Shin Godzilla premiered July 25, 2016 in Tokyo before being released to the rest of the country on July 29. It is the first Toho Company production of Godzilla since Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004. Also, it is considered a 'reboot' of the series since it is not a sequel to any of the previous movies.
It was released in the US in October starting with Los Angeles on Oct 3, New York City on Oct 5 and Columbus, Ohio on October 7. Then it had a limited release on October 11.
At the Awards of the Japanese Academy, it won Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Lighting, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Art Direction. It was nominated for four more awards.
I finally got to see Shin Godzilla (Godzilla: Resurgent), still not released in the U.S. It is Toho Company's latest film with the G-Man, coming after the success of the 2014 blockbuster Godzilla. It's their first Godzilla movie since Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004. Toho stayed with the man in the rubber suit as Godzilla instead of CGI. It harkens back to the early Godzilla films in the 1950's where he is being a pain in the ass, destroying Tokyo for no other reason than just being a pain in the ass. Not saving the world from goofy giant monsters. No aliens trying to abduct him so they can bring in King Ghidorah. Just Godzilla vs the Japanese and American military.
Most of the effects were not the campy sort we've seen before, but were actually quite impressive. The major exception being the pre-Godzilla form coming ashore. It looks like a Rose Bowl Parade float, a big-eyed comical turtle-thing. Some of the scenes are eerily reminiscent of video footage of the tsunami in 2011.
Until it evolves into Godzilla. Toho gave the G-Man more abilities, such as he can shoot his radioactive beams from his spines AND his tail! A lot more power to his punch. He's never done that before.
The movie also has a lot of fresh new faces and we only see one former Godzilla actor, Jun Kunimura, a veteran of Godzilla: Final Wars.
I was surprised that Toho tried tugging at some heartstrings by mentioning the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. By the Americans, who believe the only way to stop Godzilla is with a thermonuclear bomb. The movie goes back and forth blaming Americans and then relying on their military support. In the end, it is France that comes through and helps Japan avoid becoming Ground Zero for a third time.
There is more than enough evidence that demonstrates there will be a sequel to this movie, so we can look forward to that.
Not as good as the 2014 movie, but still a great ride!
