Godzilla

Hey everyone! It's been a couple months. I'm at a crossroads on my Switch Adventures series after running into a little trouble in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so I'm not sure what will happen with that quite yet, but in the meantime, I have another lengthy review block that I have wanted to do for awhile, and that is the Godzilla series, which is the longest running sci-fi series to date, I believe. So, this will obviously take awhile, but it should be enjoyable.

This movie's plot is both simple yet says a lot at the same time. Where most monster movies are just about the destruction, and believe me, destruction is very much present in this film, this movie focuses more on the devastation that comes in Godzilla's wake. Basically, after three Japanese ships sink due to...something, the Japanese government decides to research the incidents. It turns out that the culprit is an irradiated dinosaur known as Godzilla by the locals of a nearby island called Odo Island, who is treated as a god in their culture.

Alongside the plot of learning about what Godzilla is, there is also the subplot of the main scientist, Dr. Yamane, and his daughter's relationship with a man named Ogata as well as her arranged fiancé, Dr. Serizawa, a very secretive and standoffish individual who has been doing research on the element of Oxygen. Turns out that Serizawa's recent invention, known as the Oxygen Destroyer, is key to stopping Godzilla, who at this point has destroyed Tokyo in a manner similar to the atomic bombs dropped on the country nearly a decade prior.

This is where the movie really shines, as it uses Godzilla as an allegory for nuclear warfare and the destruction it causes. At the same time, we have Serizawa, who believes his Oxygen Destroyer, if it got into the hands of the government, could lead to the use of it as a weapon, and therefore, more death and destruction could follow. Again, this feels similar to the fear that nuclear warfare could be in the near future for not just Japan, but the world. It's a powerful message and one that still rings true today.

Despite all this, Godzilla is treated as a tragic villain, who is simply destroying because it doesn't know how to do anything else, and the film treats his eventual defeat with a solemn dignity. It's more of a bittersweet victory when it comes down to it. And overall, this is a fantastic movie that stands the test of time. Even if you are not a fan of monster movies, I'd still say that there is something to get out of this movie all the same.

Next time, Godzilla somehow comes back and the franchise begins in a bizarre way. How will the second Godzilla outing compare to the phenomenal first film? Find out when I review Godzilla Raids Again.

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