In Retrospect: Shin-Gojira

Jesus, that's an unsettling ending isn't it?

So the newest Godzilla movie from Japan just hit video here in the States, so of course I'm gonna talk about it! It's been almost a whole year since I saw this in theaters, so it's high time we discuss this movie more. So this is a full fledged reboot, dealing with Godzilla's first appearance in modern day Japan, and just how they can stop an invincible, terrifying force such as Godzilla. And this movies in my opinion, is 110% accurate how all this would go down if this was a real event. I really have to commend the film on this, because it takes real Japanese government actions and regulations, as well as relations with other countries and uses them realistically due to a giant radioactive monster trampling through the city. It happens. But the real genius of the movie is how it's basically a satire and all around punch to the Japanese government. It IS way too official, it IS ridiculously drawn out just to do one simple thing whether it's evacuating a city or creating military strategies. Japan really does see the flaws in it's government, and it's not just in this movie where you see the satire, the entire Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney games are a satire of the Japanese legal system like almost down to the letter, albeit with less colorful and ridiculous characters, but I digress. So this movie really does speak volumes much like the original 1954 version, dare I say even more so. So it's a very succesful film in my mind, and not just due to the fact that Toho made a new Godzilla film. But it does work both ways, you can enjoy the destruction and raw awesome power of the Big G, but you can also appreciate the film for it's realism and satire. Yes, the movie deals with the human characters vastly more than when you see Godzilla, but he does have his presence there. People are always talking about his abilities, his power, his physiology, and how he could possibly evolve in the future. Now I have to admit I hated the idea of Godzilla evolving through the film, but honestly after a year I've come to realize there is a lot more to the evolution than just seeing new monsters. There is a clear logic to it, from him being an aquatic sea creature, to an amphibious creature, to a fully adapted land creature. Even his powers are logically explained, like his atomic breath being brought on due to massive trauma and the ability to shoot photons out of his dorsal fins. I originally said you can see severe anime connections to the Godzilla scenes and I still stand by that, but it's not in your face as I might have suggested. It's a damn good movie, and certainly can't be labelled as just another monster movie, there was effort and thought put into it, not to say that other Godzilla movies didn't have time and effort put into them but something about this movie really works incredibly well. Is it because of how realistic it potrays such an outlandish event? Is it because of the satire of the overcomplicated government system of Japan? Or is it just because it has effective and well done destruction and action scenes? The world may never know....