Japan unleashed their fire-breathing legend upon the world again for a limited release showing of Shin Godzilla, or Godzilla Resurgence. If any grew up watching the original classics, the plot is not too different. Godzilla shows up, wreaks havoc, and Japan has to stop him. Unlike the classics, however, there is no antagonistic monster Godzilla has to face. He’s the villain as he sometimes is, and humans must put an end to his reign of terror. Japan had stated that their previous movie, Godzilla: Final Wars, would be the final movie (go figure). Why the sudden change of heart?
In 1998, America tried their hand at modernizing and Americanizing the ancient lizard king…to some very disastrous results. Matthew Broderick starred in the critically panned film, with fans and non-fans alike finding little to enjoy in the weak script, poor acting, and and uncharacteristically timid title monster sporting a Jay Leno-esque chin. The veterans of Japanese Godzilla films were especially livid, criticizing Godzilla’s bumbled appearance, lackluster spirit, and his inability to fight. Shusuke Kaneko, one of many Godzilla directors, stated that “It is interesting [that] the US version of Godzilla runs about trying to escape missiles... Americans seem unable to accept a creature that cannot be put down by their arms.” The Japanese would add insult to injury by including the ’98 monster in Final Wars, dubbing it Zilla and having the original king of monsters pound it to a pulp. After that, the Japanese seemed content to leave Godzilla be.
All that changed, however, with the next installment of the American franchise in 2014. Also named Godzilla, this movie starred Aaron Taylor-Johnson and was far more successful, both critically and financially. Despite the titular character’s “chubby” appearance and limited monster time, audiences were much more satisfied with the overall plot, CGI, and action sequences (I, for one, lost all semblance of restraint when that fiery blue glow started at the tail). Japan, too, acknowledged the latest recreation as a worthy legacy, one that captured the original’s spirit and presence. But of course, Japan could not be stood up by America. And so Shin Godzilla emerged, spurred on by the tragic meltdowns of three of Japan’s nuclear plants.
Godzilla films have always been a not-so-subtle satire on humanity’s folly, with monsters literally being born from pollution and radiation created by the foolish humans of Japan. But Shin Godzilla is far more edged and sharp in terms of its message. Seventy-five percent of the movie is spent in board rooms and meetings, with the government’s inability to take action resulting in Godzilla’s further destruction of Japan. The point is lost on foreign viewers, but the idea is all too clear for its domestic audience. And while the technology has improved from the rubber suits of the ‘50s and ‘60s, the newest addition to the franchise is still true to the classic look, from the slight google eyes to the absurdly long tail to the eternally thick hips.
Godzilla is not going away any time soon. Warner Bros. has set the release date for Godzilla 2 sometime in 2019, a remake of the legendary Godzilla vs. King Kong in 2020, and Japan has followed suit by announcing an untold number of rebooted films. From his humble beginnings back in 1954 as the mighty Gojira, the atomic fire-breathing, mountain sized titan has dominated both the big screen and the merchandise markets. Japan has created a legend, and America is finally realizing how they can cash in on it. The king of monsters is making quite the comeback, and hopefully his awesome roar will be heard for a very long time to come.
