Godzilla has seen a resurgence in recent years, popularized in the West by Legendary Entertainment’s “Monsterverse” series. It started in 2014 with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla and now includes three other films including “Kong: Skull Island,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and “Godzilla vs. Kong.”

Somewhere in the mix of all of that, Toho (the Japanese company that owns the intellectual property for Godzilla) released their own Godzilla film. “Shin-Godzilla” was released in 2016 and received a fair bit of praise from fans and critics alike. Though, you would be forgiven for not knowing that this film even existed. “Shin-Godzilla” had a very limited theatrical run in the United States, and currently can only be streamed on a select few services including Prime Video, Vudu or Apple TV.

“Shin-Godzilla” is often considered a return to form for Godzilla. Whereas the original “Godzilla” (1954) was conceived as a metaphor for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, “Shin Godzilla” drew inspiration from both the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Simply put, “Shin Godzilla” made Godzilla scary again. He is the embodiment of disaster and ruin.

“Shin Godzilla” is also an effective satire of Japanese politics. Much of the film’s runtime involves boardroom meetings between political officials discussing solutions to Japan’s Godzilla problem. This may sound boring to some viewers, but many of these scenes play out humorously.

Political figures will directly contradict themselves from scene to scene. Military orders get passed down through several redundant roles before they are carried out. The main character, Rando Yaguchi, receives several promotions throughout the film and by the end his job title fills the entire bottom of the screen.

“Shin Godzilla” draws attention to the inefficiencies in government in a way that is comical but feels real. Each scene is played completely straight, which certainly makes it feel like how a real-world government would react to an unprecedented threat.

Godzilla himself is also treated very seriously. He goes through a few different evolutionary forms in this film, a first in any Godzilla film. He first appears as a hunched fish-eyed amphibian. The creature quickly evolves into a bipedal form, but overheats and returns to the sea. Godzilla later re-appears in his final form, now twice its original size. His skin looks like a mix of burnt muscle and cooling lava. A truly horrific and menacing creature.

“Shin Godzilla” has earned its place as one of my favorite sci-fi horror films of all time. The film is serious when it needs to be, and satirical enough to feel clever. Godzilla is also delightfully destructive. His presence is felt in every scene he is in, and he commands awe every time.

This film won’t be for everyone, however. When Godzilla is not on screen, “Shin Godzilla” tends to drag. There is one particular chunk in the middle of the film that is just a long series of meetings. Scientists and politicians in rooms frantically working towards a plan to stop Godzilla.

Additionally, the special effects aren’t quite up to Hollywood standards. Even though the effects are far above the classic rubber suits, the CGI can look a bit choppy or uncanny in parts. Still, the city destruction scenes are so entertaining that I’m sure most viewers won’t mind.

I highly recommend “Shin Godzilla” to anyone who is even slightly interested. I will say that you will get more out of this film by understanding the context behind it. Shin Godzilla reflects the real anxieties felt by Japan. It makes direct comparisons on real-world disasters, with lingering shots of burning streets and flattened buildings. Each individual location Godzilla destroys is dutifully listed in an onscreen caption. These are real neighborhoods, real homes, and workplaces.

Plus, there is just enough Godzilla in the film to remain fun and keep you interested. There is one particular destruction scene near the middle of the film that is so over-the-top that you’ll be picking your jaw off the floor. There’s just so much to love about “Shin Godzilla,” and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

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Jordan McCloskey is Advertising Manager of The Express.