Godzilla : La Ville à l'aube du combat

This second part of the Netflix GODZILLA anime trilogy improved on many aspects of the first film while still keeping the elements of that film which appealed to me. Haruo is given some great character growth particularly in his budding relationship with childhood friend Yuko. What started as a typical cold angry guy and wide eyed innocent girl gets some much needed development. We see new aspects to their personality, all shaped around the deconstruction of dedication.

GODZILLA CITY ON THE EDGE OF BATTLE is a more traditional "Moby Dick" story of how dedication to their mission slowly but surely turns the protagonists into something worse than the creature they are hunting. The callback is rather blatant, right down to the survivors wanting to use a sort of "harpoon" to take down Godzilla (it makes sense in context).

Like captain Ahab of the classic tale, we are presented with the fine line between dedication and obsession. When does one become another? Does one truly have to become a monster to kill a monster? How far will someone go to uphold their dedication to a fleeting ideal? In typical anime style, this theme is fleshed out in both a symbolic and literal level, with parallel thematic developments for our protagonist Haruo, Yuko, and humanity's allies from the stars, the Bilusaludo.

With all these great elements, the anime only suffers if the audience does not accept it's often deconstructive execution of the plot. Expectations are cleverly subverted, underlying themes switch between literal and symbolic, even the monsters are referred to in both an actual and a figurative sense. This might come across as a little confusing for those who do not take the time to think through the story and read between the lines.

Visuals-wise, GODZILLA: CITY ON THE EDGE OF BATTLE retains the cel shaded CGI look of the first film and many of Polygon Studio's work. The animation, which beautifully mimics that of traditional 2D animation right down to the reduced frame rate, is really an acquired taste that may not be for everyone. It is calling back to something old, using something new. Small improvements have been made particularly in the drab mono coloured creatures that populate far future earth. Godzilla himself gets a harsher shading and contrast in lighting which makes him distinct from the already dull grey background.

These little improvements make me hopeful for the upcoming finale to this trilogy. It is not perfect and the improvements may come too slowly for more cynical viewers. Like the animation style, the movies so far are truly an acquired taste that boils down to personal preference. Complex or confusing? Subverting expectations or failing to deliver on its publicity? Perhaps the greater battle is not within Haruo himself, or between monsters, or even between the various factions and Godzilla. Perhaps it is between the fans.

(First ever review so bear with me)

I decided to write this review as I felt the 2 user reviews up at the moment were either a bit lacking, or just downright pointless.

I personally enjoyed it enough to give it a 6, but it's a soft 6 for me as there are plenty of "down" periods that felt a bit dragged out for me. I also think that the story was a bit lacking in places as well as some characters that felt underutilized. (The pacing may be redeemed once I've seen all 3 and then be able to judge it as a whole, but for now, it's a gripe I have with it as a stand-alone film)

The animation is still stellar and I really enjoy the whole mythos of man/humanoid vs giant world ending monster(s), I just wish this particular movie had either some more action to it, or that we got to explore the Houtua (the aboriginals Haruo met in the first film) a lot more, but maybe that's saved for the 3rd film.

At the end of the day, I feel like it's worth seeing if you like monster movies, and I'm looking forward to the conclusion in the 3rd film.

I hope I succeeded in giving people a bit more nuance to determine if they should give it a go, as I do feel there are redeemable qualities to the contained story of this trilogy.

Slower and more considered than its predecessor, the second act of this trilogy weilds its allegory as a finely tuned blade to explore the ways in which revenge can consume and overwhelm its victims. The colour palette contrasts vividly against other entries in the series, casting everything in a disorienting filter of hate that drives home the message of the trilogy; and this truly exceptional visual style builds on the already impressive artistry of the world it has created, taking it to a new level of immersiveness.

I watched Godzilla 1985 when i was 5 years old, i have been a BIG G fan ever since, i am 36 now. i even forced myself through the 1998 american dung heap. and i am american. i have watched both animated Godzilla movies so far. both are far better then they should have been. in many ways, far better in story then any Godzilla movie ever made. i normally hate it when Godzilla is the bad guy. but not in these, it is done so well. i wonder what the people were expecting who have written the negative reviews... just a mash up of monsters? it has good stories, logical flow, drama, action, charter development. i cant wait for the third, excellent way to fill the gap for the new live action. i hope they do many more.

I dislike stories that revolve around some miraculous but vaguely defined product or technology (in this case the 'nano-metal') that does whatever the plot requires, and as the first film left me with little interest in the characters (whom I found to be trite and flat), the sequel did nothing for me. Much of the movie consists of pretentious expositional pseudoscience, especially with respect to evolution, the limited action sequences differed little from the first film, and again Godzilla appears as a static, ill-defined craggy grey mass. My interest picked up slightly when the small twin girls started talking about their God who had been killed by Godzilla but had left an egg behind but that went nowhere (presumably being a set up for the third film). Ultimately I found this, the 33rd Godzilla movie, slow-moving and uninteresting.