Critically acclaimed Japanese monster film "Godzilla Minus One" has risen to the top of Netflix's movie list in multiple regions, including the UK and US. It unexpectedly landed on Netflix on June 1 in many regions, excluding Japan and France, following its theatrical release.
Originally released in November 2023, the movie became the highest-grossing Godzilla movie to come out of Japan, and nabbed an Academy Award for best visual effects.
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the low-budget film (estimated $10-15 million) excels in action scenes, portraying a catastrophic cityscape and the emergence of the monster.
Set in the aftermath of the nuclear bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the plot revolves around a Kamikaze pilot who survives an attack by Godzilla and tries to save Japan.
It harkens back to the original 1954 Godzilla film with a post-war nuclear allegory theme.
Yamazaki's portrayal of Godzilla is more realistic and mature than the monster's U.S. version. It represents a force of nature restoring a balance disrupted by humans.
The day is ultimately saved by a coalition of civic groups and private enterprise, not the military or government, subtly framing the main character as a representation of Japan's shedding of its past to embrace modernity.
Sources: Forbes, Independent, CNET, TechRadar, Cinepop, Mashable, Infobae, Olhar Digital, El Comercio, Tecmundo, Movies Yahoo, The Verge, and Engadget.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
