The Return of Godzilla is the first film that in the second series - or Heisei era - of Godzilla films and functions as a direct sequel to the original 1954 film, ignoring all other films in-between. The film tries to emulate the potent anti-nuclear allegory of the original, updated to reflect then-contemporary nuclear fears and anxieties - namely the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union that threatened to break out into a full-scale nuclear war. In many ways, it is just as somber as the original film due to its moody atmosphere and darkly lit cinematography with deep shadows.
The overarching plot concerns Godzilla being awoken by volcanic activity and returning to menace Japan 30 years after its initial rampage with the main focus being on a scientist, his assistants and the Japanese government attempting to navigate the geopolitical ramifications and determine a means of stopping the monster. It's a strong premise, and for the first time allows the series to explore the real-life implications the appearance of a giant radioactive monster would cause. The segments with the politicians discussing the impact of Godzilla's activities are actually my favorite parts of the movie, even more so than the parts featuring Godzilla himself, as it allows for some interesting political commentary on Japan's role in global politics and feel like a spiritual predecessor to Shin Godzilla in many ways.
However, while I found the scenes with the politicians compelling, the scenes following the main human characters are a bit of a letdown. Goro Maki (Ken Tanaka), Naoko Okumura (Yasuko Sawaguchi) and her brother Hiroshi (Shin Takuma) are all a bit bland and forgettable; particularly disappointing is Tanaka as Maki, a reporter, as his role starts off interesting but the script runs out of things for him to do in the second half of the film once his character's main conflict - his frustration over the government's decision to keep Godzilla's return a secret - is resolved. There's also a half-hearted romantic relationship between Maki and Naoko that isn't developed well or all that consequential to the story. It's the supporting cast, namely the Prime Minister (Keiju Kobayashi) and Prof. Hayashida (Yosuke Natsuki) who are carrying the weight acting-wise in the film and their characters have much more depth as a result. Kobayashi's performance makes the pressure the Prime Minister feels over his country's situation tantalizing real. Natsuki as Hayashida is essentially a rehash of the Dr. Yamane character from the 1954 film although his backstory - both his parents were killed by Godzilla in 1954 - adds an interesting twist to his character. Fans of classic Japanese cinema may also note many prominent actors from other Japanese films making small appearances in the movie, such as Hiroshi Koizumi as a geologist, Kei Sato as a newspaper editor and Eitaro Ozawa and Mizuho Suzuki as cabinet ministers.
One final review note on the plot, I admit to becoming a bit confused trying to figure out if this Godzilla was the same Godzilla that attacked in 1954. The script seems to imply that it is the same Godzilla, despite the fact that the Godzilla in the 1954 film was killed by the Oxygen Destroyer. The final film in the Heisei era, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah retcons this to state that this was in fact the second Godzilla to attack Japan. It's a minor quibble all things considered.
Koji Hashimoto is the director of the film and while his work is a bit dull and workmanlike at times, he doesn't really do anything wrong from a technical or artistic point of view either. Suffice to say, direction isn't one of the movie's strengths but it's hardly a detriment either.
In terms of the special effects and Godzilla himself, there are some high highs but also a few disappointing aspects. In terms of highs, the miniature work is fantastic as are the optical effects. However, the decision to use a large cybertronic Godzilla for several shots looks a bit...off, especially when compared with shots of the actor in the suit. And while the effects used to show the aftermath of an attack by a mutated sea louse on the crew of a fishing boat are eerie and striking, the sea louse itself does not really convince.
Another major positive in the film's favor however is the music by Reijiro Koroku. It gives off a mournful vibe that strongly invokes a sense of tension and dread, especially whenever Godzilla shows up. The only minor blemish in terms of the film's soundtrack would be the song used for the closing credits which I feel clashes a bit tonally with the rest of the film. The cinematography by Kazutami Hara is fantastic, complimenting the dark feel of the movie very well. In terms of editing, Yoshitami Kuroiwa's work is satisfactory though I due think the sequences of the human leads trying to escape from a skyscraper damaged during Godzilla's rampage could have been shortened without sacrificing much, as they become somewhat problematic from a pacing point of view.
Overall, I feel like The Return of Godzilla is as a whole greater than the sum of its parts. While several aspects of the film are a bit of a mixed-bag, the highlights - namely the character of the Prime Minister and Kobayashi's performance - elevate the whole movie. It gets a solid 8/10 from me and is well worth seeking out if you are a fan of Godzilla, monster movies or science fiction in general.
The overarching plot concerns Godzilla being awoken by volcanic activity and returning to menace Japan 30 years after its initial rampage with the main focus being on a scientist, his assistants and the Japanese government attempting to navigate the geopolitical ramifications and determine a means of stopping the monster. It's a strong premise, and for the first time allows the series to explore the real-life implications the appearance of a giant radioactive monster would cause. The segments with the politicians discussing the impact of Godzilla's activities are actually my favorite parts of the movie, even more so than the parts featuring Godzilla himself, as it allows for some interesting political commentary on Japan's role in global politics and feel like a spiritual predecessor to Shin Godzilla in many ways.
However, while I found the scenes with the politicians compelling, the scenes following the main human characters are a bit of a letdown. Goro Maki (Ken Tanaka), Naoko Okumura (Yasuko Sawaguchi) and her brother Hiroshi (Shin Takuma) are all a bit bland and forgettable; particularly disappointing is Tanaka as Maki, a reporter, as his role starts off interesting but the script runs out of things for him to do in the second half of the film once his character's main conflict - his frustration over the government's decision to keep Godzilla's return a secret - is resolved. There's also a half-hearted romantic relationship between Maki and Naoko that isn't developed well or all that consequential to the story. It's the supporting cast, namely the Prime Minister (Keiju Kobayashi) and Prof. Hayashida (Yosuke Natsuki) who are carrying the weight acting-wise in the film and their characters have much more depth as a result. Kobayashi's performance makes the pressure the Prime Minister feels over his country's situation tantalizing real. Natsuki as Hayashida is essentially a rehash of the Dr. Yamane character from the 1954 film although his backstory - both his parents were killed by Godzilla in 1954 - adds an interesting twist to his character. Fans of classic Japanese cinema may also note many prominent actors from other Japanese films making small appearances in the movie, such as Hiroshi Koizumi as a geologist, Kei Sato as a newspaper editor and Eitaro Ozawa and Mizuho Suzuki as cabinet ministers.
One final review note on the plot, I admit to becoming a bit confused trying to figure out if this Godzilla was the same Godzilla that attacked in 1954. The script seems to imply that it is the same Godzilla, despite the fact that the Godzilla in the 1954 film was killed by the Oxygen Destroyer. The final film in the Heisei era, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah retcons this to state that this was in fact the second Godzilla to attack Japan. It's a minor quibble all things considered.
Koji Hashimoto is the director of the film and while his work is a bit dull and workmanlike at times, he doesn't really do anything wrong from a technical or artistic point of view either. Suffice to say, direction isn't one of the movie's strengths but it's hardly a detriment either.
In terms of the special effects and Godzilla himself, there are some high highs but also a few disappointing aspects. In terms of highs, the miniature work is fantastic as are the optical effects. However, the decision to use a large cybertronic Godzilla for several shots looks a bit...off, especially when compared with shots of the actor in the suit. And while the effects used to show the aftermath of an attack by a mutated sea louse on the crew of a fishing boat are eerie and striking, the sea louse itself does not really convince.
Another major positive in the film's favor however is the music by Reijiro Koroku. It gives off a mournful vibe that strongly invokes a sense of tension and dread, especially whenever Godzilla shows up. The only minor blemish in terms of the film's soundtrack would be the song used for the closing credits which I feel clashes a bit tonally with the rest of the film. The cinematography by Kazutami Hara is fantastic, complimenting the dark feel of the movie very well. In terms of editing, Yoshitami Kuroiwa's work is satisfactory though I due think the sequences of the human leads trying to escape from a skyscraper damaged during Godzilla's rampage could have been shortened without sacrificing much, as they become somewhat problematic from a pacing point of view.
Overall, I feel like The Return of Godzilla is as a whole greater than the sum of its parts. While several aspects of the film are a bit of a mixed-bag, the highlights - namely the character of the Prime Minister and Kobayashi's performance - elevate the whole movie. It gets a solid 8/10 from me and is well worth seeking out if you are a fan of Godzilla, monster movies or science fiction in general.