2016 - SHIN GODZILLA, entertaining kaiju film

Toho has certainly gotten plenty of mileage out of their Godzilla films.  This is one of their better efforts.  After a bridge collapses in Tokyo Bay, the government attempts to figure out what the hell is going on.  As a giant creature emerges from the ocean and starts moving through Tokyo, the government endlessly debates the best way to handle the emerging crisis before the creature named Godzilla of course flattens all of Tokyo.

From the brief description above,  Godzilla is not the main focus of this film.  Instead an ineffectual Japanese government and their failure to mobilize the military fast enough or evacuate the population of Tokyo is the main focus of this film.  Government ineptness and stupidiy is very heady stuff for what is essentially your typical giant monster movie.  After a while it's difficult to tell where the greater danger lies, a giant lizard or an ineffectual prime minster and his cabinet.

 

This Godzilla film has the customary amount of big city destruction as Godzilla does what he does best, stomp on things.  As is usual in these Godzilla films the JDF (Japanese Defense Force) with all of it's weapons is unable to stop the monster.  Only a dedicated team of government officials and nerds who can think unconventionally can come up with a plan to defeat the monster.  Obviously the outcome is a given and the film makes way for yet another sequel in the series.

Toho has always been extremely careful managing this IP.  Shin Godzilla at the time of release was the 31st film in the Godzilla series.  The next film in the series Godzilla Minus One is excellent.   Since Disney Studios purchased the Marvel and Star Wars series, they have lately been fumbling around with how to manage them much less make good films.  It may be time for a visit to Tokyo and Toho studios for some move making tips.

The screenplay is by Hideaki Anno, the running time is 120 minutes.