Shin Godzilla - The General Discussion Thread

[DirektorSplennic]

I like the open ended nature of Shin’s ending. I hope it never gets a true sequel. Same for Gamera 3.

I think western culture is uncomfortable with ambiguity in endings….and that’s a shame.

For some people, does keeping things vague and ambiguous help to suspend disbelief?

I think it's more along the lines of allowing each viewer to interpret the ending. I agree that Shin Godzilla shouldn't have a direct sequel. The ending is ominous and plays into the movie's main themes very well.

Where would a sequel even go? What Shin established doesn't seem like a sequel would work as a monster-brawl type movie. He works well with other monsters as a theme park attraction, but as an actual movie Shin feels like he'd only work well alone. If he's the only monster in the sequel, he'd just wake up and then humanity would have to put him to sleep again.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but since the movie came out it always felt to me like a sequel would feel unnecessary and dilute the original.

[LegendZilla]

^Why would Shin having a sequel be any different than let's say, G54 getting a sequel?

[DirektorSplennic]

^Why would Shin having a sequel be any different than let's say, G54 getting a sequel?

That's a good point, though I feel that argument can apply to Godzilla Raids Again, which is in every way inferior to the movie that came before it. It literally is what would happen if Shin got a sequel, a diluted average movie that has none of the charm of the original. I don't even dislike it, it's a fine movie, but it adds nothing to G54. Sure, it gave us Anguirus.

This is probably a super controversial opinion here, but I genuinely feel none of the Showa era remotely lives up to G54 (honestly none of the movies that are direct sequels do, period). I love those movies and the franchise to death, and encourage different interpretations of Godzilla, but they are so far removed from the original that they honestly just work as there own thing rather than being thought of as sequels to the original movie. Son of Godzilla is one of my favorite Godzilla movies, but it functions as its own thing.

Shin also feels a lot more like a product of the current times (not a bad thing), while G54 feels a lot more timeless with its message.

I feel the next big Toho Godzilla movie would benefit from also being its own thing.

[miguelnuva]

^Why would Shin having a sequel be any different than let's say, G54 getting a sequel?

That's a good point, though I feel that argument can apply to Godzilla Raids Again, which is in every way inferior to the movie that came before it. It literally is what would happen if Shin got a sequel, a diluted average movie that has none of the charm of the original. I don't even dislike it, it's a fine movie, but it adds nothing to G54. Sure, it gave us Anguirus.

This is probably a super controversial opinion here, but I genuinely feel none of the Showa era remotely lives up to G54 (honestly none of the movies that are direct sequels do, period). I love those movies and the franchise to death, and encourage different interpretations of Godzilla, but they are so far removed from the original that they honestly just work as there own thing rather than being thought of as sequels to the original movie. Son of Godzilla is one of my favorite Godzilla movies, but it functions as its own thing.

Shin also feels a lot more like a product of the current times (not a bad thing), while G54 feels a lot more timeless with its message.

I feel the next big Toho Godzilla movie would benefit from also being its own thing.

Mothra vs Godzilla lives up to G54 and I'd argue other than seriousness its a better film in everyway.

Added in 1 minute 45 seconds:

I like the open ended nature of Shin’s ending. I hope it never gets a true sequel. Same for Gamera 3.

I think western culture is uncomfortable with ambiguity in endings….and that’s a shame.

Ambiguity endings to me feels like the film makers had a perfect ride and then didn't do how to land the plan other than leave it up to the audience. Doesn't me an ending or a film is worse however.

[DirektorSplennic]

^ Agree to disagree. Mothra vs Godzilla is a solid film, but does not come close to any of the weight G54 has by a mile, despite it having a good message to take away.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I agree that 54 is the pinnacle of the Showa series, and laid the ground work for what would come, but I think other Showa entries take different approaches that make saying "it's the best" an incredibly difficult and not helpful quantifier. While we could say Godzilla 1954 is better than lets say Ebirah HOTD, it becomes difficult because it's intent is a fun fantasy-adventure romp.

Shin Godzilla can get a followup of some kind that could be different tonally, or take a different angle and be enjoyable. The worst thing would always be a mediocre sequel.

[miguelnuva]

^ Agree to disagree. Mothra vs Godzilla is a solid film, but does not come close to any of the weight G54 has by a mile, despite it having a good message to take away.

I respect that but I also said other than the seriousness that G54 has. I feel like Mothra vs Godzilla would reach more people and is a more enjoyable film that G54. G54 is a somber film or something that you want people to think about afterwards.

[Gigantis]

Welp.. Apparently Anno DID plan a Shin Godzilla sequel.


Interesting stuff but.. I dunno, the way the film is described makes it sound like a really big far cry from the original. I'm sure it would've been a fun movie, but the mood whiplash is in plain sight.

[ShinGojira14]

Another day, and getting closer to the anniversary of this masterpiece of a film.

[ShinWataru]

Ok so I saw Shin Gojira in 2016 and hated it. While on vacation last week, I rewatched all Reiwa era media and Shin was more enjoyable but the first 45 mins of bureaucratic crap really broke immersion...

[LegendZilla]

Ok so I saw Shin Gojira in 2016 and hated it. While on vacation last week, I rewatched all Reiwa era media and Shin was more enjoyable but the first 45 mins of bureaucratic crap really broke immersion...

I feel that G84 handled its bureaucratic material a lot better.

[eabaker]

G84 handled its bureaucratic material in a more accessible way, because it was written and directed from a perspective sympathetic to the Japanese government of its time. Shin intentionally alienates its audience from the existing bureaucracy for satirical purposes. They're really not playing the same game.

[Legion1979]

Ok so I saw Shin Gojira in 2016 and hated it. While on vacation last week, I rewatched all Reiwa era media and Shin was more enjoyable but the first 45 mins of bureaucratic crap really broke immersion...

See, I found the film watchable UNTIL Godzilla was frozen. Then the bureaucratic stuff became a slog. I was mentally checked out the entire second half. Me and my friend didn't even stay through the credits.

[ShinWataru]

Ok so I saw Shin Gojira in 2016 and hated it. While on vacation last week, I rewatched all Reiwa era media and Shin was more enjoyable but the first 45 mins of bureaucratic crap really broke immersion...

See, I found the film watchable UNTIL Godzilla was frozen. Then the bureaucratic stuff became a slog. I was mentally checked out the entire second half. Me and my friend didn't even stay through the credits.

I made it to the shot of the tail tip but I got the gist. Prefer the character types from SP myself

[Creature22]

I love Shin Godzilla, but it’s definitely an exhausting film, especially towards the second half. It’s very dialogue-heavy and requires a lot of fast reading, not to mention the techno babble and somewhat confusing scientific explanations. On this end I find the dub to be helpful, especially if you’re showing the film for other people, but that’s just my take.

I do think the opening was stronger but like the film as a whole. I’m disappointed the sequel was canned.

[CyberZilla]

The dub is actually fairly solid. I prefer the sub as an experience, but I gave the dub a shot a few years back and enjoyed it.
On the topic of a sequel, while I would love to see the concept explored more, I do prefer the open ending and the horrifying implications of that ever-evolving Godzilla. It reminds me of stories like Call to Cthulhu in the sense that the "main threat" is suppressed but not vanquished, and might be beyond human capability to stop.

[Gotschiller]

6 years already...

Spoiler:

Never forget tadpole

[ShinGojira14]

Six years ago today, this utter masterpiece of cinema was released to the world.

Happy birthday to the best Godzilla film ever made alongside the original, along with the coolest incarnation of the King of Monsters.

[Vakanai]

I really wish we had gotten that sequel.

[Jomei]

Six years ago today, this utter masterpiece of cinema was released to the world.

Happy birthday to the best Godzilla film ever made alongside the original, along with the coolest incarnation of the King of Monsters.

Based. All these years later, and still...