Retro Review: Shin Godzilla
Written 10/10/2016
How someone approaches anything really depends on where they come at it from. To me, the difference in appreciating the power of Godzilla depends on if you’ve seen the original 1954 Gojira in its original Japanese form. The special effects are as to be expected, but its story of anti-nuclear proliferation is still as important today as it was then and it loops in a very personal human story to its center. Sadly, those things were lacking in the Americanized version of the original, Godzilla King of the Monsters.
Over the past 60 years Godzilla has never completely faded from the public’s eye, merely wavered in popularity and appreciation. In Japan, there have been 28 previous installments, the longest gap being from 2004 to now. In the U.S., a number of the Toho films have been released, and adaptations have been numerous. Originally, a bringer of destruction, then becoming a defender against monsters from the atomic age and aliens; Godzilla has been turned into a friendly cartoon, been remade for American audiences by Roland Emmerich, and again more recently for its 60th anniversary with an attempt at following the source material much closer. Godzilla has become a pop culture fixture.
Returning to the original is important as most stories tend to stray away and lose themselves somewhere along the way (Example: Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4 here and Godzilla vs King Kong here). Some movies don’t hold up as well as we may wish for them to, however the original 1954 Gojira I believe does. Remakes return to their origins, or at least they try to, but it isn’t always easy. Modernizations can be very hit or miss, taking liberties with characters or changing the tone of the film or expanding on the heart that drove the original, attempting to expand on it further to give the audience something new to grasp.
So we arrive at Shin Godzilla. An important note for this film, much like recent franchises, this is a complete reboot of the Toho series. Previous “remakes” by Toho recognized the sequels while still creating a jumping in point. This one is a cold new start. Godzilla returns to its original creature of mass destruction roots. Scientists and government officials attempt to identify an anomaly in Tokyo Bay but fail to do so before the creature reaches shore and goes on a path of rampage. It cuts the water like the giant lizard that we know of that is Godzilla but once it gets on land, it doesn’t remotely resemble the creature. It crawls on its stomach and doesn’t really look the same as the creature, not to mention it’s dumping red fluids all over the place and has red traces all along its body. Then it climbs onto its hind legs, and evolves. This is our new Godzilla, with a mystery.
This movie attempts to reinvigorate the series by making Godzilla new again. It takes a while to connect with the creature, but it gives the movie a certain sense of unease. This creature could do anything.
The movie is as much about the creature and how it came to be as it is about the politicians that it follows as well. It gives the movie a bit of levity. The amount of red tape they show in the movie is ridiculous, which is clearly their point. This movie is absolutely a political film. Some of it may be lost in translation (it comments on the agreements the country made regarding having a standing army and the requirements for the government to make moves with its defense forces and its relationship with the United States), but the anti-government-as-it-is message is clear enough. Unfortunately, the players in the film were numerous and a bit hard to follow at times. Relationships were limited and we never get to see enough of any of them outside of their governmental roles.
The film eventually reveals the biggest non-surprise surprise: Godzilla has nuclear powers. This is treated in a very serious nature. The impact of nuclear energy is prominent in the collective mind of Japan, harkening on the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown in 2011 and the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki ending Japan’s involvement in World War II. It brings up the concerns of radiation and the destruction that nuclear weapons cause. This is without a doubt a Godzilla movie. The destruction is massive. The major scene of ruin was beyond a doubt effective.
The source of Godzilla’s power and what exactly Godzilla is, seemed unclear, despite the film’s focus on it as a mystery that was vital to stopping the creature. Somewhere along the way, it became too science-y, and the evolution and origin of the Godzilla disappeared.
That is where I would identify the film’s major flaw. The messages fight for time. It wants to be a film about government, a warning against nuclear weapons, and a science fiction story, but in the struggle, the thoughts don’t ever really conclude, giving us a muddled ending.
The processes used in the filmmaking are commendable. It makes excellent use of the technologies and styles available, implementing point of view and found footage cameras that don’t ever feel out of place. The creature looks horrendous early on, but improves as the movie continues, using CG and practical to create a believable end result.
All in all, Shin Godzilla is an interesting reboot with strengths and weaknesses in its story. It modernizes the creature taking it back to its monstrous antagonistic origins and gives it a launch for a new era in Japan. There are already more films planned for the property, albeit, not for the series. If you’ve never seen a Japanese Godzilla film and can’t handle older films, or if you’re interested in a new yet familiar take, this was made for you.
