BLOOD WORK: SUSPENDED ANIMATION: GODZILLA ~ THE PLANET EATER (2018)

I'm usually a traditionalist when it comes to Godzilla films. The plethora of Godzilla reinterpretations over the last two decade have been interesting but, for me, have grown tiresome. In many cases I look at these previous films and see something other than Godzilla. The 1998 Tristar Godzilla film felt more like The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. Legendary's Godzilla felt more like the Gamera films of the 1990's. Shin Godzilla felt more like Neon Genesis Evangelion. And the Millennium era Godzilla films suffered from reboot after reboot, this section largely feeling directionless.

This Godzilla anime trilogy, being another among these many reinterpretations, managed to do something most of the others haven't: Maintain the true essence of Godzilla while reinventing the story. I came into this trilogy jaded and unexcited for yet another reboot and experimental Godzilla film. This final part of the trilogy sold me on this anime project and what it accomplished.

GODZILLA: AS INTERPRETED BY A GAIJIN

The Godzilla franchise, to me, has always been about more than merely giant monsters fighting each other and decimating cities. Perhaps this is why the franchise has endured for sixty plus years. The Godzilla anime trilogy from Toho Animation and Polygon Pictures is no exception. This anime trilogy accurately captures the true meaning of Godzilla, both the ethos and pathos of the character, and the context of the original film. It does this while pushing the franchise into new territory.

Not since 1984 has a Godzilla film managed to recreate the subtext of the 1954 classic while modernizing the franchise. Elements of this were present in the first two chapters of this anime trilogy but didn't reach fruition until the third chapter saw release. GODZILLA: PLANET OF THE MONSTERS and GODZILLA: CITY ON THE EDGE OF BATTLE, the first two parts of the trilogy, introduced high concept science fiction to the franchise and reenvisioned many classic characters and elements of the mythology. But both films, despite having individual titles, were unable to stand by themselves.

Just as the three heads of Ghidorah are not separate but one beast, so too are these three films.

GODZILLA: THE PLANET EATER showcases the ultimate vision of the filmmakers, the underlying themes, and exactly what Toho was trying to achieve with this highly experimental project. While all possessing individual subtitles, this trilogy is one film, a four and a half hour long film. The trilogy is a grand thought-provoking Godzilla epic unlike any Godzilla film that has come before. It possesses weight and gravitas and touches on themes and emotions purely Japanese. This third chapter brought all three films together in an insightful and intimately Japanese way.

This third film, in my opinion, elevated the previous two films. All the themes and ideas coalesce into a grand and exciting finale unique to the franchise yet more faithful to the spirit of the original Godzilla than most Godzilla films of the last thirty years.

THE PLOT

Godzilla has fallen into hibernation following the fateful battle with Mechagodzilla. Haruo rejected merging with Mechagodzilla's nano-metal, thus ensuring Godzilla's survival and Mechagodzilla's demise. Now Haruo and the rest of humanity have no other options for defeating Godzilla. Turning towards spiritual salvation offered by one of the alien races among them, the Exif, a group of survivors pledge their souls to the Exif's god, Ghidorah. Metphies, an Exif priest, prepares the way for Ghidorah the Planet Eater's arrival.

MY THOUGHTS

The best Godzilla movies are the films about more than just monsters and destruction. They're commentaries about the world we live in, the reality of what humanity has done to the world, and the dreams of a better world. The kaiju films of Ishiro Honda in particular possess themes and ideas beyond just a mere popcorn monster movie. Other directors in the Godzilla franchise too have managed to do this, but none have done it as consistently as Ishiro Honda. But lately the films of the series have been missing these larger themes and, in some cases, outright missing the point of Godzilla itself.

Watch out! This is going to turn into a thesis paper... I'm sorry, everyone.

The original 1954 film GOJIRA offered insight into Post War Japan and the Japanese Identity Crisis that resulted. This Godzilla anime trilogy recreates that scenario on a planetary scale. Mankind is fighting to reclaim their planet from an ultra powerful enemy, only to discover that the world that gave them birth has changed. Their reality that once was, now no longer exists. And this perceived enemy was in fact a monster of their own making: Their sins come back to punish them. Their belief in themselves and their abilities crumbles. Their faith in their leaders and technology fails. Then comes the collapse of their belief system, misplaced faith in leaders and ideology.

At its core this Godzilla anime trilogy is about a nation of people recovering from a devastating loss. They're trying to rediscover who they are as a people in a world that was once home, but now is a place they no longer recognize. These thoughts and feelings were what the Japanese people were dealing with with after World War II and at the time the original Godzilla film was made. The 1954 Gojira was an expression of these cultural crises.

Herein lies the paradoxical nature of Godzilla. Godzilla is, at his core, Japan's punishment for the sins of the past. Godzilla isn't a representation of America, but rather the personification their past atrocities and insurmountable guilt. And divine retribution. He's a reminder of how a nation of people lost their way and the resulting punishment for such transgressions. And as long as Godzilla endures Japan will always be reminded of their misguided past. Imagine you did something wrong and were constantly reminded of it everyday. Every time someone in Japan sees Godzilla they're reminded of the sins of the past. This nation should hate Godzilla, yet through the monster they are able to move on, and make peace with their sins. This Godzilla anime trilogy asks this very question to its characters: "Do you hate Godzilla?"

After everything the main character endures, he finally comes to an epiphany when contemplating, "Do I hate Godzilla?" Haruo, like Godzilla, is a paradoxical character (Haruo is named after Haruo Nakajima, the actor who originally portrayed Godzilla. In essence, Haruo is Godzilla). Haruo represents simultaneously the old world and the old ways of thinking. He's also their best chance for the future. Haruo ultimately sees a society of people who have learned to live in this new world and learned to see Godzilla as something to be feared but not hated. Haruo recognizes the hate within himself and how his hate could poison this new world. In the end Haruo sacrifices himself to Godzilla to rid the world of hate and old ways of thought, leaving the future to the next generation.

When you boil it all down, these are the themes and concepts being explored in this anime trilogy.

Surrounding all the heavy thinking and loaded subject matter is a true science fiction narrative. The first chapter featured Godzilla against Earth's military might. The second chapter featured Godzilla against highly advanced alien technology. This third chapter ups the ante with Godzilla against an unexplainable cosmic event: Ghidorah. In much the same way Mechagodzilla was reenvisioned, Ghidorah is reimagined as a hitherto unknown cosmological phenomena. This depiction of Ghidorah is unlike any before, almost as if it exists in a parallel universe intruding on our own. That's the scientific explanation. Another character attributes a purely spiritual explanation. Ghidorah is imbued with unparalleled menace and dread more akin to a demonic entity than a giant monster. It's a wonderful escalation of events and a perfect third act finale.

These high concept sci-fi reinterpretations of Godzilla's enemies are the high points of the trilogy. Except for Mothra. I loved the place holders for the Shobijin (the twin fairies), Maina & Miana. I loved the use of Mothra's golden dust. I loved the build up for Mothra's eventual arrival. But Mothra never arrives (at least not outside of a hallucination).

One of my criticisms of the first two chapters revolved around slow pacing. This third chapter isn't excluded from this criticism either, but moves along the fastest of the three parts. The film also treads some very heady esoteric grounds reminiscent of the more confusing episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion (specifically the Human Instrumentality Project episodes that ended the original Evangelion series). These moments are quite dense and possibly confusing, yet so very "anime" in nature.

Overall I love how this final chapter brought everything together. The greater themes of the story come to the forefront, albeit slightly heavy-handed. But it is so incredibly refreshing and fulfilling to watch a new Godzilla film since 1985 that accurately captures Godzilla's spirit. Given this is a wild and far-flung setting and an insane realization of the characters. So much so that it will very likely alienate most viewers. Even so, I think Toho, with Polygon Pictures, has finally found a way to take the series forward without losing its meaning. It may not be the best way, but in the end it worked very well for me.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

(Judging the three films as a whole)

A truly grand science fiction epic of the scope of Ran or The Samurai Trilogy