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| “ | A legend resurrected | „ |
— Tagline |
The Return of Godzilla (ゴジラの復活 Gojira no Fukkatsu, lit. Resurrection of Godzilla) is a 2018 Japanese-Philippine tokusatsu kaiju film co-produced by Toho and GMA Pictures, the twenty-ninth installment in the Godzilla series, as well as the first in the Reiwa series.
A revival to Toho's Godzilla series produced in response to demand following the success of the 2014 American reboot, The Return of Godzilla is another reboot to the series ignoring every film since the original, in which Godzilla reappears in the modern day, while returning to the series' darker and more serious roots.
Released to Japanese theaters on January 29, 2018, and to American theaters on June 29, 2018, the film became the second highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of 2018 after earning ¥8.60 billion in Japan, and the highest-grossing Japanese-produced Godzilla film in the franchise. The film's success marked the start of a shared universe in the Godzilla series, the Reiwa series.
Plot[]
In 1954, a giant reptile kaiju known as Godzilla attacks Tokyo, transforming the Japanese capital into a sea of flame overnight, before finally disappearing beneath the waves. A scientist secretly used an experimental chemical weapon to kill Godzilla at the bottom of Tokyo Bay. In the following years, many inhabitants of Japan had already forgotten about Godzilla, with many assuming the creature never existed and was simply a legend.
In the present day Philippines, Lily Pelaez is a veterinary assistant that has been participating in beauty pageants in an attempt to find her father, and wants to participate in another, but her mother, Lorraine, refuses as she returns to Paris for her job as a overseas Filipino worker. This upsets Lily, and decides to participate on her own, along with her friend Diana.
Takuya Fujito is an archaeologist studying archaeological sites around the world. After exploring the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Fujito collects multiple ancient tablets inside the pyramid. After further examination, Fujito realizes that the tablets describe an encounter between humans and a creature resembling Godzilla.
Kensaku Ijuin is a biologist that has been attempting to study Godzilla, but has been unsuccessful, due to lack of scientific data collected by scientists in 1954, as all traces of Godzilla was dissolved completely, even his skeleton. Ijuin is called in by the JSDF after an American nuclear submarine disappeared in the waters off Guam after encountering an unknown object.
During the pageant in Calamba, Lily is able to meet the president of the Philippines, Manuel Rodriguez, and his wife Helena Carazo. After discovering that Lily has participated in another beauty pageant without her consent, Lorraine immediately returns to the Philippines. Meanwhile, newly appointed mayor Cecilia Perez is killed after she uncovers a secret.
Throughout the South Pacific, ship disasters begin occuring, including a Japanese fishing boat, and a Siberian seal boat, with multiple survivors claiming that the ships were attacked by a flash of light from the water, exactly matching the incidents in 1954, just before Godzilla's attack in Tokyo. A tropical storm forms near Palau, and the island nation is left devastated.
Japanese Prime Minister Seiji Okouchi places the JSDF on high alert, while the Cabinet officials criticize the Prime Minister's actions, as political tensions are rising in the East Asia region, and it could escalate into nuclear war. A research team headed by Ijuin arrives in Palau, with many inhabitants claim that houses appeared to have been crushed from above during the storm.
At the National Diet Building, Fujito presents his theory that Godzilla is actually a prehistoric species, and the creature is being worshipped by ancient civilizations as a god-like figure, and concludes that the individual responsible in the 1954 attack was awakened and disturbed by nuclear bomb testing, resulting in the creature retaliating by attacking Tokyo.
One night, Godzilla surfaces from the Philippine Trench, and reaches the Bicol Peninsula. A commuter train of the Philippine National Railways is attacked by Godzilla, causing it to derail, before disappearing into the Ragay Gulf. As it becomes more clear that Godzilla actually exists, president Rodriguez announces that the incident was caused by a giant monster.
Lorraine reveals to Lily that her father is president Rodriguez, as Manuel and Lorraine had an affair in the past, but is kept a secret, due to Rodriguez's wife, Helena, secretly killed a reporter that discovered their affair. Lily realizes that Cecilia also uncovered Rodriguez's secret, which resulted in her death. Lorraine and Lily decide to reveal the truth to Manuel in a press conference.
Godzilla surfaces from Manila Bay, plunging the Philippines into a state of emergency. Evacuation of the Greater Manila Area begins as civilians are brought into designated evacuation centers. The Armed Forces of the Philippines launches their assault against Godzilla in Roxas Boulevard, where the waiting military forces proceed to fire on Godzilla, but they are quickly obliterated with a single blast of his atomic breath.
Godzilla then proceeds towards downtown Manila, wreaking havoc along the way. The JSDF finally launches their superweapon, the Super X, that was secretly constructed by the Japanese government to defend Japan in the event of nuclear war. The Super X proceeds to fire cadmium shells at Godzilla, halting his nuclear reactions to the point that he collapsed against a building.
During the press conference, Lily reveals the truth to president Rodriguez, and acknowledges that he had an affair with Lorraine several years ago. With the secret revealed, Helena takes Lily hostage and escapes during the chaos as the president and other government officials are evacuated by helicopter. Helena then proceeds to kill Lily for ruining her life.
A thunderstorm revives Godzilla after repeatedly struck by lightning. Godzilla has a final battle with the Super X, eventually damaging the aircraft and forcing it to make an emergency landing, after which he destroys it by toppling a building on it. While approaching Binondo, B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers unleash their payload onto Godzilla, enraging him.
In retaliation, Godzilla unleashed a powerful purple atomic beam from his mouth, aiming it up into the air, completely destroying the bombers. Godzilla fires another atomic breath, slicing several skyscrapers in half. Helena is killed by Godzilla's atomic breath, while obliterating the entire Metropolitan Manila area in the process.
After expending such a huge amount of energy, Godzilla disappears into Manila Bay, leaving the entire city of Manila in absolute ruins. Two days later, Lily's deceased remains was found near the ruins of Jones Bridge. Following the events in Manila, Ijuin concludes that Godzilla's return was only the beginning, and suggests that another monster will probably appear somewhere in the world again.
Cast[]
- Kenji Sahara as Kensaku Ijuin
- A biologist that has been attempting to study Godzilla.
- Akira Takarada as Takuya Fujito
- An archaeologist studying archaeological sites around the world.
- Gabbi Garcia as Lily Pelaez
- A 20-year old veterinary assistant that likes to participate in beauty pageants.
- Tonton Gutierrez as President Manuel Rodriguez
- The president of the Philippines and Lily's father.
- Jun Kunimura as Prime Minister Seiji Okouchi
- The Prime Minister of Japan.
- Sharmaine Arnaiz as Lorraine Pelaez
- Lily's mother, a overseas Filipino worker in Paris, and former personal assistant of Rodriguez.
- Dina Bonnevie as Helena Carazo-Rodriguez
- Rodriguez's wife and the First Lady of the Philippines.
- Satomi Ishihara as Megumi Masaki
- Ijuin's personal assistant.
- Alyana Asistio as Diana Santiago
- Lily's supportive best friend.
- Janine Gutierrez as Cecilia Perez
- A newly appointed mayor that was killed after she uncovers a secret.
Appearances[]
Production[]
Development[]
In December 2014, Toho announced plans for a new Godzilla film targeted for a 2016 release[1][2][3]. The new film would have no ties to Legendary's MonsterVerse and instead would serve as a reboot to the Toho series.
The film was confirmed to be co-produced with Philippine film studio GMA Pictures on October 2015, after Toho discovered the country's past interest in producing kaiju films. By December, Toho officially announced a new live-action Godzilla film under the title Resurrection of Godzilla, with a planned 2018 release. However, it will not be a sequel to any of the previous Godzilla films.
Filming[]
Principal photography began on September 2016 in Manila and was expected to end in February 2017. The crew filmed on Rizal Park, Ermita, Sampaloc, and in Quiapo. A scene was also filmed on Taft Avenue which was closed for several days. For the Manila City Hall scene, the crew had to apply several permits from the Manila city government before allowing them to film on the building complex. Local crews and extras were used for the scene.
By November 2016, filming resumed in Binondo and Santa Cruz districts and lasted until January 2017. Filming locations in Laguna included the cities of Santa Rosa and Calamba, specifically in Mount Makiling. Some scenes were also filmed in Makati, Taguig, and Muntinlupa by January 2017. It was later announced that Jones Bridge in Manila would be the final shooting locations and that principal photography had wrapped.
Alternate titles[]
- Resurrection of Godzilla (ゴジラの復活 Gojira no Fukkatsu, literal Japanese title)
- The Return of Godzilla (Official international title)
- Godzilla: Resurgence (United States)
Theatrical releases[]
- Japan - January 29, 2018
- United States - June 29, 2018
- Taiwan - February 16, 2018
- Singapore - February 16, 2018
- Philippines - March 2, 2018
- Thailand - March 9, 2018
- Canada - April 27, 2018
- Australia - April 27, 2018
- New Zealand - May 4, 2018
- Mexico - July 13, 2018
- South Korea - July 20, 2018
- Italy - August 3, 2018
- United Kingdom - August 24, 2018
- China - September 21, 2018
- Germany - October 5, 2018
Reception[]
The Return of Godzilla received critical acclaim in Japan, while Western critics gave it a more mixed response. The special effects and new depiction of Godzilla were praised, but the film was criticized for its long scenes, confusing dialogue, and underwritten characters.
Video releases[]
Toho DVD/Blu-ray (2018)
- Region: 1 & 2
- Discs: 2
- Audio: Japanese, English, Tagalog (3.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital for DVD, 3.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio for Blu-ray)
- Subtitles: English, Japanese, Tagalog
- Special features: Trailers, promos, and footage from previsualization and storyboards (25 minutes); additional previsualization and tokusatsu footage (18 minutes); alternate and deleted scenes (23 minutes), VFX breakdown (15 minutes); general behind-the-scenes featurette (20 minutes)
Trivia[]
- The Return of Godzilla is the first Godzilla film Toho co-produced with a Philippine film studio.
- This is the first Toho-produced Godzilla film since Terror of Mechagodzilla to be released in a month other than December.
- The Return of Godzilla is the first Toho Godzilla film since Godzilla 2000: Millennium to receive a theatrical release in North America.
- The Return of Godzilla is also only the second Toho Godzilla film to be released in Japanese and American theaters in the same year, the other being Mothra vs. Godzilla.
- Although the first entry in what became the Reiwa series, The Return of Godzilla was the last Godzilla film to be produced and released during Japan's Heisei period (平成時代 Heisei jidai), which lasted from 1989 to 2019; the reign of Japanese Emperor Akihito.
- The film's lead protagonists share the exact names with various characters from the Heisei series; Kensaku Ijuin from Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, and Takuya Fujito from Godzilla vs. Mothra.
- The almost 14-year gap between Godzilla: Final Wars and this film is the longest-ever period of time between the release of two Toho Godzilla films, passing the previous record set by the hiatus between 1975's Terror of Mechagodzilla and the 1984 film of the same name by nearly five years.
- Several sound effects from the previous Godzilla films are used in this film, including the explosion sound effects and all of Godzilla's roars. The sound effect used for Godzilla's atomic breath is actually the same sound effect as Destoroyah's Micro-Oxygen beam.
- The Return of Godzilla is the first Toho Godzilla film not to feature actor Koichi Ueda in a role since the 1984 film of the same name.
- This is the first Toho Godzilla film since the 1984 film of the same name and first Godzilla film overall since TriStar Pictures' GODZILLA to not feature Godzilla battling another monster.
- This is the first film in which Godzilla is the antagonist since Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. in 2003.
- The Return of Godzilla is the first Toho Godzilla film not to be produced by either Tomoyuki Tanaka or Shogo Tomiyama.
- The film's main setting is the Philippines, which makes it one of the few Godzilla films not taking place in Japan.
- Godzilla is on camera for 32 minutes in this film, a series record. It was previously held by Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II with 27 minutes of screentime.
- The Return of Godzilla was the first Godzilla film that uses Tagalog. Prior to it, all Godzilla films use only either Japanese or English as its main language.
- This was the first Godzilla film released on Ultra HD Blu-ray, though only in Japan.
References[]
This is a list of references for The Return of Godzilla (2018 film). These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]