Godzilla Minus One: everything you need to know about the new Godzilla movie

What's that coming over the hill, is it a monster? Yes, it is actually: the legendary Godzilla is back on the big screen this week in Godzilla Minus One. Here's what you need to know about the movie.

What is the story of Godzilla Minus One?

Godzilla Minus One is the latest Godzilla entry from franchise originators Toho Studios and stands apart from the English-language 'MonsterVerse' movies. The film returns us to a war-scarred iteration of Japan as the citizens of the country find themselves emerging from the horrifying atomic attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Amid the atomic fall-out, a deadly new threat emerges in the form of the giant mutated lizard known as Godzilla. The imperilled citizens of Tokyo must contend with alien threats on all fronts as Godzilla becomes nothing less than an emblem of the country's World War II trauma.

Who directs Godzilla Minus One?

Godzilla Minus One is directed by Takashi Yamazaki who has been explicit in his desire to return Godzilla to his atomic roots. The noted director, who is also a veteran special effects artist (he's supervised the impressive effects in this movie), has cited the likes of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind as an influence on the new Godzilla movie's spectacle and sense of scale. However, he sought to merge these jaw-dropping set-pieces with a storyline of genuine depth.

"Out of all the Godzillas there have been throughout the years — scary Godzilla, cute Godzilla, the more heroic Godzilla, etc. — my favorite is still the original from the very first movie," Yamazaki tells The Verge. "That Godzilla specifically represented war and our collective anxieties about nuclear arms.

"That idea’s still present in a lot of depictions of Godzilla, but I’ve also felt like a lot of his original essence has faded over time. So I wanted to bring some of that original intention behind Godzilla back, and more to the forefront, and the shots of nuclear clouds are a big part of that."

What has been the critical reaction to Godzilla Minus One?

Godzilla Minus One has been met with critical acclaim and, at the time of publication, boasts an impressive 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has been praised by leading critics for its emotional depth and resonance, which helps transform the movie into more than just a series of inter-connected action sequences.

"Despite a reported budget of a mere $15 million, the scenes in which Godzilla goes on the rampage are superbly executed, making one think that the major Hollywood studios, which think nothing of spending ten times that amount for similar efforts, should immediately head to Japan and take some lessons," writes Frank Scheck in The Hollywood Reporter.

"The dialogue, at least as translated, doesn’t prove elegant, with lines like “Godzilla looks really ticked off!” being a typical example. But there are also clever touches throughout, such as Godzilla’s impending arrivals being signaled by masses of dead fish rising to the surface.

"And writer-director Yamazaki has fully succeeded in delivering a Godzilla movie that’s as emotionally involving as it is genuinely scary, which is something I never thought I’d write. With this kind of tender loving care, Godzilla might be rampaging through Tokyo for yet another 70 years."