The Kaiju genre, featuring giant monsters like Godzilla, is one that has endured in cinema for decades. In recent years the Kaiju movie has seen a revival, with both big names and newcomers to the silver screen alike. With this influx of great monster movies, it raises the question, which ones are the best?
You could easily filter Kaiju movies by their critical reviews or popularity, but the fact is you’d be looking at a list of Godzilla films. Which is undeniably great, but we decided to broaden the criteria for this list to help you find more variety in your monster movies. Only one Godzilla allowed. Sorry Mechagodzilla, we love you really.
10Colossal
Character First, Monster Second
Colossal is far from your typical Kaiju fare, with an A-list cast, and yet most people have never heard of it. Starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis, this 2017 dark comedy follows a woman struggling with alcoholism and a controlling relationship.
The twist? When she walks through a local park at a certain time of day, she causes a monster to appear in Seoul and go on a rampage, mirroring her movements. It’s a wild premise, but worth your time. It’s a Kaiju movie with real heart and character.
9Cloverfield
An Original Creature Feature
Cloverfield caused quite the stir when it was released. A successful viral marketing campaign is harder to pull off than most people might think, but Cloverfield managed it to perfection. The movie itself backed up its own hype, to the relief of movie fans everywhere.
What Cloverfield does best is restraint, something many movies struggle with. By taking a less-is-more approach and concealing the exact nature of the threat from the audience it leaves you to conjure your own monster, which will always be more frightening than whatever is shown on screen.
8Gamera: Guardian Of The Universe
The Last Hope
Gamera was originally created for a film in 1965, both the monster and the movie intended to compete with the success of Godzilla. Since then, Gamera has found success all of its own with multiple movies and great popularity in Japan especially.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start, go with 1995’s Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. It’s an excellent entry point and the first movie in a trilogy, so if you enjoy it you’ll have more to look forward to.
7Pulgasari
This Movie Needs A Movie
It’s hard to know where to start with Pulgasari. It’s a perfectly fine Kaiju movie, good even! The problem it faces is that this 1985 North Korean movie is completely overshadowed by the story of how it was made, one of the most outlandish tales in cinema.
It’s a tale of North Korean propaganda, kidnapping of filmmakers, and daring escapes in Austrian film festivals. Pulgasari is a Kaiju film worth watching in its own right, but a movie about the movie would be something really special.
6The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms
The Mother Of All Monster Movies
If you’re interested in the origin of the creature feature then you need to check out The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. This 1953 film features a dinosaur-like creature released from its frozen tomb thanks to the detonation of an atomic bomb.
If that sounds similar to Godzilla, that’s because The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms came out before the original Godzilla and is credited with inspiring it. The monster in this film was originally planned to breathe atomic flame, making the link even clearer.
5Pacific Rim
Better Than We Could Have Expected
It would be fair to expect a movie about giant robots fighting monsters to be the sort of forgettable movie marketed to kids, not too different from the seemingly endless string of Transformers movies. While the sequel veered in that direction, the original Pacific Rim is something special.
It brings great over-the-top action just like you’d expect, but backs it up with performances from an all-star cast that lend real weight to the characters and the stories. You don’t just care about the robots and monsters, you care about the human characters involved in the story too.
4King Kong
A True Classic
The original King Kong from 1933 is one of the greatest films of all time, bar none. It’s still regularly in the conversation for the best film ever even as it draws closer to being 100 years old. It’s a masterpiece in special effects long before the digital age was even on the horizon.
Stop-motion, miniatures, rear projection, and more were all used to outstanding effect, and that’s to say nothing of the incredible sound design. There have been many King Kong movies since 1933, but the original is still the best of them all.
3Monsters Vs. Aliens
A Family Friendly Tribute To The Genre
You might not have been expecting a Dreamworks animated film to feature amongst the best Kaiju films, but it’s actually a love letter to the genre and proof that you’re able to tell unexpected stories with familiar trappings. It’s a fun romp with great voice acting and constant nods to creature features of the past.
Referencing cult classics while keeping a focus on humour, Monsters vs Aliens is a great introduction to the idea of monster movies. If you’re looking for a way to get your kids excited about Kaiju films then this is the perfect starting point.
2The Host
Inspired By Actual Events
The Host is one of those rare movies that makes a political statement without being heavy-handed. A South Korean film, it critiques the U.S. military for an actual event where the Han River was polluted. The difference is that in the movie, this creates a monster.
Where the film threads the needle is that it also pokes fun at the South Korean government too, preventing it from feeling like a propaganda picture. Politics aside The Host is a fantastic movie, featuring a unique monster and a story that focuses on a smaller scale.
1Godzilla
The Greatest
There can’t be any argument that when it comes to Kaiju movies, Godzilla stands at the top. Godzilla Minus One has been an incredible success, but there’s just no beating the original from 1954. It pioneered the cinematic technique of featuring an actor in a suit interacting with miniature sets, which was revolutionary for the time.
Among the longest-running cinematic franchises in history, Godzilla has stood the test of time and never waned in popularity. While not every Godzilla movie is a great movie, the original is one of the greatest movies ever made.
