed out
@@GamerasDaycareIts not that critics want Godzilla one noted but they want more than just brain dead logic MCU garbage that the MV has been putting out in recent years. Godzilla is more than just a monster that destroys shit and fights other monsters 24/7
Ok can we stop pretending that the Japanese didn’t also give their films boring and/or crappy human writing, if anything the Studio that owns Godzilla only recently gave the franchise the respect beyond making it a cash cow
I’m glad you enjoyed this film and didn’t wreck it like you did with the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials. Wondering if you even watched those or not.
I feel like youre a little harsh with the monsterverse, especially with regarding godzillas role in those movies. I agree with the human characters though, but i do like godzilla being the protagonist by being an anti hero. The showa movies did that and heisei did it to but with a more strong connection with the original 54 movie
I gotta disagree with Minus One setting the standard for a good Godzilla movie; that bar was set almost 70 years ago with the first movie. Minus One definitely got closer to that bar than any other installement, to be fair ❤
I watched G Minus One, fkn loved it, AND I’ll watch the big goofy monster slap fest that is Godzilla x Kong in a couple months too! I don’t see why I have to choose between a gourmet A5 wagyu tomahawk steak and a thick juicy cheeseburger - I’ll have both just on separate days. This monster fans is eating good!
Nice review/commentary. However...Toho isn't an unknown studio. They are probably the most famous movie studio in Japan & are also pretty well known throughout the rest of the world too. Especially for kaiju fans. As for the ending, this movie also leaves the door open for a sequel just like the Monster-verse movies do. Takashi Yamazaki clearly gave us the ending we got just in case the movie did well enough that a sequel would be warranted. That doesn't mean we'll get one, but the door was left wide open.
I love the way Reaper mentions Godzilla's appearances in this movie. The way he talks you'd swear he had his own personal vendetta against him or something.
"That fucking bastard Godzilla turns up again"
Because that bastard Godzilla shows up again to kill everyone
Pretty much how I felt too, the emotions in that movie I even shed a few tears
@@ThisisSpartaRofl Godzilla stepped on his dog I am sure.
It’s perfect. As the embodiment of overwhelming destruction beating the crap out of an already ruined nation, Godzilla is absolutely the enemy in this film. And it worked perfectly.
"That fucking bastard Godzilla" 😂
"That fucker Godzilla shows up"
The movie is incredible. I love the characters, and I love how heroic everyone is in their own way. The ladies are LADIES, caring, loving, nurturing, with inner strength. They aren’t running around with guns and spitting on the men. The men are MEN, honorable, brave, protectors who respect themselves and the ladies. I absolutely love this movie.
Noriko was still a girl boss saving the weak man in military and surviving a monster sized hurricane level wind and structural carnage as she vanished off screen. Don't delude yourself.
Well, when we see the neighbour Noriko for the first time she isn't very nice to the protagonist. Of course that changes during the film because she has a better and bigger character arc than most Hollywood movie characters in the last 20 years.
When, at the end of the movie, she started hitting Koichi after he came back in a accusatory relieved way for making believe her that he wont come back... And gave him the letter... F*ck that make cry and she didn't utter a word. Sakura Ando is a insanely talented actress.
@@mogaman28 Besides all that, she should've died in the Godzilla breath blast and shockwave. Ruins the film she still alive at the end.
The growth creeping up her neck at the end of the film seems to imply that the radiation from the blast somehow mutated her, perhaps it also gave her some version of Godzilla's regeneration and allowed her to survive the shockwave.
“Unknown Japanese studio” my brother in Christ, that “unknown studio” has made Damm near every Godzilla movie. Also the budget was less than 15 million, so even more impressive
That unknown studio also released most of Akira Kurasawa's best films - Ikiru, Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, Kagemusha, Ran
Hearing him describe Toho as unknown made me lol
I love all the reviews Godzilla Minus One is getting. I also get a laugh out of the reviewers not knowing shit about Toho or the Big G! I hope this movie makes a new generation of Godzilla fans!
Lol. I almost fell off my chair hearing that. 😅
@@ClownAttack90 hopefully
This was my favorite movie of 2023. This is what a Godzilla movie should be. It's what every film should be.
Can't wait to see it in black and white!
I’m so happy to see Reaper’s covering this gem. We need to support more movies like this.
Fun fact: the projector died when we were watching the final battle. When Godzilla was about to release atomic breath, the screen suddenly turned pitch black and we thought it was a part of the movie for 10s XD. We then had to call the manager to fast forward the movie and the projectionist accidentally went too fast so we got a spoiler lol. Still, I am glad I experienced it in theatre. Great experience overall :)
Minus one was such a great movie. Refreshing to have written human characters and a story that is realistic. Minus one made me enjoy Godzilla again.
That scene where the main character cries because he thinks his good life is a dream and that he is actually dead almost made me CRY. I did not expect that a monster movie about a big lizard will make me do that.
I'm from Malaysia, and it's disheartening for me that this film hasn't been released in our cinemas yet. I've been eagerly awaiting its release for a while now, and I was genuinely excited about it. Despite all the buzz and praise surrounding it, I can't even watch it to enjoy.
DVD 📀 will be out soon!!!
@@treystephens6166 Yeah, I can't wait. Hollywood has been churning out quite a few mediocre movies lately, so I'm excited for something promising such as this. Looking forward to supporting it on digital, but too bad, no cinema releases here where I am.
There are other ways to watch it, if you get what I mean. Seeing it in the cinema was an outstanding experience though.
Have you ever heard of BitTorrent?
Best film of 2023. I found myself rooting for the characters and actually willing them on to defeat Godzilla.
I knew you would love it 😄 It was kickass!! To think ... This is what movies used to be. Now we get a movie that's good and it feels like a rare occurrence.
As long as they're made outside of Hollywood
@@RealReaperL
No they weren't. We always had more bad movies than good ones.
I paid to see Minus One...I'm paying again to go see Minus Color this weekend. Absolutely awesome movie
My 5 year old son loves Godzilla. He'll watch almost every film Mothra onwards from the Showa era. I took him to see Minus one eventhough it was entirely in Japanese. I narrated the film to him and even he understood the stakes both amongst the humans at home and fighting Godzilla. It's written and directed that well. 10/10
It breaks my heart that you've been deprived this whole time up until now, Reaper. Yeah, this movie was outstanding.
I have never been a fan of Godzilla movies and, apart from the fantastic 1954 original, had never seen one that I liked. Until this movie, I couldn't believe I was sitting in a theater watching a Godzilla film and not only was it the best film of the year, it is the best film in many years.
As an aside, Toho isn't an unknown studio. It released the original Godzilla as well as many of Akira Kurasawa's film including one of the best ever made, Seven Samurai.
Though there are many things to like about the film my standout is how emotionally relatable and accessible it is. The film has so damned much heart. Every emotional beat rings true and there's not even a hint of cliche or heavy handed cheesieness. And what's especially remarkable is that the film was clearly made with only the Japanese market and culture in mind, yet it easily resonates with some Joe at his local theater, who's never been outside of his county let alone to Japan.
Turns out that people love stories that bring us together and emphasize the shared things and experiences that make us all the same and human, rather than being told we're all different. The fact that a subtitled foreign-language period piece has managed universal praise for its relatable and very human characters is a perfect example of this.
Funny how you actually can resonate better with people when you have a clear audience in mind, instead of doing the Hollywood way of "appeasing to everyone while making a product for no one".
Dude finally! Might be just my film of the year. The acting and characters were so good, I almost forgot it was a monster film.
I never cared about the humans in a Godzilla film until this. Proves it can be done.
As a Godzilla fan, it makes me happy so many people are enjoying big radioactive lizard more now.
As long as Hollywood stays away from it we’ll always enjoy it 😊
@@Izywik94 But most are enjoying it from Hollywood too.
I agree It’s the best Godzilla film, it is a great portrayal of Godzilla and the human characters are the heart of the story with their struggle actually moving me to tears(when the Child was crying, I felt that and actually teared up since she was alone and lost her guardian)
Godzilla: Minus One is going straight onto my shelf with pride.
It’s the best movie I’ve seen this year and the reason why I don’t phrase it as “so far” is because I doubt Hollyweird can make anything this good.
I've been checking for a Blu-Ray release date like a tweaker looking for his next hit...I can't believe I may have to wait til the end of the year to get this on disc!
Hollywood made movies this good and even better, but it was atleast a decade ago. Still, don't deny the past just because of a deplorable present. Who knows what the future holds, right?
Only saw the minus color version but I cried. That’s how great the character development was. I cared about everyone in this film and Godzilla was just an afterthought that was just as scary as a nuclear bomb. There’s a very strong connection with the characters and a very real fear of their lives being threatened. It’s actually really sweet and it’s inspiring how they still have a sense of humor in this reality. The monster is just a very large pitbull on the loose that cannot be killed. War is horrible plain and simple. If nobody notices how brilliant this story telling is then I’m afraid for the cinematic future
“An unknown band from Liverpool.”-Reaper on The Beatles.
I went to the cinema a while ago, and I had an AMAZING experience. I dragged my family with me who aren't into Godzilla, but they came out satisfied too. The acting was top notch, I found some aspects of the story to be very clever writing, and the visuals were stellar too, I'm struggling to believe this film was made for only $11M! There was an emotional twist in the story too which made me cry at the end XD. I won't spoil anything, and HIGHLY recommend this film
Napoleon released the same day and cost 20x more than Godzilla Minus One. One of these movies is still playing a full schedule in every one of the many cinemas in our area.
I like the design of Godzilla in this, especially the longer arms
I freaking LOVED this movie!!! I saw it a few times in the cinema, the first time I've been back to the theater since The Last Jedi wrecked my love of anything out of Hollywood... and it was so worth it. I adored the characters and just enjoyed the heck out of it!
As soon as I saw they were releasing Godzilla Minus One Minus Color in the US for a week which I thought they wouldnt do , thought it was gonna be only Japan that got it - I immediately bought the first ticket I could find for it. Waxwork records announces pre-orders for the score on vinyl - immediate buy. I think its the only film I can think of in possibly the last 10 years where anything and everything I can get my grubby little mits on - I will - thats how much I love this film.
This movie is not only what we hoped for with the 2014/Brian Cranston Godzilla, but it genuinely has been an inspiration for me on stories I want to see and write
I *never* would've guessed that a lizard movie would've had us rooting for a group of defeated men who just wanted a chance to make a difference, something that *a lot* of people can relate to...much less move you to a tear or two
I've gotten to the point where I just like Reaper's videos first and then watch them.
Damn, the summary of the theme around civilians having to overcome the metaphorical atomic bomb reminded me of that moment in the movie and...yeah, best Godzilla movie ever.
I bought the first release but I think I want the black and white version too.
It really is an excellent movie.
25 million?... it wasn't even 15 million!
More like 13m
That’s impressive compare to Hollywood films with $200 million budget and bad CGI
@@ljgav yeah that’s why I said “wasn’t even 15m”
I read an article that it wasn't even 15 million but close to 10 million. Don't know if it's true or not.
Director was asked straight about the budget. If it was 15m, he said "I was it was that"@@shawnsanders7574
Best Goddam Godzilla Movie of the modern century. Period.
Best atomic breath of all time? Fuck, it was like a railgun.
It was even better than Shin Godzilla's.
Coming right behind Oppenheimer, if you watched both movies back to back, Minus One technically is a sequel to Oppenheimer.
I already saw this awesome movie, in the cinema back in december. It was an absolute blast - literally!
LEGEND for ending video on that classic futurama quote. AWESOME TO THE MAX indeed. and let me tell you why--because it GROWS the BRAND
TEN GODZILLION DOLLARS GODZILLA SWEEP
Sadly I missed it when it was released here in my country and now no cinema shows it anymore ...
It certainly is and it's my film of 2023.
When you mentioned how movies nowadays seem to always set up stuff for the next movie in their franchises: _Minus One did that too._ I won't give away exact details or spoilers of the film, but the ending had two scenes that are 100% going to be explained in a possible sequel... which I'm just going to say right now is something I very much want from the studio and the very same director, if possible.
Minus One was _that_ good, and I want to see more of this Godzilla in action. It's about time the King of the Kaiju stood center stage as the King of the Cinemas lol.
*Edit:* I just want to add that another thing I liked about Minus One is that there were no WOKE elements in the film. No token characters of different races and no token "girl power" moments or Mary Sue characters - just men; not only men, but Japanese men who survived war and who came together to put a stop to a threat terrorizing their homeland. I'm an American and even I felt pride in seeing that because _that_ is what it's all about to be a man... And in a world that demonizes us for our "toxic masculinity," it was a GD breath of fresh air.
Toku has had a good year. The action packed tear jerker that was shin Kamen Rider, one of the best ultra shows in a while with ultraman Blazar, and this movie.
The final depiction in minus one is a sort of cliche. Godzilla, for instance, never dies due to its notable regenerative abilities, a trait often seen in zombie movies as well. While this may leave room for a sequel, I didn't get the impression that it was the intention.
Though, it'd be awesome if there's a sequel.
@@mrgodzillaraptors8632 Blazar is so good. Man, everything from action to characters, it's amazing how they can do that with a "small budget" compared to western shows that seem to waste 300 mil on something like Secret Invasion that has nothing but subpar special fx that you can hardly see because everything is too dark and poorly choreographed fights because they couldn't bother paying extra for good stuntmen and a director that actually knows how to film action.
Honestly it confused me how he talks about how the Monsterverse movies always need to set up a sequel when I don't remember them ever doing that outside of 2 post-credit scenes.
It's just refreshing to hear one of your reviews ending on a positive note 😂 awesome film!!!
Even when Reaper is praising something he sounds pissed off lol.
Gonna see it a third time on this week's cinema day today. Just had to show it to two other dudes and see how good it was as soon as you know the film inside out
Godzilla minus one will consider as classic in some few years.
Actually laughed out loud when the jesse pinkman clip popped up. Excellent work Reaper!
One thing that made this movie superior is how dedication to the special effects, there’s only 35 VFX artists do the whole movie which can be presumed that they’re really love what they’re doing, despite the mass production nowadays with the mindset of “ Just consume the product then get excited to consume the next one”
.
Edit: They’re on the way to Oscar!!
Loved the movie, was so fucking good
This movie was refreshing from the loud noise of the Godzilla Monster-verse.
still waiting him to tear Rebel Moon apart
The MonsterVerse has some good ideas in it, but I can no longer ignore the grim reality that it’s corporate as fuck.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Godzilla being the protagonist, provided that he never hesitates to show his hatred for Man after the enemy is vanquished. The Heisei films, for all of their blemishes, managed to find a perfect balance and stuck with it until the end. Even in the latter entries where you were meant to root for Godzilla, he never once showed any consideration for human life. The only exception was Miki Saegusa the psychic, who learned compassion and respect for kaiju life by the end of her character arc. She turned out to be one of the good ones and earned his respect.
Godzilla is a dark avenger who fights to avenge himself. When he isn’t defending his spot at the top of the food chain, he punishes humans for making war, exploiting nature and for daring to have thoughts of greed and vanity. He has no actual way of knowing what humans think, but he assumes we’re all assholes anyway. That’s why he fuckin’ rules.🤘🏻☢️🐉🌊
Nothing "grim" about it. It's the same mentality that gave us all the other 30 movies.
Hi, just one small correction: Toho is no unknowns Studio. The Kurosawa Movies are made by Toho as well.
Saw both versions; Minus One and Minus Color. Best film in years.
It really was a great movie. A super fun watch.
I absolutely loved it and i cant wait to see it in Black and White.
This looks great. Hope to catch it on the big screen if possible.
3:03-3:15 You just described the entire Showa era.
Seems his knowledge of Godzilla is only from the western movies.
@@len2122like almoust every single movie reviewer
It’s wild how your positive reviews are just as engaging and well thought out as the ones you bash. I’m definitely gonna check this movie out now.
This movie was incredible and the human story and how everything connects was a chief's kiss, I'll admit i shed tears but one of the best Goji films I've seen next to Shin Goji
“Unknown Japanese studio” bruh don’t disrespect Toho like that
Oscar ignored this masterpiece.
I really want to see this. Looks & sounds awesome
Your use of memes is great mate. I'd love for you to be more regular on your posting, but cool with what we've been getting so far.
At 6:04 "That fockah Godzilla" I died! and at 6:35 I died again...
Unknown studio? Is Toho, is pretty popular movie studio
Looking forward to seeing this
“It’s about fuckin’ time”
"Really successful movies have cost a lot of money, so the more that we spend on a movie the better it will do."
When you spell out their logic, it's not very logical.
Idk man, I think there is a market for both well written monster movies and dumb ones like Kong Vs Godzilla, sometimes it's fun to turn your brain off and watch some CGI destruction.
I watched this in theaters with my friends and we all enjoyed the movie. I guess I would be silly for thinking that it was going to be an English dubbed film, but reading sub was not that bad.
I mean even Shin Godzilla got an English dub
Not to be argumentative, but action figure smash-em-up Godzilla is just as true to form as somber allegory Godzilla.
G-1 is an amazing addition to the franchise, possibly the best. But yes, I am still very much excited to see Godzilla and Kong have a kaiju rumble in a fantastical hollow earth setting.
Yet those “smash ‘em up” films have the lowest reviews in the franchise lmao
@@Izywik94How is this a 'lmao'? You just demonstrate that you don't know or understand the character of the franchise. Fucking tourists.
@@heatseekerx51 1998 almost killed the franchise forever and Toho made multiple attempts to recover from that but they all weren’t enough. Until 2014 came and revived the Godzilla brand around the world because of its balance of action and suspense with good character moments that don’t act like annoying cartoon characters. It wasn’t until GvK messed up the tone the monsterverse was going for. Oh and calling me a tourist?! I’ve been a fan since 2010 you goofball
@@Izywik94G98 did not almost kill the franchise, but it did give it a black eye. Toho turned around quick with Godzilla 2000 to try and fix the image of Godzilla. The Millennium era movie had some very good entries, but the fact is that Toho had been milking Godzilla regularly since 1989 and frankly run the franchise into the ground. That's why they took a break after Final Wars to give the franchise time to breathe. G14 was good and made Godzilla look like a serious character again, ala Godzilla 1984. It is fair to say that GvK shifted the tone into something more actiony, since he draws inspiration from movie like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. I recognized GvK almost immediately as a Showa-style movie, which is the kind of Godzilla a lot of people still think of. MechaGodzilla, Hedorah, and '62 vs King Kong have way more public equity than any of the 'cooler' Heisei movies. I do have my own issues with GvK, but it not being true to from Godzilla isn't one of them. A mere 10 years after the original Godzilla 1954, we got Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster, with aliens, psychic possession, MONSTER TALK, and turn of Godzilla into a defender of the Earth. And let us not forget that the Showa movies themselves had their own moments of brutality, for what had become a franchise for kids.
And I would say I became a fan of Godzilla in maybe 1992-1993. (not to flex on you, you're likely just younger than me).
@@heatseekerx51 Yes but the Showa era films are different from the monsterverse. The MV started as it’s own depiction of Godzilla by him being a mysterious force of nature with a lot to be discovered. G14 made him feel like the real deal and someone to not mess with. KOTM was good in concept but the final product was a mess with its inconsistent story, annoying and terribly written characters, badly shot fight scenes, and inferior CGI along with unnecessary screen filtering
Actually the budget was not even 15 million. Director said he wished he had 15.
The budget was Barely $10 Million.
― Japan: ❛❛So... you nuked us twice, then you appropriate the embodiment of our national trauma and turn it into a stereotypically misunderstood big boy of modern-day pop-culture?❜❜
― U.S.: ❛❛YES!❜❜
― Japan: * *MAKES A GOOD GODZILLA MOVIE* *
― U.S.: ❛❛Wait, that's ILLEGAL!!!❜❜
Toho made Godzilla a hero first, albeit out of necessity. Furthermore, he’s been a pop culture icon for a long ass time. Your grandad probably grew up watching Godzilla movies on his local tv station.
Also Toho: made Godzilla do a tail slide drop kick and fly using his atomic breath.
Godzilla can be anything my guy, even if it’s wacky. There is no appropriation.
@@mrgodzillaraptors8632 Oh come on, I'm just jokin'. Plus I was mocking the modern American version of Godzi'.
Socrates is dead
@@jeremybrimmer1990 So is Plato. What's your point?
GO SEE IT. The most important part of this review!
I like the moment where he's looking at the family photos of the men who died on Oda Island.
He realizes in that moment that he lived to go back to nothing, while those families will never see those men again.
Less than $15 million, has characters that you like and hope they didn’t die, and not once did I think it was boring or the CGI was awkward
Best Godzilla film I ever seen
2:17 honestly compared to some of the shit Godzilla did in the toho movies this is pretty tame like seriously look up Godzilla drop kick
And the Godzilla victory dance
I liked this video, but also there were just some things that I disagree with. You said Toho was an “unknown Japanese studio” which is completely untrue. They made every single Godzilla movie (including the original), until the first 1998 western Godzilla film. And you also say that being the best Godzilla film wasn’t a high bar (I know this was probably a joke), when movies like the original, Godzilla vs Destoroyah, and Shin Godzilla exist. And you also act like Godzilla hasn’t been the protagonist in Japan, when in almost every movie since the original, he was. Sorry for that rant lol, I still liked the video 👍
The best movie review I’ve seen all year! So fitting for the best movie that was released in the past year as well.
I feel like the Monsterverse is gonna go down a similar path to the showa era of Godzilla films, where Japan milked Godzilla until they couldn’t milk him any longer. This forced Japan to reboot the franchise and made Godzilla scary again.
Japan, more specifically Toho, has never had a flawless track record with Godzilla and with the exception of minus one, the more recent versions of Godzilla in Japan are shit.
Shin was really good, but the anime’s felt like Toho dipping Godzilla in different things (anime, puppet shows, etc) and not really committing to anything.
@@mrgodzillaraptors8632 I actually dislike shin Godzilla. Although I don’t like it, I despise the anime versions. They are just terrible.
@@Godzilla_Mechagodzilla The only Monsterverse film I liked was 2014, because unlike the other films, Godzilla feels real. He may not be "Evil", but he felt like the real deal and to not be messed with. After that film the others are just a fusion of MCU and Bayformers and its terrible.
I mean, it's kinda a recurring trend.
They start serious and then get progressively silly.
Those movies are still belobvd though.
it feels unreal to see a movie that is not plagued by the woke agenda no forced diversity and a focus on character and plot. i find no words its amazing and proofs that the inflated budget and money waste in the west that all starves us to death is planned and by no means needed. fu amazing movie
Long Live The King!
For me I love that Godzilla can be both serious and goofy/fun. Godzilla is easily the most versatile ip out there its why he has survived for so long. I absolutely loved Godzilla minus one, my only problem is that it drags in the third act, but the best Godzilla is film is still the original from 1954. I also can't wait for Godzilla x kong the new empire as that looks like a fun time. Also toho isn't an unknown studio, its very well known among kaiju fans.
YOU CANT KEEP GETTING AWAY W IT 💀💀😭😭😭
What is up with Hollywood? Japan spent $25mm on this movie, which equals one episode of She-Hulk. Where is all the money going?
the budget for minus one was 10-13 million
Pure masterpiece! Despite The MonsterVerse being a guilty pleasure for me, they don’t compare to Minus One! They are just superhero movies disguised as Monster films, whereas Minus One is a horror movie about a monster that is a force of nature that can’t be reasoned with and doesn’t have justification for tearing up crap except is just mad probably for the nuclear bombs waking him up or destroying the environment, but neither of those hypothetical reasons are even in the movie so Godzilla could just be an ass hole who thinks we are insignificant ants to step on like toys because we aren’t worth a damm to the grand scheme of the world. Okay, I’m not saying he’s a psychopath but you get my point. He’s a giant creature that attacks for unknown reasons like if a bear spotted a bunch of us in the forest nearby.
I saw minus one; my friend bought the tickets and I didn’t know it was in black and white going into the theater, but the lack of color really adds to the experience. Watch it in black and white.
W review man, your videos are always interesting keep it up:)
Minus One is a masterpiece of cinema and probably the best Godzilla movie ever made.
However, in defence of the Monsterverse, they are still entertaining and do a good job with making the Monsters look amazing. Yes, they are goofy with poor human characters, but this is far from new for the Godzilla series as a whole. Until Minus One, possibly Shin Godzilla, humans in all Godzilla movies were boring and bland, aside from the very first film in '54. And it wasn't long after that original film, which was a horror movie, that Godzilla was sliding on his tail and drop kicking Monsters in the chest. The more bombastic and over the top movies might not be for everyone, but they are absolutely a part of Godzilla's identity and history as much as being an unstoppable engine of destruction.
Bravo Reaper, bravo 👏👏👏
Godzilla is one of the most versatile characters in fiction. The character has been adapted and changed to fit different purposes hundreds if not thousands of times for the purpose of telling stories in books, games, movies, tv, etc. minus one for as amazing of a movie as it is, has shined a spotlight on the franchise that has both harmed it and boosted it. It finally brought some critical recognition to the franchise, but unfortunately people seem to use the movie as a way to bash the rest of the movies and other forms of Godzilla media.The MV was never meant to be a movie even remotely close in any way to minus one, and that’s a good thing. Godzilla can’t just exist through one incarnation and that’s why despite the problems the movies may have in the eyes of critics, they have never changed the goal or direction.
This is the exact thing that people like reaper and critics dont understand
The problem with the MV is it suffers the same problems as the Michael Bay Transformers movies. Action is milked to an exhausting extent, annoying human characters, cheap fan service to get fans to d**k ride the movie instantly, predictable storylines, etc. 2014 was the only MV movie I liked because it did something unique but now the MV is trying to be a modern Hollywood version of the Showa era and it’s horrible.
@@Izywik94 I wouldn’t say it’s anything like the Showa era, and the only reason that similarities could be drawn is that people don’t like the human characters, and even then it’s for different reasons. Sure they milk the action but they do pay respect to the franchise, and when they have tried to make new monsters and do new things (2014, SKI) people complain that it’s different and that they don’t like it.
@@Izywik94 as I said before, my point is that Godzilla is not a one note character and never should be, and if critics don’t like that than they shouldn’t comment on the character at all. It’s fine to give praise to the iterations you enjoy and elaborate on your distaste for the ones you don’t, but the line should be drawn when you actively push for the wipeout of a certain adaptation of Godzilla, and in this video he pushes his distaste for the MV, but in a way that doesn’t seem understanding on why the MV exists and why the movies are still being made. In general he doesn’t show any signs of understanding the complexity of the franchise and that’s why I think his comments on the MV can and should be pointed out
@@GamerasDaycareIts not that critics want Godzilla one noted but they want more than just brain dead logic MCU garbage that the MV has been putting out in recent years. Godzilla is more than just a monster that destroys shit and fights other monsters 24/7
Ok can we stop pretending that the Japanese didn’t also give their films boring and/or crappy human writing, if anything the Studio that owns Godzilla only recently gave the franchise the respect beyond making it a cash cow
I’m glad you enjoyed this film and didn’t wreck it like you did with the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials. Wondering if you even watched those or not.
I feel like youre a little harsh with the monsterverse, especially with regarding godzillas role in those movies. I agree with the human characters though, but i do like godzilla being the protagonist by being an anti hero. The showa movies did that and heisei did it to but with a more strong connection with the original 54 movie
I gotta disagree with Minus One setting the standard for a good Godzilla movie; that bar was set almost 70 years ago with the first movie. Minus One definitely got closer to that bar than any other installement, to be fair ❤
I watched G Minus One, fkn loved it, AND I’ll watch the big goofy monster slap fest that is Godzilla x Kong in a couple months too! I don’t see why I have to choose between a gourmet A5 wagyu tomahawk steak and a thick juicy cheeseburger - I’ll have both just on separate days. This monster fans is eating good!
Excellent movie
The movie is so much better than what you narrated here. This movie is my Nr 1 for 2024.
For real
Nice review/commentary. However...Toho isn't an unknown studio. They are probably the most famous movie studio in Japan & are also pretty well known throughout the rest of the world too. Especially for kaiju fans. As for the ending, this movie also leaves the door open for a sequel just like the Monster-verse movies do. Takashi Yamazaki clearly gave us the ending we got just in case the movie did well enough that a sequel would be warranted. That doesn't mean we'll get one, but the door was left wide open.