Godzilla Minus Zero (2026) Review

3 Heads Are Better Then One!

Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers shall we?

Before we get started, I wanna make something clear. I’m not exactly the biggest Godzilla fan in the world. I know, shocking considering we’re about to talk about a Godzilla movie, but hear me out.

I’ve watched several of these movies over the years, including the American MonsterVerse films, and while I can appreciate the enormous monsters beating the absolute hell out of each other, I’ve never been particularly attached to the franchise.

However, that changed when I watched the Japanese film Godzilla Minus One back in 2023. That movie managed to do something I wasn’t expecting. It made me genuinely care about the human characters just as much as the giant radioactive lizard destroying everything in sight.

And now, three years later, director Takashi Yamazaki has returned with Godzilla Minus Zero, a direct sequel that takes everything from the first movie and decides to crank the destruction up to eleven.

So, does this sequel manage to surpass its predecessor?

Well, not quite. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have one hell of a time watching it!

Before we continue, I do wanna give everyone two warnings.

First, this movie is rated R, and believe me, it earns that rating. There are some genuinely disturbing images, bloody injuries, brutal monster violence, and sequences involving civilians that can be pretty upsetting. This isn’t one of those movies where buildings collapse and we’re supposed to pretend nobody was inside them. The movie wants you to see the consequences of these monsters attacking populated areas.

Second, this is a Japanese-language film with English subtitles, unless you’re watching a dubbed version. I understand foreign films aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you don’t enjoy reading subtitles while watching a movie. Just keep that in mind before going in.

Anyways, with all that out of the way, let’s get into it!

Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

Taking place in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One, Japan is slowly recovering from the devastation caused by World War II and Godzilla’s previous rampage.

Kōichi Shikishima has finally started rebuilding his life alongside his now-wife Noriko and their adopted daughter Akiko. After everything this family endured in the previous film, they finally have an opportunity to live something resembling a normal life.

Unfortunately, somebody apparently forgot to tell the universe that these poor people have suffered enough.

Because out of nowhere, a mysterious dragon-like creature begins attacking Japan, destroying entire communities and leaving the authorities scrambling to figure out what the hell they’re dealing with.

This creature is eventually identified as Ghidorah, an extraterrestrial organism capable of evolving by absorbing other living creatures.

And if you thought Godzilla was a nightmare, just wait until you see what this thing can do.

As the destruction continues, scientist Kenji Noda assembles a team of familiar faces alongside several newcomers in an attempt to stop this new threat before Japan is completely wiped off the map.

But when conventional weapons prove ineffective, the team begins considering a rather insane solution.

What if the only thing capable of stopping Ghidorah is Godzilla himself?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached the point where humanity is so desperate that they’re considering bringing back the same radioactive monster that nearly destroyed their country two years earlier.

And the worst part?

They might actually be right.

Character Rundown

Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi Shikishima

Our main character returns, and while he’s certainly in a better place than he was during the first movie, he’s still carrying plenty of emotional baggage.

I really appreciate that the sequel doesn’t suddenly pretend all his trauma disappeared just because he survived the events of Minus One. He’s still terrified of losing the people he loves, especially Noriko and Akiko.

However, I do have some issues with his performance this time around.

There are moments where Kamiki delivers genuinely emotional acting, but there are also scenes where he becomes so melodramatic that I couldn’t help finding them unintentionally funny.

Seriously, this man goes from having a normal conversation to screaming at the top of his lungs like somebody just told him they canceled Christmas.

I understand why he’s emotional, but GOOD LORD, MAN!

Minami Hamabe as Noriko Shikishima

Noriko returns as Kōichi’s wife, and she’s given a much more important role in the story than I initially expected.

Without spoiling anything, her survival during the previous film has left her with some rather unusual consequences, and those consequences become extremely important when the scientists begin developing their plan to stop Ghidorah.

I appreciate that Noriko isn’t simply reduced to being somebody Kōichi needs to protect. She has her own decisions to make, and some of those decisions create considerable tension between the two.

Hamabe gives a solid performance, although some of the scenes involving her and Kōichi suffer from the same overly dramatic delivery that occasionally bothered me throughout the film.

Sae Nagatani as Akiko

Akiko returns as the couple’s adopted daughter, and thankfully, the film remembers just how important she is to this family.

She’s not exactly the most prominent character in the sequel, but her presence gives Kōichi and Noriko something worth fighting for.

And considering what happens during the third act, I think her inclusion becomes particularly important.

Hidetaka Yoshioka as Kenji Noda

Oh, I absolutely loved seeing this man return!

Noda was already one of my favorite characters from Minus One, and I’m happy to report that he’s still one of the best characters in this sequel.

Now leading the Large-Scale Disaster Response Bureau, Noda is once again responsible for coming up with increasingly desperate plans to stop an enormous monster from destroying Japan.

What I appreciate about him is that he’s intelligent without being arrogant.

He understands that mistakes happen, takes responsibility for the decisions he makes, and genuinely cares about the people working alongside him.

And unlike certain other scientists in this movie, he doesn’t behave like he escaped from a Saturday morning cartoon.

We’ll get to that individual shortly.

Masami Nagasawa as Makoto Aoyama

Aoyama is a meteorologist who joins Noda’s team and plays an important role in understanding Ghidorah’s relationship with electrical storms.

Initially, I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of her, but as the film progressed, I started appreciating her character more.

She’s intelligent, determined, and willing to take responsibility when things go wrong.

More importantly, she has a surprisingly meaningful character arc involving Noda that I didn’t fully appreciate until thinking back on the movie afterward.

I’ll explain that in the spoiler section because I think it’s one of the better examples of character development in the sequel.

Min Tanaka as Professor Kanji Murakami

Ohhhhh boy.

Where do I even begin with this man?

Murakami is a scientist who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and his experiences have left him deeply traumatized.

On paper, that’s a fascinating character with plenty of potential.

Unfortunately, the execution is another story entirely.

I don’t know what direction Min Tanaka was given, but there are moments where Murakami behaves less like a traumatized scientist and more like a cartoon villain who’s about to reveal his evil plan while rubbing his hands together.

The man is constantly shouting, making exaggerated expressions, and behaving in ways that occasionally feel completely disconnected from the otherwise serious tone of the movie.

I understand what the filmmakers were trying to accomplish with him, and his motivations do eventually become important.

But I really wish they had toned down the performance.

Yuki Yamada as Shirō Mizushima

Another returning character from the first movie, Mizushima is now involved in the effort to protect Japan from Ghidorah.

I appreciated seeing him again, although I wouldn’t say he receives the same level of attention as Kōichi, Noda, or the new scientists.

Still, it’s nice that the sequel remembers the people who helped make the original film so memorable.

Kuranosuke Sasaki as Seiji Akitsu

Akitsu also returns, once again lending his experience and leadership to the operation.

Much like Mizushima, he doesn’t necessarily receive a massive character arc, but I appreciate having these familiar faces involved.

They help maintain that connection to the first movie.

Sakura Ando as Sumiko Ōta

Sumiko returns as Kōichi and Noriko’s neighbor, now helping care for children through an orphanage.

She’s another character whose importance comes more from her relationship with the family than from the monster-related storyline.

And while her screen time is limited, her presence becomes especially meaningful toward the ending.

Miou Tanaka as Tatsuo Hotta

Hotta returns as another experienced member of the team, helping coordinate the response to Ghidorah.

Again, not the biggest role in the movie, but it’s nice seeing the filmmakers bring back characters who were involved in the original operation against Godzilla.

Jun Kunimura as Dr. Ogata

Dr. Ogata is one of the newer supporting characters involved in the scientific and medical side of the story.

His role isn’t nearly as prominent as Noda, Aoyama, or Murakami, but he contributes to the team’s efforts to understand what they’re dealing with.

Wes Wing as Major Harlan Gilbert

Gilbert represents the American military presence in Japan, and unfortunately, he’s also connected to one of my biggest criticisms of the movie.

I understand the historical context the filmmakers are exploring, but I really wish the American characters had been given a little more nuance.

Too often, they feel like they’re simply there to remind the audience that America is bad.

And I think the movie could’ve handled that material much more effectively.

Pacing / Episode Flow

At approximately two hours and fifteen minutes, Godzilla Minus Zero is a pretty substantial movie.

And unlike some monster movies where the human characters spend most of the runtime discussing things nobody particularly cares about, I do think the filmmakers make a genuine effort to keep the story moving.

The opening immediately establishes that Japan is facing another horrifying threat, and Ghidorah makes one hell of a first impression.

However, something I found rather surprising is just how little Godzilla himself appears during certain portions of the film.

I understand that the filmmakers wanted to establish Ghidorah as the primary threat, but there were moments where I genuinely started wondering when Godzilla was going to show up.

It’s almost like watching a movie called Godzilla Minus Zero and realizing that Godzilla himself apparently decided to take an extended vacation.

That being said, once the film finally brings its two monsters together, GOOD LORD!

The final act is easily the highlight of the entire experience.

The pacing becomes considerably more intense, the destruction escalates, and the movie delivers exactly the kind of enormous monster battle that the marketing promised.

My biggest issue with the pacing isn’t necessarily that the movie is too long.

It’s that some of the human drama feels unnecessarily drawn out, especially when the characters start shouting at each other for extended periods.

And speaking of shouting…

Pros

First and foremost, King Ghidorah is absolutely spectacular.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved this interpretation of the character.

Rather than simply introducing him as a fully formed three-headed dragon, the filmmakers give him a genuinely fascinating biological origin.

He’s an extraterrestrial organism capable of absorbing other lifeforms and evolving into something increasingly horrifying.

And when he finally becomes the enormous golden, three-headed monster we all recognize?

OH MY GOD.

The design is phenomenal.

The wings, the enormous necks, the terrifying faces, the lightning attacks, and the way he manipulates gravity all contribute to making him one of the most frightening creatures I’ve seen in a Godzilla movie.

I also appreciate that the filmmakers didn’t simply recycle the same abilities we’ve seen in previous versions.

His gravity manipulation is especially impressive, allowing him to lift enormous objects and turn entire environments into weapons.

And the fact that the filmmakers drew inspiration from The Thing for his biological assimilation makes me appreciate the creature design even more.

Another major positive is the monster violence.

This movie does not hold back.

When Godzilla and Ghidorah finally start fighting, it genuinely feels like two enormous, incredibly dangerous creatures attempting to tear each other apart.

They’re biting, slamming, throwing, and ripping into one another, and the film doesn’t shy away from showing the physical damage.

It’s brutal, spectacular, and exactly the sort of monster battle I wanted.

I also love that Godzilla isn’t suddenly portrayed as some heroic protector of humanity.

He’s still a terrifying creature responsible for unimaginable destruction.

The only reason anybody wants him involved is because Ghidorah is somehow even worse.

And that creates a fascinating moral dilemma.

You’re rooting for Godzilla to win, but you’re also fully aware that humanity might be better off if neither monster survived.

Another thing I appreciated is the film’s willingness to show the consequences of monster attacks.

The scenes involving injured civilians, destroyed communities, and families caught in the destruction are genuinely upsetting.

The movie doesn’t treat these people as meaningless background characters who exist solely to make the explosions look impressive.

And considering how much I loved the emotional storytelling in Minus One, I’m glad that element hasn’t completely disappeared.

The visual effects are also outstanding for the most part.

Takashi Yamazaki and his team once again demonstrate just how much can be accomplished without the astronomical budgets associated with major Hollywood blockbusters.

The environments, creature designs, and enormous destruction sequences are frequently breathtaking.

And I especially appreciate learning that the filmmakers combined full-sized sets, miniatures, and digital effects to create some of these environments.

That’s the kind of filmmaking I love seeing.

The soundtrack is another highlight.

Naoki Satō returns as composer, incorporating familiar Godzilla musical themes alongside new material.

And when that music kicks in during the monster action?

Absolutely fantastic.

Finally, I appreciate that the sequel actually tries to do something different.

Rather than simply repeating the events of Minus One, it expands the mythology, introduces an entirely different kind of monster, and explores what happens when humanity becomes desperate enough to consider using one catastrophe to stop another.

That’s an interesting direction for the story.

Cons

Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed this movie, there are definitely some problems.

Such as character’s inventing some absurd things that take this film beyond the realism line, compared to the first film.

And my biggest complaint?

THE ACTING CAN BE SO DAMN MELODRAMATIC!

Seriously, I don’t know what happened during certain scenes, but apparently somebody told the cast that every emotional conversation needed to be performed at maximum volume.

There are moments where characters are screaming, crying, making exaggerated facial expressions, and generally behaving like they’re auditioning for the most dramatic soap opera ever produced.

And while I understand that these characters are experiencing incredibly stressful situations, there’s a difference between believable emotional intensity and making every conversation feel like the end of the world.

The first movie certainly had dramatic performances, but I found the emotional material much more effective there.

Here, some scenes unintentionally made me laugh.

And Professor Murakami is probably the biggest offender.

Again, I understand his motivations, and I appreciate what the filmmakers were trying to explore through his character.

But his exaggerated behavior occasionally feels completely ridiculous.

The American military characters are another disappointment.

Now, before anybody gets the wrong idea, I have absolutely no problem with a Japanese movie criticizing the American occupation of Japan or discussing the devastating consequences of the atomic bombings.

Those are legitimate historical subjects worth exploring.

My issue is that the American characters often feel so one-dimensional.

Rather than creating morally complicated individuals with different motivations, the movie frequently seems content with portraying them as sinister authority figures.

And considering how thoughtfully Minus One explored the failures of wartime leadership, I expected something a little more nuanced.

I also think the human storyline simply isn’t as compelling as the first movie.

That’s not to say there aren’t good moments.

There absolutely are.

But Minus One had a much stronger emotional foundation, particularly through Shikishima’s survivor’s guilt and his relationships with Noriko and Akiko.

This sequel occasionally feels like it’s juggling so many different ideas that some of the quieter character moments get lost.

And while the visual effects are generally excellent, there are a few sequences where the CGI looks noticeably artificial.

It’s especially distracting because so much of the movie looks fantastic.

Finally, THE SOUND MIXING!

GOOD LORD ALMIGHTY!

I understand that this movie was designed for IMAX, and I understand that the filmmakers wanted the monsters to sound absolutely terrifying.

But there were moments where the volume was so ridiculously loud that it became genuinely uncomfortable.

And I’m not just talking about Godzilla roaring or Ghidorah unleashing an enormous attack.

Even some of the human characters seemed determined to rupture my eardrums.

I went to the theater expecting to watch two giant monsters fight.

I didn’t realize my hearing was going to be the third combatant.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Godzilla Minus Zero is a fantastic sequel that delivers some of the most spectacular monster action I’ve seen in quite some time.

King Ghidorah is an absolute nightmare, the creature designs are phenomenal, the final battle is incredibly entertaining, and the movie does an excellent job of making these enormous monsters feel genuinely dangerous.

However, I don’t think it’s quite as amazing as Godzilla Minus One.

The first film had a stronger emotional story, more believable character interactions, and a better balance between the human drama and the monster destruction.

This sequel occasionally sacrifices that grounded storytelling in favor of bigger spectacle, exaggerated performances, and a more complicated narrative.

But you know something?

I still had a great time watching it.

And considering I’m not even the biggest Godzilla fan, the fact that I’ve now thoroughly enjoyed two consecutive Japanese Godzilla movies says quite a lot.

I genuinely hope Takashi Yamazaki continues making these films because he’s clearly demonstrated that Godzilla can be more than just an enormous radioactive lizard smashing buildings.

Although, let’s be honest, watching an enormous radioactive lizard beat the absolute hell out of a three-headed space dragon is still pretty damn entertaining.

If you enjoyed Godzilla Minus One, I absolutely recommend checking out this sequel.

Just remember to prepare yourself for some disturbing violence, plenty of subtitles, and a sound system that apparently wants to send your ears into early retirement.

Rating

9/10

A fantastic, brutal, visually spectacular sequel that doesn’t quite reach the emotional heights of its predecessor, but still delivers one hell of a monster movie.

—

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING! ⚠️

FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, WE’RE DISCUSSING MAJOR SPOILERS FOR GODZILLA MINUS ZERO!

That includes Ghidorah’s origins and transformations, Noriko’s condition, Professor Murakami’s true motivations, Noda’s death, the final monster battle, and the ending.

If you haven’t watched the movie yet, I highly recommend turning back now.

Seriously.

Don’t come crying to me when you find out what happens to your favorite character!

Anyways, let’s get into the spoilers, shall we?

Spoilers

The movie takes place two years after Godzilla’s defeat, with Japan slowly recovering from the destruction caused by World War II and the events of Minus One.

Shikishima and Noriko are now married, and they’re raising Akiko together.

It’s genuinely nice seeing these characters finally enjoying some peace after everything they endured.

Unfortunately, that peace doesn’t last very long.

The movie introduces Ghidorah as a mysterious extraterrestrial organism that arrived on Earth inside a meteorite.

Rather than simply being born as a three-headed dragon, the creature begins as a strange gelatinous organism capable of absorbing other living things.

As it consumes different organisms, it gradually evolves into a dragon-like monster.

And honestly, I absolutely love this approach.

It makes Ghidorah feel like something genuinely alien rather than simply another enormous animal.

The creature eventually attacks Matsumoto, destroying buildings, unleashing electrical attacks, and causing unimaginable devastation.

The scientists begin studying its behavior, with meteorologist Makoto Aoyama discovering its connection to electrical storms.

This eventually leads to the first major plan to eliminate the creature.

The team launches an aerial operation involving explosives and lightning rods, intending to impale Ghidorah and use electricity to destroy it.

Unfortunately, this plan backfires spectacularly.

And when I say spectacularly, I mean SPECTACULARLY.

Instead of killing Ghidorah, the electrical attack causes the creature to evolve.

Its skin becomes golden, it grows two additional heads, and it transforms into the enormous three-headed King Ghidorah.

CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE!

YOU JUST MADE THE MONSTER EVEN WORSE!

🤣

I absolutely loved this transformation.

The creature goes from being a dangerous flying dragon to something that genuinely looks like a living apocalypse.

And the destruction becomes even more terrifying once Ghidorah starts using its gravity manipulation.

One particularly disturbing sequence involves a house being lifted into the air with a mother and her baby still inside.

It’s horrifying because these aren’t soldiers fighting a monster.

They’re ordinary civilians who have absolutely no chance of defending themselves.

That’s something I appreciate about this film.

It reminds us that the consequences of these battles extend far beyond the main characters.

Following the failed operation, Aoyama begins blaming herself for what happened.

After all, the lightning strategy was her idea, and instead of destroying Ghidorah, it made the creature considerably more dangerous.

However, Noda refuses to let her shoulder all that guilt.

He tells her that the responsibility belongs to him because he approved the operation.

And I want everyone to remember this interaction because it becomes extremely important later.

Meanwhile, Godzilla has been regenerating following his defeat in the first movie.

And when he finally resurfaces, he’s larger, angrier, and just as terrifying as ever.

With Ghidorah proving nearly impossible to stop, the scientists eventually come up with a desperate plan.

They want to lure Godzilla and Ghidorah into the same location, allow them to fight, and hopefully eliminate whichever monster survives.

Now THAT is one hell of a gamble.

Because let’s think about this for a moment.

Godzilla already nearly destroyed Japan once.

And now the plan is to bring him back and hope he’ll kill something even worse.

I mean, what could possibly go wrong!?

Unfortunately, there’s a rather serious complication.

The scientists discover that Noriko’s miraculous survival during the Ginza attack in Minus One wasn’t exactly a miracle.

Her body contains Godzilla’s cells, commonly referred to as G-cells.

These cells have allowed her to survive injuries that should’ve killed her, but they’ve also caused her body to undergo some rather disturbing mutations.

Her eye has changed, and strange growths have developed on her body.

The scientists realize that these cells could potentially be used to attract Godzilla through a device called the Resonance Wave.

And naturally, Shikishima is absolutely furious when he discovers what they’re proposing.

After everything he’s endured, the last thing he wants is to risk losing Noriko again.

So the family initially decides to leave and start a new life somewhere else.

Honestly?

I don’t blame them.

At some point, you’ve gotta look at the giant monsters destroying your country and say, “You know something? I think we’ve contributed enough to this situation. GOOD LUCK, EVERYBODY!”

However, while traveling by train, Noriko witnesses the devastation Ghidorah has caused.

She sees the destroyed communities and realizes that countless innocent people are suffering.

And that guilt begins eating away at her.

Eventually, while staying at a hotel, she secretly contacts Noda and Murakami and agrees to participate in their plan.

And this leads to one of the most unintentionally hilarious dramatic scenes in the entire movie.

Shikishima discovers what’s happening and storms onto the ship where the preparations are taking place.

He approaches Noda and SLAPS HIM!

Not a little tap, either.

He hits him hard enough to draw blood.

Then he grabs Noda and starts screaming in his face about how he could possibly betray him after everything they’ve been through.

And look, I understand why Shikishima is angry.

But GOOD LORD, MAN!

🤣

Noda tries reassuring him that Noriko will only be used for this one operation and that he has his word.

But Shikishima continues screaming.

Then Noriko intervenes and explains that she volunteered herself.

The two begin arguing about their family, their future, and whether they’re willing to risk everything they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

And after all that screaming, Shikishima suddenly decides that if Noriko is participating, then he’s going to pilot the aircraft.

Which naturally causes Noriko to panic because somebody needs to think about Akiko.

And Shikishima essentially responds that he’d rather remain by Noriko’s side than risk losing her again.

Now, on paper, I completely understand the emotional significance of this scene.

But the delivery is SO OVER THE TOP.

It’s like watching somebody speedrun every possible human emotion in approximately two minutes.

Anger!

Betrayal!

Despair!

Acceptance!

MORE ANGER!

And somehow, after all that, everybody agrees to proceed with the operation.

Meanwhile, we eventually learn the truth about Professor Murakami.

He’s a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, having lost his family during the attack.

And rather than simply wanting to protect Japan, he secretly intends to use Godzilla as a weapon against America.

Specifically, he wants to lure Godzilla to New York City and unleash the same kind of devastation upon American civilians that Japan experienced during the war.

Now, I actually think this is a fascinating idea.

A man who has suffered unimaginable trauma becomes so consumed by revenge that he’s willing to inflict that same suffering upon innocent people.

There’s a genuinely compelling antagonist buried somewhere in that premise.

Unfortunately, the film occasionally undermines him with some ridiculously exaggerated acting.

I kept waiting for Murakami to start laughing maniacally while lightning flashed behind him.

Thankfully, Noda eventually confronts him about his intentions and helps him understand that continuing this cycle of destruction won’t accomplish anything meaningful.

And I appreciate that the movie doesn’t simply have Murakami remain evil until the credits roll.

He does eventually reconsider his actions.

Anyways, the final operation begins.

The team prepares an enormous trap in Ginza, using electrical generators to attract Ghidorah and liquid nitrogen to freeze the creature.

They also surround the area with fuel that can be ignited after the monster has been frozen.

Meanwhile, Shikishima pilots an aircraft carrying Noriko and Murakami, using Noriko’s G-cells and the Resonance Wave to lure Godzilla into the area.

And eventually, ladies and gentlemen…

GODZILLA VS. KING GHIDORAH!

OH MY GOD!

This battle is absolutely spectacular.

The two monsters immediately begin tearing into each other, and I love how physical the confrontation becomes.

Godzilla isn’t simply standing around firing his atomic breath.

He’s biting, striking, using his tail, and attempting to overpower Ghidorah through sheer physical strength.

At one point, Godzilla manages to sever one of Ghidorah’s heads.

And just when you think he’s finally gaining the advantage, the severed head bites onto Godzilla’s arm and tears it off!

GOOD LORD!

🤣

Thankfully for Godzilla, his regeneration allows him to recover from the injury.

But Ghidorah continues proving just how dangerous he is.

He uses his gravity manipulation to throw enormous objects around and eventually buries Godzilla beneath the surrounding rubble.

And suddenly, humanity’s best chance of stopping Ghidorah is lying underneath a pile of destroyed buildings.

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

Meanwhile, the team’s liquid nitrogen trap begins experiencing problems.

The fuel lines have been damaged, and somebody needs to go out and repair them before the entire operation falls apart.

And who volunteers?

Noda.

Of course it’s Noda.

Because apparently this man hasn’t done enough to save Japan already.

He drives into the danger zone and attempts to repair the equipment while Ghidorah is still nearby.

Unfortunately, Ghidorah begins thawing out and attacks his vehicle, overturning it and leaving him trapped inside.

And this is where the movie delivers one of its most heartbreaking moments.

Noda realizes that he isn’t going to escape.

He tells the others that he’s leaving the rest to them.

Meanwhile, Shikishima is preparing to fire the missile needed to ignite the fuel surrounding Ghidorah.

Aoyama desperately tries to stop him after realizing Noda is still trapped in the area.

But it’s too late.

Shikishima fires the missile, causing an enormous explosion.

And Noda is killed.

I’m not gonna lie, this one hurt.

I genuinely loved Noda in both movies, and seeing him die after everything he’d accomplished was heartbreaking.

But what happens immediately afterward is something I think deserves particular attention.

Shikishima asks what happened to Noda.

Aoyama tells him that he’s dead.

And Shikishima immediately begins breaking down, asking whether his missile was responsible.

Now remember what happened earlier in the movie.

When Aoyama blamed herself for the failed lightning operation, Noda refused to let her shoulder that guilt.

He took responsibility for approving the plan.

And now, after Noda’s death, Aoyama finds herself in a remarkably similar situation.

Shikishima is blaming himself for something that happened during a desperate attempt to save everyone.

And rather than allowing him to fall back into the survivor’s guilt that nearly destroyed him during the first movie, she tells him that Ghidorah killed Noda.

She refuses to let him carry that burden.

And I absolutely love this moment.

Because Aoyama is essentially doing what Noda would’ve done.

She learned from him.

And even though he’s gone, his influence continues through the people he worked alongside.

That’s genuinely good character development.

Meanwhile, the battle still isn’t over.

Godzilla is temporarily incapacitated, and Ghidorah is preparing to continue his destruction.

So Shikishima and Noriko use the Resonance Wave and her mutation to awaken Godzilla.

And just when you thought Ghidorah couldn’t possibly become any more dangerous, the movie reveals another horrifying development.

Remember that severed head that tore off Godzilla’s arm?

Well, apparently it absorbed some of Godzilla’s cells.

And when Ghidorah reattaches the head, it begins developing characteristics associated with Godzilla himself.

Scales.

Dorsal spines.

And even a version of Godzilla’s atomic breath.

OH, COME ON!

THIS THING WAS ALREADY OVERPOWERED!

🤣

Now Ghidorah isn’t simply a three-headed extraterrestrial dragon.

He’s a three-headed extraterrestrial dragon capable of copying Godzilla’s abilities.

And for a brief moment, it genuinely looks like Godzilla might lose.

The two monsters prepare to unleash their energy attacks.

But Ghidorah’s newly acquired abilities prove difficult to control.

And Godzilla takes advantage of the opportunity.

He unleashes his atomic breath directly into Ghidorah, overwhelming the creature and finally destroying him.

GODZILLA WINS!

And I absolutely loved it.

The entire battle was spectacular, brutal, and incredibly satisfying.

But here’s the interesting thing.

Even though I was rooting for Godzilla to defeat Ghidorah, I was also hoping that Godzilla himself would somehow die afterward.

Because let’s not forget something extremely important.

GODZILLA IS STILL A MONSTER!

He hasn’t suddenly become humanity’s best friend.

He hasn’t apologized for destroying Ginza.

He’s still the same terrifying creature that nearly wiped out an entire city in the previous movie.

He’s simply the lesser of two evils.

And I think that’s one of the most interesting aspects of the entire sequel.

Unfortunately, Godzilla survives.

And when American military forces arrive, they’re initially prepared to attack him.

However, they’re ordered to stand down.

Why?

Because the Americans apparently believe Godzilla might be useful as a weapon in the future.

Oh, wonderful.

Because if there’s one thing humanity learned from the events of these two movies, it’s apparently that we should find even more creative ways to weaponize enormous radioactive monsters.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG!?

🤣

Meanwhile, Murakami realizes that his Resonance Wave technology could be exploited for precisely that purpose.

So he destroys his research and attempts to escape.

Unfortunately, he’s captured by American forces.

And while I appreciate that Murakami ultimately chooses to prevent his technology from being weaponized, I still think his storyline could’ve been handled with considerably more subtlety.

Finally, we return to Shikishima, Noriko, and Akiko.

With the American military potentially interested in Noriko’s G-cells, the family realizes they may no longer be safe remaining where they are.

So Shikishima and Noriko decide to go into hiding.

Initially, they consider leaving Akiko at Sumiko’s orphanage to protect her.

And this leads to another emotional moment as Akiko struggles to understand why her parents are leaving.

She repeatedly tells them to have a safe trip, hoping that saying those words will somehow guarantee their return.

And honestly, this scene is pretty heartbreaking.

After everything this family endured during the first movie, the thought of them being separated again is genuinely upsetting.

Thankfully, Shikishima and Noriko ultimately decide that they can’t abandon her.

Instead, they take Akiko with them, choosing to remain together as a family despite the uncertain future awaiting them.

And I actually really like this ending.

It’s not necessarily a completely happy ending because they’re now forced to live in hiding.

But they’re together.

And after everything they’ve endured, that’s what matters.

Meanwhile, Godzilla returns to the ocean, still alive and potentially waiting for another opportunity to terrorize humanity.

Which means the door is certainly open for another sequel.

And you know something?

I’d absolutely watch it.

Despite my criticisms, I think Godzilla Minus Zero is a fantastic continuation of the story established in Minus One.

The human drama isn’t quite as strong, some of the performances are ridiculously exaggerated, and the political commentary occasionally lacks subtlety.

But the monster action is phenomenal, King Ghidorah is absolutely terrifying, and the movie contains some genuinely effective emotional moments.

I still consider Godzilla Minus One the better film overall.

But Godzilla Minus Zero is a worthy sequel that deserves plenty of credit for taking the franchise in a more ambitious direction.

And considering these are the only two Godzilla movies I’ve genuinely fallen in love with, I think Takashi Yamazaki is doing something right.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check whether my hearing has recovered from the theater.

Because between Godzilla roaring, Ghidorah screaming, and Shikishima yelling at everybody within a five-mile radius, I’m surprised I can still hear myself think!

Final Rating: 9/10

Anyways hope y’all enjoy today’s review and stay amazing.