Godzilla Minus One: Mark Kermode’s monster movie review (video).

Our man of many movies, Mark Kermode, is on hand to watch this year’s stand-out monster film, Godzilla Minus One. You can watch his thoughts in the video above. And what did we think here in the Nest? Read on, McDuff…

In the whimsical world of kaiju movies, where towering monsters stomp through cities with the subtlety of a ballet dancer in a china shop, Godzilla Minus One stands tall – and not just because its star is a ginormous, radioactive lizard with anger management issues. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, this 2023 epic takes us back to postwar Japan, where Godzilla, the granddaddy of all city-crunchers, decides to make a rather dramatic entrance. And boy, does he know how to make an entrance!

The film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi Shikishima, a former kamikaze pilot who, let’s face it, didn’t have the best war. Now, he’s back in Tokyo, trying to make sense of a world that has moved on without him. But, as luck would have it, Godzilla hasn’t gotten the memo about Japan’s surrender and decides to drop by for a spot of urban redecoration.

Yamazaki, who previously dabbled in the Godzilla universe with Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 and a 2021 amusement park ride (because, why not?), takes the reins here with a gusto that’s as infectious as Godzilla’s love for skyscrapers. He weaves a tale that’s part monster movie, part post-war drama, and all parts awesome.

The plot thickens when our hero Shikishima finds himself in a makeshift family with Noriko (Minami Hamabe), a young woman with light-fingered tendencies, and Akiko, an orphaned baby she rescued. Together, they form the kind of family unit that could only exist in a world where giant monsters are a legitimate concern.

Meanwhile, Godzilla, fresh from a spa day at Bikini Atoll, where he soaked up some lovely radiation, is back and badder than ever. This isn’t your grandpa’s Godzilla; this one’s got upgrades. Now he can regenerate like a lizard version of Deadpool and spit out heat rays like they’re going out of style.

The film is a nod to the Godzilla lore with its heart-wrenching scenes, thrilling encounters, and, of course, the classic Godzilla theme music that makes you want to stomp around your living room. Yamazaki ensures that every frame is a love letter to the franchise, with breathtaking visuals that make you wonder how they managed it on a budget that’s less than what Godzilla probably spends on toothpaste.

Godzilla Minus One is more than just a monster mash. It’s a story about rebuilding from destruction, about unlikely families, and about finding redemption in the unlikeliest of places – like inside the mouth of a giant monster. It’s about facing down your demons, even if they happen to be 100 feet tall and have a penchant for destroying cities.

In a world where we’ve seen Godzilla take on everything from King Kong to a three-headed dragon, Godzilla Minus One manages to find new ground. It’s a rollicking adventure that tugs at the heartstrings while simultaneously delivering the kind of monster-on-monster action that we’ve all come to know and love. So, grab your popcorn, settle in, and prepare to be swept away by a story that’s as big as its star. Because in the end, isn’t that what Godzilla is all about?