![The Red Right Hand Movie Reviews [Matthew Stogdon]](https://reviews.theredrighthand.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cropped-header1.png)
Director
Takashi Yamazaki
Starring
Ryunosuke Kamiki
Minami Hamabe
Hidetaka Yoshioka
Masami Nagasawa
Min Tanaka
Two years after Godzilla was destroyed in Godzilla Minus One, a meteor crash-lands in central Japan. From it, a chrysalis forms, absorbing a host of animals to mutate into a lightning spewing dragon-like creature. Narrowly escaping the attack on Matsumoto City, Professor Murakami [Tanaka] takes his findings to Kenji Noda [Yoshioka], now heading up the government’s Large Scale Disaster Response Bureau. With little option, Noda asks friend and kaiju-slaying pilot, Koichi Shikishima [Kamiki] for advice on how to combat the new threat.
I feel I open every Godzilla film review by reminding the reader that the best formula for these movies is a solid mix of human compassion and sorrow, terrifying disaster and destruction, and giant monster spectacle; specifically in that order. So, for me, the success of a Godzilla release, comes down to how much I’m invested in the human component, how much I’m affected by the carnage, and how thrilling the monster battles/attacks are. On paper, this latest installment has all three in spades. The only thing that diminishes the overall impact, is when its held up in comparison to its predecessor.
Frankly, it’s nice to see a Godzilla sequel maintain its tonality from the first movie. Historically – usually after a run of disappointments – we go back to the original, with a dark tone, real threat, consequences, and a powerful message (whether about war, weapons, or ecological calamity). But the films that follow very quickly shift into Godzilla as a reluctant protector of mankind, and a descent into monster wrestling matches with thinly constructed human components to save on budget. And while I have a love and respect for those releases, it’s this serious approach and weighty core that resonates best for me, as a viewer. And Godzilla Minus Zero has no problem getting its teeth into the real horror of these events. Not only with citizens screaming for help as they are mercilessly caught in the chaos, but every flashback and examination of the fallout is wreathed in grief, confusion and blood.
Story-wise, there are three central character veins. First up is Kamiki’s found family. In the previous film, Koichi and Noriko are two rag-tag survivors with little in common and reject the responsibility of raising the orphaned Akiko. But, having spent years together, they are truly bonded and conflicted between protecting each other through action or evasion. Namely whether to go and fight, or run and hide. And this is the dilemma which slides into view every single time Koichi or Noriko have a decision before them; going back and forth on what’s the right thing to do. It can suffer from narrative volleying somewhat, but overall it works to highlight how far these characters have come and matured.
The second branch is Kenji Noda trying not to repeat the mistakes he made in the last film and manage this new aggressor as best he can – all while being slightly out of his depth, and under the thumb of American rule. Noda’s shame, guilt and ultimate hubris is a huge driving force of the plot. Yes, Koichi and his family are still the emotional core of the film, but the events are reactionary to Ghidorah’s movements, and that lies squarely with Noda’s actions and choices. Which I think Yoshioka captures well, not only as a seasoned veteran of these assaults who knows all too well the price and toll, but as a man who is so very tired. With so many looking to him, the responsibility weighs heavy and yet he soldiers on to the best of his ability to protect others – a key message that was at the heart of Godzilla Minus One. This is mirrored somewhat by the addition of a new face in the team but I’ve saved my thoughts on that for the highlighted character section below.
**spoilers within this paragraph**
The most interesting new inclusion is Min Tanaka as Professor Murakami. He serves as a great presence, doubling down on the survivors guilt as someone who not only lived through the Godzilla Minus One devastation, but was also present at the bombing of Hiroshima and lost his entire family. While Godzilla as an on-screen entity was born out of nuclear terror, the real-world destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki isn’t always directly referenced. Not only is that not the case here, the film goes further by using the concept of infection through Godzilla cells as a metaphor for radiation poisoning, offering a sci fi body horror angle. What’s truly interesting, however, is the script exploring revenge fantasy (specifically enacted on New York City). Japan is notorious for having a very singular view of their involvement in World War II, and while Godzilla Minus One had a grassroots-effect approach, this is a rare example of a character maniacally indulging in retribution. The war and machinations of world leaders be damned, this is a man driven by personal reprisal. And another fantastic opportunity to let the haunting spectacle of Naoki Sato’s score wash over you.
As I mentioned earlier, as a standalone experience, this is a compelling release. But with all the novel originality, the unique approach and setting, and the devastating earnestness and vulnerability of the characters of the first film, this one has its notable flaws. Not enough to cripple it, just enough to take the shine off. And the most damning one, is something that many fans won’t even see as an issue: it’s that there’s arguably nothing new here, we’re back to the tried and tested franchise formula albeit with a lick of Oscar-winning paint and 1940s cosplay. Because no matter how far you try to deviate or pull from the orbit of the Godzilla lore and history, you’ll always be pulled back into the gravity well of the canon blueprints. Whether that’s a weaker focus on character drive (because now the events of WWII are somewhat dwarfed by the existence of a rampaging monster), adversaries slave to precept (Ghidorah is an alien dragon that shoots yellow lightning and has gravity powers, we won’t explain why), or science fiction elements that depart from the more grounded approach (human-Godzilla hybrids, need I say more?).
Without a doubt, Godzilla Minus Zero is easily one of the best Godzilla sequels and retains its predecessor’s mark of quality, but as with all follow ups to Godzilla resets and reboots, it finds itself in overly familiar territory. Subsequently, while still engaging, it’s a regrettably muted vision. The question now is whether an inevitable third installment will try for something new, or dig deeper into the Godzilla run for yet more recognisable antagonists and scenarios. We shall see.
Release Date:
06 November 2026
The Scene To Look Out For:
**mild spoilers**
Ghidorah’s first true aerial assault is wonderfully tense, with Dunkirk-esque ticking sound design and music pairing magnificently. And yet while the whole encounter is thrilling, it’s equally delightful that the culmination is a Frankenstein meddling that only exacerbates matters.
Notable Characters:
One major new face I omitted from earlier was Masami Nagasawa as Makoto Aoyama. Working with Noda, she is a meteorological expert. Not only that, she’s an individual who was too worried or timid to stick to her findings, and the country was unprepared for a natural disaster. Much like fellow leads and supports, we have yet another example of someone who saw all the signs for disaster but was incapable of averting it, now trying to make amends. What’s weird, however, is that we somehow got two 1940s films about weather predictions in the same few months. Joking aside, Nagasawa has the difficult task of making forecasting tense and cool, which with reams of charts, doesn’t always land. That said, I believe, by the end of the film, she’s well incorporated and feels less tacked on.
Highlighted Quote:
“You’ll be made a tool of war, a human weapon!”
In A Few Words:
“A mighty follow-up that’s marred only by the shadow of what came before.”
Total Score: 4/5
