I grew up watching black and white Godzilla movies on Sunday afternoons, torn between rooting for the people and the monster. In this more recent installment I didn’t have such qualms about hoping Godzilla got its due and the people–especially the romantic leads–could move on with their lives. Sorry Godzilla.
The movie begins in Japan in the last throes of WWII, with a kamikaze pilot landing on an island for plane repairs he doesn’t really need, knowing his mission is useless anyway and just wanting to live. When Godzilla attacks the island that night, his cowardice once again shows up and shame follows him back to the wreckage of his village, where his family and all but one person have been killed during air raids. He soon meets a girl who is caring for an orphaned baby and allows them to take shelter with him. As the village slowly begins to rebuild, the pilot and the girl and child grow closer, but the pilot carries such shame, he will not allow himself to truly live again and embrace these relationships. While the pilot begins to work with other veterans removing the thousands of mines placed on the ocean floor around Japan by both the U.S. and Japan during the war, Godzilla grows stronger, bigger, meaner. What is causing this to happen? As Godzilla sets his sights on reaching the city and wreaking utter devastation, and with no other countries willing to step in and help, the veterans must work together to devise a plan to stop the monster. Perhaps then the pilot can finally put his own monsters to rest once and for all.
Top Scare: Godzilla
Heartbeats: 2 out of 5
Gore Factor: 1 1/2 out of 5
Scare Factor: 1 out of 5
Recommended for: 13 and up