Both Godzilla Minus One and The Monsterverse Movies Are Faithful Godzilla Adaptations Notwithstanding Their Differences.
Legendary's Monsterverse films have certainly embraced an emphasis on over-the-top monster action rather than the sober tone of the original 1954 epic. That point is aptly shown by juxtaposing Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with Godzilla Minus One. Godzilla Minus One strikes as a return to some of the darker themes of the franchise that were common in the 1954 movie as well as some of the Heisei era productions. Though that's not exactly what the Monsterverse is like, it does not mean it disrespects Godzilla's essence.
Conversely, I consider the Monsterverse as a welcome homage to Godzilla's past. It especially brings to mind the Godzilla films Toho produced during the Showa era. Starting with Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Toho started to take a more kid-friendly approach. This is seen in the scene where Godzilla apparently shouts at Mothra and utilizes a boulder in a makeshift game of volleyball with Rodan. That scene in Godzilla x Kong's conclusion when Godzilla and Kong were batting Skar King around kept me wondering.
Godzilla Movies from The Monsterverse Not Need To Be Like Godzilla Minus One To Be Fun.
Right now, the Showa ties of the series are performing really nicely. Godzilla x Kong's explosive movie office performance is evidence that the Monsterverse is doing something right, even if the reviews could point otherwise. Clearly, Legendary's Godzilla and Kong films are more than fit for filling theaters. The entertainment value of its films does not depend on emotive narrative beats or powerful character arcs like those found in Godzilla Minus One. Leaning on another enticing feature of the Godzilla series, monster battles help the Monsterverse prosper.
The exciting Titan fights are the real high points of the Monsterverse films, not unlike the Showa era films. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire shows that it benefits handsomely at the box office and offers more monster battles than past releases. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire aims not to produce unforgettable human characters as the Monsterverse seems to consider the monsters as the real stars. The Showa era movies also understood this.
The Monsterverse & Godzilla Minus One's Variations Are Perfect for Godzilla's Future
Viewing Godzilla Minus One made me even more appreciative of the Monsterverse. Following the last two Toho-made Godzilla films, I'm not sure which route the studio wants Godzilla to follow. From Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Minus One, it is clear that its goal is for its films to be more akin to the original movies and those from the 1990s. That in mind, I have no reason to expect future Godzilla movies from Toho to revisit the Showa era like they did with Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004, which is all the more reason I want the Monsterverse to survive for decades to come.
Though I'm not sure if a Godzilla Minus One sequel is in store, I hope its narrative carries on. In addition to fresh Monsterverse payments, a follow-up might provide Godzilla with a fantastic and rich future free for amazing monster action and wonderful storytelling. If not the only way to honor these two parts of the Legendary kaiju's past, I believe having two independent Godzilla series on opposing paths is the best approach. I see it as our chance to have the best of both worlds.
Though I Never Want The Monsterverse To Be Anything Like It, I Loved Godzilla Minus One.
Though I was amazed by what Godzilla Minus One accomplished with the King of the Monsters, I want it never to influence the Monsterverse. Regarding its critical reception, Godzilla Minus One strikes me as being on another level than other Monsterverse films. While films like Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Godzilla: King of the Monsters did not do so well with critics, Godzilla Minus One got universal compliments. Saying that it was a success feels like a major downplay.
Regarding the excellence of the 2023 movie, its honors speak for itself. Godzilla Minus One became the first Godzilla film ever to snag an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also received a lot of praise for its human story, which is somewhat unique in the large monster movie genre. To be clear, I do agree that Godzilla Minus One is a really fantastic film. Though it most certainly presented a poignant narrative, breathtaking images, and a realistic interpretation of Godzilla, I never once considered this to be what the Monsterverse should be accomplishing.
The Significance of the Showa Era of Godzilla Movies Shouldn't Be Ignored, and I Don't Say That Just Because It's Important to My Childhood
These kind of things help me to enjoy the Monsterverse. Indeed, some of Godzilla's more symbolic traits and the fact that he was developed as a metaphor for the atomic bomb receive less thought. It is not, however, completely discounting Godzilla's heritage as its Showa-inspired action scenes reveal. Instead, it's just respecting another but equally significant aspect of his background.
Not to be disregarded the relevance of the Showa era of Godzilla films; I do not say this merely because it is relevant to my boyhood. Accounting for a great portion of Godzilla's past, the Showa movies are mostly responsible for the mythology inside the series. Given most of them come from that era, the several Godzilla allies and enemies in his realm aptly highlight this concept.
Along with where all the characters wound up at the end of the action, Godzilla Minus One featured few twists that call for explaining.
Godzilla Minus One strikes as a return to some of the darker themes of the franchise that were common in the 1954 movie as well as some of the Heisei era productions. Though that's not exactly what the Monsterverse is like, it does not mean it disrespects Godzilla's soul.
Beginning with the original and running through Terror of Mechagodzilla, the Showa period of the Godzilla series spans 1954 to 1975.
