Godzilla Minus Zero Review: The Sequel Loses Sight Of What Made 2023's Kaiju Epic Work

The sequel to one of the greatest Godzilla stories ever told is decidedly less impactful than the original, with a convoluted narrative.

Published Oct 9, 2026, 5:18 AM EDT

Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History.

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As a fan of Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One, I was more than ready to get behind Godzilla Minus Zero, but unfortunately, this film didn't improve the legacy. Kaiju stories have been a staple on the big screen since long before I was born, with the original Japanese films inspiring numerous remakes and iterations both before and after the 1998 film, titled simply Godzilla, that was my earliest experience with the concept.

Since then, I have had the pleasure of diving deeper into the space, and many of these movies lean more into the genre of action and fantasy than something with drama or a well-defined story. However, Godzilla Minus One easily became one of my favorites in the genre, thanks to an intensely rich and moving narrative structure. It appears that movie will remain the peak.

Godzilla Minus Zero Proves Takashi Yamazaki Is A Gifted Filmmaker

A huge amount of credit and recognition should go to the extraordinary work that writer, director, and visual effects supervisor Takashi Yamazaki has put into this sequel. While some filmmakers have undertaken the challenge of writing and directing their own stories, taking a larger portion of ownership and committing more of themselves to a project, Yamazaki's direct oversight of the visual effects ties together what is largely the best part of this film.

Godzilla Minus Zero is visually arresting. From the mellow moments as several familiar faces appear to be settled into a new life, to the more tense preparations for the oncoming battle, and into the captivating conflicts with the kaiju, this is a delightful film to watch and experience. There are a handful of elements, particularly around fire and explosions, that don't feel quite so polished. But, by and large, the monsters themselves appear profoundly authentic.

Yamazaki's direct oversight of the visual effects ties together what is largely the best part of this film.

Unfortunately, with some of the excitement of these visuals having worn off after the first movie, I found myself struggling to fully give into the more tongue-in-cheek elements of the story at play here. I enjoyed how distinctly different Godzilla Minus One felt from everything that came before, but Minus Zero actively shifts to become more like the action-dense, story-light Godzilla films of the West.

The Kaiju Chaos In Godzilla Minus Zero Is Incoherent

Perhaps the movie will feel more accessible as a result. Maybe it even ends up becoming more engaging for those seeking specifically to watch destructive battles between enormous monsters, with little to no other driving force to the narrative. But in diluting the human stories in Godzilla Minus Zero, something is massively lost.

There are no doubt some impactful moments, but equally, when the film comes to its conclusion after more than two hours of heavy action and arguments, the ways these characters engage with one another feel overplayed and inconsistent. Maybe there is a message here about family, but it's buried beneath scenes that intentionally harm that same idea.

On top of that, the way that the conflict with Godzilla resolves feels largely unearned. It's a series of ideas that don't totally align but have been smashed together in an effort to tie up the story simply, and it results in a largely hollow ending, despite the immense cost of everything that led up to it.

Godzilla Minus Zero does the trick, but don't expect it to climb to the heights of the first film.

Godzilla Minus Zero also builds on the theme of humans as monsters, which again leads into several grating scenes that had the potential to be much more impactful. Everything just seems a bit dumbed down – the complex characters unravel, and the entire experience boils down to something less than the sum of its parts.

Regardless, there are bright spots in terms of visuals, performances from returning actors, and the way that tension is built. There are a handful of truly dark moments that significantly add to the quality of the wider narrative. But they don't overshadow the weaker spots, leaving this a remarkably mediocre film. If action is all you want, then Godzilla Minus Zero does the trick, but don't expect it to climb to the heights of the first film.

Godzilla Minus Zero releases wide in theaters on Friday, November 6.

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  Ryunosuke Kamiki

  Koichi Shikishima

• Minami Hamabe

  Noriko Oishi

Set in 1949, Godzilla Minus Zero continues the story of the Shikishima family as they face a new disaster following the events of the previous film. Although plot specifics are limited, Oscar-winning filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki, returns to direct, write, and oversee visual effects.