If you see ridged spikes breaking through the water and you hear a deafening roar that sends shivers down your spine, there can only be one logical conclusion: Godzilla is coming!
Godzilla debuted in a 1954 Japanese film directed and co-written by Ishiro Honda. Since then, 38 Godzilla films have been produced—33 in Japanese by Toho Co. Ltd., one by TriStar Pictures, and four by Legendary Pictures, which is currently releasing films and TV shows about Toho creatures through its Monsterverse franchise.
Godzilla is a prehistoric lizard awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. It emerges from the sea and brings destruction to the nearest city, crushing buildings and setting structures on fire with glowing atomic breath. The original film was created a mere 10 years after atomic bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. To this day, Godzilla is often understood and presented as a metaphor to aid Japanese citizens as they grapple with the destruction of World War II and the shame brought about by their defeat. Godzilla is also a warning about the horrors of nuclear warfare.
Godzilla Minus One is a 2023 Japanese film produced by Toho Studio that attempts to return to the roots of the prehistoric monster. The film tells the story of a young kamikaze pilot who struggles with the shame and guilt of failing to do his part in the Japanese war effort. As he attempts to rebuild his life after the war, the city is attacked by Godzilla, who destroys it with a mushroom cloud of fire, shock waves, and radiation.
Subtitled in English, this movie transcends the monster movie genre to tell a beautiful and compelling narrative highlighting themes of duty, shame, love, loss, loyalty, sacrifice, cooperation, and redemption. Christians will easily discern the redemptive story arc as they ponder the ending and ask questions about what it means to “lay down one’s life” (John 15:13). In addition to telling a great story, the film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2024.
(Rated PG-13. Now streaming on Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, and other platforms.)
About the Author
Sam Gutierrez is the Associate Director at the Eugene Peterson Center for the Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary. More of his creative work can be found at printandpoem.com
