Shin Godzilla Review

For a long time Tristar’s 1998 take on Godzilla was my only knowledge of the franchise. I didn’t know better, so I thought it was alright. At least it gave us Deeper Underground.

In 2014 Legendary gave it another go, with Godzilla and the start of the MonsterVerse, which I’ve become a big fan of. The series may have quickly transitioned into entertaining silliness, but it’s cool and visually striking. So I’ve been forming my own idea of what a real Godzilla could/should be. Not a mutated Iguana, but a titan. A beast of enormous size and strength; both hero and villain. I hadn’t yet seen a Toho produced Godzilla film though.

In recent years I’ve seen the original 1954 film, and more recently Godzilla: Minus One, which are both brilliant. Commentary on historical disasters that befell the country, with a heavy message. Dramatic stories with humans at their core, Godzilla isn’t the focus, and he isn’t fighting other monsters, though when he is shown it’s destructive and terrifying.

I fully intend to try more films from across the series, but for a while now I’ve been meaning to watch 2016’s Shin Godzilla. A standalone entry, from the outside it just looked weird. And it is?

There are several striking aspects. Firstly, this Godzilla is real goofy looking. Quickly evolving from a butt-wiggling amphibian to a more recognisable shape, he looks weird at every stage of his evolution. All cross-eyed and awkward, but still managing to look horrific. A true monster.

Second is the satirical nature of the story. Shin utterly rips apart Japanese politics; namely it’s cumbersome nature and seeming unwillingness to make a decision until it’s perhaps too late. One sequence takes a smaller group of politicians into a larger room and group, only to go back again. A lot of time is spent in corridors, and it’s quite hilarious that the movement of printers is given screen time.

To my eye it also seems quite melodramatic, but it fits with how heightened everything is. There may be an awful lot of time where Godzilla isn’t actually doing anything, but it’s filled with enough entertaining looks and exchanges that you’re not just waiting for him. Though when he is moving and attacking (or is he defending himself?) he is quite something to watch. He’s got a cool version of the usual atomic breath, but also some design elements and attacks unique to him too.

With Godzilla: Minus One following Shin, there was never to be a direct sequel. Some may have baulked at it’s grossness, but from what I’ve seen of Godzilla so far, Shin is an intriguing entry into the series. If like me you’ve only really known the MonsterVerse so far, this entry may be jarring. But it’s worth a try.