Even though kaiju films can be entertaining when they focus entirely on absolute destruction, I usually prefer the genre representatives that have interesting human characters at the center. "Godzilla Minus One" is exactly that kind of movie. The eponymous monster does make a few memorable and destructive appearances, but the focus of the story is clearly on ex-Kamikaze pilot Shikishima, who survived World War II and has to come to terms with his survivor's guilt and post-traumatic stress in the aftermath of the war.

The setting is also one of the reasons why I like the movie. As a German, I am familiar with many aspects of post-war reconstruction, but the situation in Japan was undoubtedly very different, especially given the use of atomic bombs. The special circumstances of Shikishima's survival only make the story more interesting. I would definitely say that the era has been captured in an informative and interesting way. The monster effects are also good. Of course, the visual quality doesn't come close to big-budget Hollywood blockbusters, but the monster design is great, and the destruction is impressive despite some visual shortcomings.

I don't have many complaints. The only criticism I have is that some of the supporting characters aren't quite as well fleshed out. Furthermore, the "plan" by which Godzilla is to be defeated at the end is very far-fetched. However, these are minor flaws that do not detract from the fact that "Godzilla Minus One" is unquestionably one of the best films in the franchise.