Ever since its limited theatrical release late last year, film fans have been clamouring for the release of Godzilla Minus One on streaming – and it’s finally here.
READ MORE: ‘Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire’ review: titanic team-up goes crash, smash and bash
Today (June 1), Netflix surprise-released the acclaimed Japanese kaiju film on its streaming platform globally. The film’s arrival on the streaming platform had not been teased or announced beforehand, save for a cheeky tease a couple of hours before its release.
— Netflix (@netflix) June 1, 2024
The acclaimed film won an Oscar award earlier this year for best visual effects, making it the first entry in the venerable 70-year-old Godzilla franchise to win an Academy Award.
Set during the very tail end of World War II after the nuclear bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Godzilla Minus One tells the tale of how a devastated Japan is mobilized back into action by the sudden arrival of a 164-foot-tall reptilian behemoth that breathes atomic radiation.
Unlike other films in the long-running franchise, Godzilla Minus One focuses more on its human characters rather than the giant lizard. It marks the fifth film in the Reiwa era of Godzilla produced by Toho, which began with 2016’s Shin Godzilla. This was followed by an animated trilogy, including Godzilla: Planet Of The Monsters, Godzilla: City On The Edge Of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater.
Godzilla Minus One is the second Godzilla film to come out in the span of a year, with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire releasing earlier this year.
The latter film scored a three-star review from NME, with James Mottram writing: “Naturally, there’s some next-level destruction as famous landmarks, including the Pyramids, get trashed. And while it won’t scratch an emotional itch, if it’s barnstorming building-bashing you want, then Godzilla X Kong delivers.”
The post ‘Godzilla Minus One’ is now streaming on Netflix appeared first on NME.
