entertainment

New Godzilla movie looks darker than ever in latest trailer

25 Comments
By Casey Baseel, RocketNews24

Less than two weeks from now, Godzilla will be returning to theaters in his first Japanese-produced film since 2004’s "Godzilla: Final Wars." In many ways, "Final Wars" was the culmination of Godzilla’s steady transition from villain to hero, as in the movie the King of the Monsters fought off multiple, more malicious "kaiju," and in doing so also protected the earth from a plot hatched by treacherous, scheming extraterrestrials.

However, the upcoming "Shin Godzilla" (to be called "Godzilla Resurgence" in international markets), looks to have no interest in a Godzilla-saves-the-day narrative. Co-directors Hideaki Anno (best known as the creator of the relentlessly somber anime "Evangelion," and Shinji Higuchi (director of the grim live-action "Attack on Titan" films) seem to be committed to portraying Godzilla as a terrifying, destructive force of nature that man has no way of reasoning with. If this heavy-hearted new trailer, put together by Anno himself, is anything to go by, this is not going to be the sort of movie where you’re supposed to root for Godzilla to smash buildings and walk through elevated train lines.

That’s not to say the title star won’t be causing extensive damage in "Shin Godzilla," though. Previous promotional stills have shown him emerging from the sea in Kamakura, roughly an hour by train south of Tokyo. In the new trailer, we see the famous "kaiju" wreaking havoc on the Musashi Kosugi district of Kawasaki.

Later, Godzilla is shown crossing the Tamagawa River, which serves as the border between Kawasaki and Tokyo. The locations of Kamakura and Musashi Kosugi mean that if he takes an overland route, Godzilla’s path of destruction will be at least 27.3 kilometers long.

The trailer consistently depicts Godzilla’s presence as being like a natural disaster, with multiple emergency conferences being held to try to figure out how to deal with the gargantuan threat. At least one faction decides to have the Japan Self-Defense Forces try to take on the monster with tanks and helicopters, but unlike the farcical travesty that served as the end of the conflict in the American-made 1998 "Godzilla," Anno does his star the courtesy of remembering that he’s impervious to standard military-grade weaponry.

The trailer ends with things looking bleak for humanity, as Godzilla glows ominously in the night while advancing on what’s ostensibly downtown Tokyo. Hopefully all those stern-faced government officials the trailers show will have a plan by July 29, when "Shin Godzilla" premieres.

Source: YouTube/東宝MOVIEチャンネル via Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Godzilla/Evangelion crossover figure: Two giants of Japanese storytelling in one awesome package -- Screaming crowds stampede through Tokyo as new Godzilla movie starts filming -- Godzilla and his monstrous co-stars become desserts in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro neighborhood

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25 Comments
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BRING IT ON!!!

Sitting on edge of seat waiting...

4 ( +5 / -1 )

And I thought the US Godzilla with Ken Watanabe a few years ago was bad... Guess I was wrong.

Japan, please do not make a monster flick if you don't have a $100 Million plus budget. It just looks cheap. Please stick to dramas with compelling story lines and protagonists.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Looks it was made in the 1970's

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Damn, you can really see the difference in production budgets between Japan and Hollywood. Hollywood is too far ahead for other countries to match them in production quality

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Oh dear. That's not a very impressive trailer. I'm hoping that's a deliberate thing, intended to lower our expectations so that we get stunned speechless by the real thing. The CG looks pretty rough and unpolished, while Godzilla looks.... well he still looks like a bloke in a rubber suit. The 2014 version may have looked massively pudgey, but at least it actually looked like a living creature rather than a costume. I guess I shouldn't be surprised when this was left in the hands of the ones behind Evangelion and the live-action adaptation of Shingeki no Kyojin. Neither of which were at all impressive.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

oh dear, people can hate on the Hollywood version of Godzilla, but at least they can make him look real! Its 2016 but J Godzilla still looks like fake prop from the 60s

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

It is made in Japan by a Japanese, watch the J-media praise it to the high heavens.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@Fox Sora Winters In some scenes in this movie it actually is a person in a rubber suit. Fans of the original, classic kaiju flicks love that fact. In general, this Godzilla flick is returning to basics, hence the retro/simplistic look.

@wtfjapan "Fake prop" is redundant. I think you mean "fake-looking prop." Again, this film is going for a retro look and is geared towards fans of the classic Godzilla flicks.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I think this is retro zilla. Supposed to have n old fashioned quality. Maybe it wants to go for the classic look. Speaking of classic, don't miss Bum Rap - A Noir Fantasy.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The 'hero' aspect of Godzilla really just goes back to the 1960s and 70s films, and the later 1990s ones. The 200 to 2004 films he was a monster to be defeated... except in Final Wars where he was more of a weapon than anything else. With this new one I'm hoping he's back to the force of nature he was in his first outing... and it looks like he is here :)

Happy so far!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Bwahahahahahahaha!

pathetic

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I think it looks fantastic. So what if it's not a CGI creation... if all people care about are the visuals then that's fine, but for those of us who are lifelong Godzilla fans this is looking really good.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Dre Hund You think? Totally missed my comment, didn't you? (or just copying what I said)

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I thought trailers were supposed to make films look more exciting than they actually are. Monster walks through a city. Helicopter gunships and tanks shoot lots of stuff. Lots of people stand around in offices looking like they're discussing share prices or IT upgrades. I think about a minute and a half of that kind of stuff is about as much as I can take.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Simon Foston Perhaps the filmmakers are going for a sense of impending doom -- dread. Works for Japanese ghost stories.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I thought trailers were supposed to make films look more exciting than they actually are. Monster walks through a city. Helicopter gunships and tanks shoot lots of stuff. Lots of people stand around in offices looking like they're discussing share prices or IT upgrades. I think about a minute and a half of that kind of stuff is about as much as I can take.

You mean exciting stuff like jumping from a plane with smoke trails, scenes of destroyed buildings and vague glimpses of US Godzilla? The Japanese film looks exciting... or maybe you just don't like Japanese monster movies?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Thunderbird2JUL. 21, 2016 - 10:33PM JST

The Japanese film looks exciting...

You really get that impression from that trailer? Godzilla hardly does anything except walk in what appears to be a straight line. The SDF look like they're on some kind of big scale training exercise that involves shooting missiles at a target more than a kilometer away. The actors just stand around in big, immaculate rooms, looking smart, in control and not in any danger whatsoever. I'm almost surprised there isn't a disclaimer like, "No fictional characters were harmed, either unintentionally or otherwise, during the production of this motion picture."

...or maybe you just don't like Japanese monster movies?

Not especially, now you come to mention it. But it could be great. I would never guess it from that trailer, though.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I'm surprised Godzilla is approaching Tokyo from the south. Should have been from the north. Say, somewhere around Fukushima. Wouldn't that make more sense?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

When you're that big moving in a straight line is going to be natural. The SDF would stay back because it's a giant radioactive monster with a projected energy weapon... it would be suicide to get close, hence the reason for attacking from relative safety.

As for a man in a suit... an actor in a kaiju suit can perform through the suit. The monster has mass, has presence and can interact with the practical effects around it... and it takes less time to film. Also, remember some of the scariest aliens have been men in suits, such as the ALIEN and Predator.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am happy to see this new Godzilla movie. This is the real Godzilla, not that CG crap made in Hollywood. If you don't like it, don't go see it. Rest assured, there are many lifelong Godzilla fans who will be watching this film, and will not be disappointed. This is classic Godzilla.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well, it's not like the old Godzilla wasn't already in decline when they stopped making it.

Over the years, Godzilla movies fell out of favor even among Japanese fans. Toho last produced a Godzilla film back in 2004, Godzilla: Final Wars, resulting in a dismal $12 million box office return.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Thunderbird2JUL. 22, 2016 - 04:47PM JST

When you're that big moving in a straight line is going to be natural. The SDF would stay back because it's a giant radioactive monster with a projected energy weapon... it would be suicide to get close, hence the reason for attacking from relative safety.

But nothing particularly interesting or exciting appears to be happening. No build-up, no tension, no danger, no shocking reveals, it's just a montage of poorly-chosen... bits. I get the idea they're so confident of raking in heaps of cash that they don't feel the need for a trailer that actually tries to sell the film.

As for a man in a suit... an actor in a kaiju suit can perform through the suit. The monster has mass, has presence and can interact with the practical effects around it... and it takes less time to film. Also, remember some of the scariest aliens have been men in suits, such as the ALIEN and Predator.

The Alien and Predator were new and had that added scare value - they had never been seen before. How many times have there been men in suits playing Godzilla?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the cinema flavor is look like from the movie ultraman...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

To me, this movie looks to be geared towards the original 1954 monster. TOHO studios has always set their sites on the kids. this movie will make money in japan, they really could care less if it makes it to the states. after Godzilla 1985 it took a while for the rest to be released in the states. I have always liked Godzilla so I am definitely biased. I will watch this movie in a Japanese theater this week.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have been a big fan of the G-man in whatever incarnation he takes. But I have always asked and never really got an answer is If you have a 200 to 400-foot reptile stomping into your town why do you only send in your own troops ? Come on people they have enough firepower at Yokosuka to level mainland China but I have never seen in any of the Japanese movies a U S Military presence, If I have missed it please let me know thanks. On a side note, I think the animated Godzilla which was based off the silly 1998 movie was a much better product He should have been like that in the movie instead of the big Tuna eater lol.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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