Godzilla first came to the big screen in 1954 and took the world by storm. The classic Japanese Kaiju has starred in 36 films across Japan and America and is even an honorary Japanese citizen. Lately, the world lost its last connection to the original film that started it all with the passing of Akira Takarada.
Godzilla often varies widely in quality, and even though they all have their fans, there are some strong opinions over which is better than which. With so many films, it's difficult to narrow down the best ones. Letterboxd data is a pretty accurate way to find what major fans think are the best Godzilla films.
Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964) - 3.4/5
An evil space monster unlike anything the earth has faced is on its way. Ghidorah has been the scourge of the galaxy and he's set his sights on Earth. The Mothra twins are warned about his arrival and, together with the Mothra larva, attempt to convince Rodan and Godzilla to team up and fight the three-headed space dragon.
A lot of Letterboxd users mark this film as a major turning point in the Godzilla franchise. Godzilla was seen as the antagonist up until this point but this movie convinces him to fight for humanity and not against it. The decision to introduce a far more evil monster created Ghidora, one of the Showa Era's most important Kaiju. One review even boldly claims that Godzilla wouldn't have the staying power he has now if it wasn't for Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster.
Godzilla Vs. Hedorah (1971) - 3.4/5
A comet crashes on Earth and begins to absorb all the pollution that is nearby. This sentient creature is Hedorah and is Godzilla's newest foe in Godzilla vs. Hedorah. Herdoah is capable of spewing mists of sulfuric acid and corrosive sludge which are deadly to humans and make it difficult for Godzilla to defeat him.
Letterboxd users really resonated with the dark message of the film. At times Godzilla vs. Hedorah operates like a horror film, showing slews of dead body parts in Hedorah's wake. While not perfect, the movie's overt environment message is meant to scare audiences into action. It's also considered a good beginner Godzilla movie.
Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah (1991) - 3.4/5
The third film in the Heisei era reintroduced Ghidorah to the franchise, this time with a time travel twist. Humans from the 23rd century come to the present to warn of the impending destruction of Japan by Godzilla. After going further back in time to erase Godzilla from the timeline, a new creature appears in the present, Ghidorah. Now they have to bring Godzilla back somehow to stop this new and far more evil threat from the future.
Some have lobbied criticism towards this movie since the title fight doesn't happen till the last act of the film. The time travel also gives one a headache if you think too much about it, but it's very silly. Perhaps it's not the best followup to the darker Godzilla vs. Biollante, but plenty of people have had fun with this one.
Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964) - 3.5/5
Mothra vs. Godzilla finds a group of people discover a giant egg that belongs to the mythical monster Mothra. A group of greedy people wants the egg for themselves but the Mothra twins plead for the eggs return to the island it came from. When Godzilla begins attacking Japan again, the twins and the people of the island have to consider if they'll summon Mothra to help or not.
Mothra has been a fan favorite in the Kaiju genre for years. Hot off of her debut movie Mothra, Toho had her go up against Godzilla to really test her mettle. The environmental commentary is deftly handled and the fights between the two title monsters are some of the best in the series.
The Return Of Godzilla (1984) - 3.5/5
The Return of Godzilla was a reboot of the franchise since it went out with Terror of Mechagodzilla. This time, Godzilla has been resurrected somehow and is making his way to Japan. The Japanese government tries to silence any mention of the creature, but it will soon be too late.
The Return of Godzilla is often cited as the first film to return Godzilla back to his roots. Many Letterboxd reviews have pointed out that the film operates like a horror film at times. Some of the models and miniatures in the film are the best the franchise had seen up until that point.
Godzilla Vs. Biollante (1989) - 3.5/5
After the events of The Return of Godzilla, the governments of the world believe that the key to defeating Godzilla should he return is through the cells that he left behind. One man believes he can create Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria by combining Godzilla's cells with that of bacteria. Unfortunately, he might have created something worse.
Considered to have some of the best costume designs in the Heisei franchise, Godzilla vs. Biollante is often said to be as good, if not slightly better than the film that preceded it. The inherent silliness of Godzilla fighting a giant plant is undermined by the dark tone and brutal action.
Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah (1995) - 3.7/5
Godzilla is beginning to meltdown, much like a nuclear reactor would. If this happens, he would destroy everything around him. While this angry burning Godzilla is rampaging across the world, new creatures emerge that appear to have been born from the original device that killed the first Godzilla, the Oxygen-Destroyer.
While its Aliens influence is apparent to viewers, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is often considered one of the best, if not the best of the second era of Godzilla. Godzilla's impending doom and what that means for the world is on full display. Destoroyah is a great new addition to the franchise since it creates a very real threat to Godzilla and the world with an effective ticking clock.
Godzilla, Mothra And King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) - 3.7/5
Once again rebooting the franchise, GMK sees Godzilla brought back to life as a vengeful spirit, one who is part the original monster and part all the souls who died in WWII. The only way to stop him is by awakening the three guardian spirits, Mothra, Baragon, and Ghidorah.
This is a radical take on Godzilla and is considered the best of the Millenium series, Godzilla's third era. It had been a while since Godzilla felt truly evil but GMK contains a great new Godzilla suit and a darker story which helps the monster feel truly malevolent. Godzilla also gets a new theme in this film which has been a cult favorite ever since.
Shin Godzilla (2016) - 3.8/5
In the last live-action Godzilla film that Japan has made, Shin Godzilla once again reboots the giant monster, this time as an allegory for a natural disaster. The film leans heavily into political satire as Hideaki Anno, who's currently working on Shin Japan Heroes, is mostly interested in showing Japan's ineffectiveness during such a disaster. Godzilla makes landfall and the government has no idea how to handle such a thing, so they create a task force to stop Godzilla before it can evolve any further.
Even though this movie highlights how governments can be ineffective, many users have rightfully pointed out that the movie ultimately believes humanity can do better. Godzilla comes with a terrifying new design and the movie's satirical humor is only matched by its quick pace.
Godzilla (1954) - 4.0/5
Japan is completely caught by surprise when a giant monster rises from the oceans to terrorize the city. Professor Kyohei Yemani discovers a terrifying weapon that might be the only hope that Japan has left to stop Godzilla. He sacrifices himself with his Oxygen Destroyer in order to rid the world of Godzilla and the knowledge of how to create something even worse.
The original continues to be unmatched. Even though Godzilla has been many different things and interpreted in many different ways, the original continues to resonate with each new generation. This tragic film about post-war Japan, disguised as a film about a giant monster, is one of the all-time great cinema masterpieces.