Can I call myself a true fan of the movie monster Godzilla? Admittedly, I have barely made it past 10 or so kaiju movies in this universe, but from what I’ve seen so far, I can confidently say that this absolute unit of a creature is my favorite. Like, ever. So, without further ado, here is my ranking of the Godzilla movies I’ve seen so far: not worst to best, but tedious/redundant to engaging.
#8. Godzilla (1998)
Alright, America. Not off to a great start. As much as I love me some Matthew Broderick, his acting alone could not save me from the disappointing representation of “Zilla.” At least Godzilla Minus One took a better approach at Godzilla’s prehistoric design, but this…? This is somehow less than the bare minimum. However, I do admire the attention to detail, such as the massive destruction Godzilla’s rampage causes in New York. Not the best, though a simple switch of the title could make this movie more entertaining as a standalone.
#7. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Hmm. It is an update to the franchise, indeed. Everybody could use some more King Kong in their life, and I really like the idea of these two working alongside each other. Although the pink atomic breath is a really cool addition to Godzilla, I feel that this movie made him look more like a fool in front of the other kaijus. He is intelligent and cool! I swear it! Nonetheless, it was a gratifying experience in theaters.
#6. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Oh, yeah. Collab of the century, as they say. Not particularly my favorite, but the inclusion of all the old kaijus paved the way for a spectacular show. I love Gojira, but King Ghidorah really stole the show with that entrance, I’m telling you. The CGI is top-tier, and every battle between the monsters is unapologetically action-packed. One of the greatest in the Monsterverse. Feed me more of these original four.
#5. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
I had to go back and rewatch this one to remember what was going down. The pacing, for one, is already way easier to follow and focuses much less on emotion. Not that I don’t care for the humane impact serving the audience, but I’m sure movie-goers are strictly viewing this style of film for the monster mash-up. During my binge-watching, I honestly couldn’t tell whom I loved more in the moment: Classic Godzilla or Kong? Obviously, I’ve defaulted to one particular character, and who can’t not like the epic atomic breath in every scene?
#4. Godzilla (2014)
It is almost everything I wanted! The creepy adversaries. The dark atmosphere. The Godzilla. It is a pretty great addition to the film franchise. I only wish that the background was less stormy and more focused on the devastation caused by these kaijus, but I’m sure these exact same claims are going to show up again. The suspense in Godzilla (2014) was unlike any of the others on my personal list. Great, great, great.
#3. Shin Godzilla (2016)
I’m not sure whether to feel terrified or depressed, but traumatized all the same. The whole film is a highly noticeable satire on the Japanese government’s poor bureaucratic methods towards managing the 2011 triple disaster. So obvious that Godzilla represents the Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Tokyo. Basically intrinsic. Anyway, the movie was laughably fast-paced on purpose, but the throwback to the 50’s music combined with an incredibly composed theme expressing Godzilla’s immense agony as a tall monster really emphasized the aura this beast has. Also, Shin Godzilla has the freakiest transformations in the film. It goes through five mutations, the first looking a bit too… frill-sharky? That makes sense. Okay, what a rant. Impressive movie. Worth the watch. Try not to get annoyed by the government.
#2. Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Yeah, I should’ve chosen a nicer image. I like to think that Godzilla is an incredible force of nature that doesn’t want to hurt humans, but each Japanese installment proves otherwise. This neutral version of my favorite monster is just a little bit more menacing than the last variation, but my favorite part of the movie in particular is the time period. I wish I had watched this earlier to convince my history teacher that this is the perfect movie to watch in class, at least during our WWII unit. It hits all the emotional tones without taking away from the magnificence of Godzilla.
#1. Godzilla (1954)
Well, I apologize to people who assumed this wouldn’t be in the top spot. I don’t remember this movie much (I have to catch up on my film knowledge), but I do recall falling in love with the idea of an all-powerful, cool-looking and nearly unstoppable being. It is the grounds for all the other movies on this list that I adore, and the horrors are so tangible. Everybody experienced the “terror of the bomb,” said producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, and it really set the theme for future monster/kaiju media. However, I’m very glad that the atomic breath also improved in different films, ha, ha.