Godzilla Minus One (2023) 4DX - You'd think, if you're not familiar with the franchise, that it'd be real tough to make yet another Godzilla movie and make it fresh and unique and well.. absolutely heartbreaking. But! Toho studios, delivers with an outstanding cast, visual effects and a story that brings heartfelt emotions abound.
The story follows kamikaze pilot, Shikishima, at the end of WW2. He returns to his post, on an island, after faking technical issues with his plane as he cowardly decides not to go through with his suicide mission. At this moment we get our very early first glimpse of the titular titan, Godzilla, who kills everyone except our lead and a mechanic, who blames him for the deaths of his squad. Plagued with survivor's guilt, Shikishima returns to his home having been destroyed by bombing attacks of axis forces.
From here, I'll leave the rest to be up to you to see for yourself. But I'd like to set up a few things going into this film. Godzilla has always had themes, several being the self destructive nature of humans, pollution, and making criticisms of government bodies, and this is no different. There are human elements to themes in Minus One that I think set it apart. One theme explored is that in the time of crisis and the brutality of war, the family we lose isn't the one we were looking for as well as we may be born into a family but family is the ones we choose. All these people lost in their own tragedy come together to create bonds to get them through the hardships. The other theme, and it's a bit heavier, is the inhumanity of the war. Japan wasn't the only side to send their troops in to battle with the implication you are not coming back, but this film explores what that means. A country brainwashed by their government in to thinking suicide was the most honorable thing to do. But when the city is ravaged by a kaiju, and there's a government body unwilling to help, who's left but the dishonorable and the broken.
That's enough there because I want to talk about my experience at the movies. THAT WAS THE MOST FUN I'VE HAD AT THE MOVIES EVER. PERIOD.
I saw this in 4DX. If you're not familiar, it's a old school gimmick American director, William Castle started to use in 1955. He would use buzzers in the seats, fake cockroaches and lighting effects to heighten the movie going experience. This is what 4DX is but at amusement park ride speed. Every seat in the audience moves with the action on screen. If you're on a boat, the seats slowly rock back and forth and you watch row after row look like undulating waves as water splashes your face. As our main character flies through the air in his plane, the seats turn with each move and vibrate with each machine gun bullet as puffs of air whiz past your ears. Lightning strikes come from around the room with flashes of light and with every gust of wind that breezes across screen also glides through the room with sprays of watery mist blast in front of your face.
This was a wild trip. But in one moment when you see Godzilla first use his iconic nuclear blast, you feel each step the monster takes and the seat vibrates as he charges blue and when he lets go, the seats gave way with roller coaster levels of excitement that the hat on my head lifted off my head and with the explosion came a room exploding in smoke as if you saw the remains of a nuclear bomb. I've never seen a room laughing and cheering for an entire movie quite like this. It was an experience and it made every seat want to talk with the stranger next to them and high five.
I've unfortunately stopped going to the actual theater as frequently as I used to, I'm guilty of streaming, because of the convenience and most films start streaming immediately after their release. That shine of going to the movies started to wain, but watching an amazing film such as Godzilla Minus One and having these connections with the people around you in the theater as well as having a literal connection to the film, has me rethinking my choice a bit. It brought back that spark I had when I was younger and seeing films opening day. I may not go to 4DX films all the time, but I'd experience films you'd know were going to be a ride. But most importantly, it has me wanting to go to the theater a lot more.
Funny anecdote aside. When we sat down with our beers, a family sat next to us. The dad put his popcorn in the seat saying he'd be back in a bit. The guy next to him said, "I wouldn't put your popcorn in the seat if I were you. You wont have any popcorn left". He was right. If your drink doesn't have a lid, you're gonna lose it. I would not recommend putting your beer in the cup holder. Hold onto it tight and be a bit selective when you take a sip. Don't say I didn't warn you.