Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence)
Funimation Films | Release Date: October 11, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
RogerEbert.comSimon AbramsOct 11, 2016
You shouldn't watch Shin Godzilla for Godzilla alone. He's not really the star of the film—Yaguchi and the rest of his human adversaries are. They credibly resist the end of the world with ingenuity and teamwork, making Shin Godzilla just as winningly optimistic as it is pleasurably eccentric. Read full review
75
ConsequenceDominick Suzanne-MayerOct 13, 2016
If the film often takes an aggressive approach to driving this central thesis home, Shin Godzilla manages to negotiate a difficult balance between delivering the monster movie thrills promised by its central creature and a film that utilizes those thrills in service of something more substantial. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubKatie RifeOct 12, 2016
So, yes, Shin Godzilla is dialogue-heavy, and sometimes it fails to make much sense. And after that knockout battle scene in the middle of the film, the end conflict is a little anticlimactic, especially for Western audiences used to a lone hero sacrificing themselves to save the day instead of the successful execution of a coordinated team effort. Read full review
75
TheWrapAlonso DuraldeOct 11, 2016
Come for the city-flattening; stay for the political satire. Read full review
75
Charlotte ObserverLawrence ToppmanOct 10, 2016
People talk non-stop at lightning speed, often while walking. The action sequences, underpinned by a loud and soppy symphonic score, actually provide a sense of respite, as Gojira methodically levels buildings and patiently releases streams of fire from his crimson throat. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterElizabeth KerrOct 3, 2016
The mother of all allegorical monsters takes on new meaning in a talky, vaguely nationalistic reboot that slips on like a comfortable sweater, even if it’s a sweater with some holes in it. Read full review
70
VarietyJoe LeydonOct 3, 2016
The Original Gangsta Lizard gets a largely satisfying reboot in Shin Godzilla, a surprisingly clever monster mash best described as the “Batman Begins” of Zilla Thrillers. Read full review
67
IndieWireDavid EhrlichOct 12, 2016
If this fun but frequently exasperating new chapter in Godzilla’s never-ending story feels like a major anomaly, its eccentricities are what best allow it to channel the forward-thinking urgency of Honda’s original. Read full review
67
The PlaylistWill AshtonOct 12, 2016
Shin Godzilla ushers in a new age for Godzilla, and a welcome one at that. It’s not perfect, but it’s ready to ask big questions and also demand thoughtful answers. In that sense, it’s one of the most valuable Godzilla movies to come along in years, decades even. Read full review
60
Screen RantNadir SamaraAug 21, 2025
The film's first act makes you think the Japanese forces trying to stop Godzilla will eventually thin out and reveal someone the movie will focus on. But that doesn't happen, and the result is a film without an onscreen focal point. Read full review
60
EmpireOwen WilliamsAug 23, 2017
Coming off like a peculiar mash-up of The Host and Dr Strangelove, Shin Godzilla is weirdly paced but does add a new twist to the old formula. Read full review
60
Total FilmJamie GrahamAug 15, 2017
The doc-flavoured approach lends both urgency and tedium, while the blend of miniatures, stop-motion and CGI references the various looks of his 63-year history. Read full review
60
We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoOct 20, 2016
It’s never stuffy – J-Rock guitar solos wail over science research montages – just a bit overlong and too involved in the judicial process. Read full review
60
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerOct 10, 2016
The film is at its best when it’s in parody mode, though it keeps that card too close to the vest for much of its two-hour length. The humor, not the monster, is what you’re left wanting more of. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsEdward DouglasOct 11, 2016
Despite the movie's darker tone, there's still room for humor when you have rooms full of diplomats and scientists discussing how to contend with a "giant unidentified creature." Read full review
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