The original Toho bad boy is back! After the lacklustre western versions, it’s great to see the beast return to his old (miniature) stomping ground of Japan, but using up-to-date effects.

Shin Godzilla starts off as a mystery with the discovery of a top scientist’s abandoned ship; Glory Maru drifting aimlessly with no sign of life aboard in Tokyo Bay as a huge sea quake occurs which producing what is thought to be a volcano.

Scientists, bureaucrats, and politicians converge with various theories what the problem where it’s finally agreed upon that it’s a giant, unidentified life form that needs pest extermination before it creates any danger to the public. But, before the bureaucrats can act, Godzilla makes his way inland.

The initial appearance of what is soon to be Godzilla is laughable resembling a fish puppet with doll’s eyes destroying local villages in its wake.

In a unique idea as a fish or whale that fed on unregulated radioactive waste dumped in the ocean, Godzilla begins to mutate to the creature we’ve come to known over the years breathing flames and a condensed radioactive death ray from its mouth.

Guns, tanks, bombs cannot stop Godzilla as he’s impervious to all of them as he makes his way to a nuclear reactor for food, bit also leaves a trail of radioactive waste.

Writer/director Anno has crafted an interesting story but focuses the majority of it in meeting rooms and offices dealing with the bureaucratic red tape of politicians in a time of crisis more so than Godzilla as we only get about thirty minutes screen time of the big guy. Although, he does not disappoint when he runs amuck!

Shin Godzilla is certainly better than the two recent American-made films and we feel it’s safe to say Godzilla is back with a vengeance with sequels more than likely.

SHIN GODZILLA / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: HIDEAKI ANNO, SHINJI HIGUCHI / SCREENPLAY: HIDEAKI ANNO / STARRING: HIROKI HASEGAWA, SATOMI ISHIHARA, YUTAKA TAKENOUCHI / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Expected Rating: 6 out of 10
Actual Rating: