This. Is. Cinema.

After a long wait, I was finally able to see Godzilla Minus One in theaters last week. Even with all the hype I’ve heard, let me tell you — it did not disappoint.

This is not only an enthralling Godzilla movie, but also an emotional story of Kōichi’s trauma and guilt that he carries post-war. The journey that he goes on in this film was exhilarating, depressing at times and hopeful. With all of Japan suffering, the flick also makes the audience feel the pain that the entire country is going through. This makes Godzilla’s presence all the more crushing, because while still getting over one war, they virtually have to go through another.

In other Godzilla movies, I have always found myself waiting for the monster to emerge and wreck havoc. Here… that wasn’t the case at all. The film makes you truly care about these characters, so when Godzilla does show up — it is outright menacing and terrifying.

The final act can be summed up in one word — epic. The cinematography, the score, the action; all of it comes together into one final, explosive showdown. After all of the buildup, this is exactly what I wanted.

I am so glad that I was able to catch this on the big screen before it departed theaters. If I would’ve watched this right when it came out, it probably would have made my top 5 movies of 2023. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’d definitely recommend checking this out. The characters are personable, the action had me on the edge of my seat and Godzilla is as threatening as ever. This is the Godzilla movie I have been waiting for.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5