In 1954, Ishirō Honda released Gojira. The movie centres on Godzilla, a gigantic reptile that is brought to life after being exposed to years of nuclear radiation and transforms into a terrifying atomic-fuelled monster. It was Toho Studio’s retort to The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, which came out the previous year. Gojira was Japan’s debut entry into the genre of nuclear-themed science fiction/horror films known to fans and nerds alike as creature features.

Honda’s movie was re-titled Godzilla: King of the Monsters after it was edited, dubbed into English, and sold to an American distributor. The anti-nuclear message was dropped, and new scenes were added for the 1956 American release. The world didn’t realise how dark Gojira was until 2005, when the British Film Institute released it in its original, unedited version. An effective allegory that serves as a cautionary tale for the nuclear age.

The 37th entry in the hugely popular Kaiju (monster movie) franchise, Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One, was released just before Godzilla’s 70th anniversary. Although a few (mostly awful) American films have been made, Godzilla is unmistakably Japanese. Toho Studios is a Tokyo-based entertainment company that produces a hefty amount of Godzilla films. Minus One is their 33rd Godzilla movie and the first of many planned sequels. Based on what I’ve just seen and its own rampage at the box office, I cannot wait.

Minus One is possibly the most entertaining movie I’ve seen this year. Admittedly, monster movies are like Vegemite: you either love or hate them. You’ll already know what to expect if you plan on going to watch it. Chaos, carnage, explosions, and death? You got it. The narrative Yamazaki has woven into the film, though, is what really sets it apart.

The Minus One of the film’s title symbolises Japan’s lowest point following the war. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing widespread destruction and killing up to 200,000 people, the majority of whom were civilians who were burned alive where they were standing. Following Japan’s surrender, national pride was at its lowest. I would contend that the 1998 release of Godzilla was the cultural equivalent of Minus One at the start of the new millennium from a creative point of view. Matthew Broderick, what on Earth were you thinking?!

Yamazaki’s Godzilla tells a story with a lizard in it, unlike many other recent Godzilla films that just focus on the lizard trying to find a story. It tells the tale of a group of frightened and anxious people banding together to confront an existential crisis.

The concept of nuclear paranoia is downplayed here in favour of highlighting Japan’s post-war national identity crisis, which is masterfully portrayed by kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki). To avoid sacrificing his life during the dying days of the second world war, Koichi lands on an island to kill time with a non-existent engine problem. It is here that he encounters the film’s titular monster. Paralysed by fear, he does nothing, and several military colleagues die as a result.

He returns to Tokyo, riddled with survivor’s guilt, to discover his parents dead and his home reduced to ruins. He creates his own nuclear family in an effort to face his demons, making friends with a young woman called Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and her infant daughter Akiko, whom Noriko is tasked with raising after Akiko’s mother dies.

Similar to the equally impressive Shin Godzilla (2016), this movie emphasises the human element, with themes like betrayal, shame, and grief playing major roles. The story adds just the right amount of melodrama, so you’ll find yourself emotionally invested in the tension and rivalry between the main characters. Naoki Saito’s haunting soundtrack perfectly captures the poignancy of Koichi’s journey to redemption. All of this contributes to Yamazaki’s deft use of drama and spectacle in balance.

Don’t get me wrong, Minus One hasn’t gone all Monarch of Montecito on us. Godzilla personifies destruction, as revealed when the atomic-breathing monster decides to eat a few train carriages during a devastating attack on Tokyo’s Ginza district. If there is a lived experience to be learned, it’s that humans are tasty.

Minus One is a monster movie that pulls off the impossible: it combines a satisfying narrative with enough carnage to please even the most ardent kaiju-heads. It’s the perfect antidote to an otherwise terrible year. I can’t wait for the next one.