Over the past few decades, the Kaiju genre has quickly become a fan favorite as new movies with more giant monsters and bigger budgets have taken over Hollywood. Kaiju, meaning ‘giant monsters,’ is a Japanese movie genre that usually has humongous monsters terrorizing a city.
Whether it’s King Kong, Godzilla, or giant spider-like monsters, fans of destruction and mayhem thrive over the adrenaline rush they get when watching these movies. Over the years, numerous movies have become a part of the Kaiju universe. Most of them were great, while others were not.
Here are the best Kaiju movies that should be on your must-watch list.
1. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Credit: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956)
This 1956 Kaiju movie is the one that started it all. It introduced the American audience to Godzilla, one of the most ferocious monsters in movie history. Granted, the effects won’t be as remarkable as the movies made today, but Kaiju fans still love rewatching this movie.
Godzilla: King of the Monster single-handedly changed the trajectory of monster movies and introduced the concept to Hollywood.
2. Pacific Rim
Credit: Pacific Rim
The magnificent mind of Guillermo del Toro brought this 2013 movie to life. A story that consists of giant machines fighting with Kaiju monsters, what else can one ask for? The robots are controlled by humans, and known to be the city’s defenders.
Viewers familiar with Guillermo del Toro’s work know that his creativity has no limits. Pacific Rim’s production designs are some of the finest ones in a movie like this.
3. Kong: Skull Island
Credit: Kong: Skull Island
This 2017 movie was a reboot of the Kong films to make the giant ape a part of the more extensive Kaiju monster verse. Skull Island is said to be the prequel to the Godzilla movie released in 2014.
A group of scientists and soldiers travel to a mysterious island to perform some tests. In the process, they discover King Kong and a slew of other monsters trying to take over the island. King Kong is portrayed as an anti-hero as he fights anyone who attempts to take over his home.
4. Godzilla (2014)
Credit: Godzilla (2014)
With the release of this movie, giant monsters became a part of Hollywood again. The 2014 Godzilla is said to be the reboot of the 1956 Kaiju movie, The King of the Monsters. In this movie version, Godzilla is tasked to fight against any Kaiju monster that dares to alter the delicate balance. It doesn’t matter who he has to destroy in the process.
Godzilla has to fight against a new villain called the MUTOS, who are hell-bent on fighting with everything that comes their way, including wiping away the humans. The production of this movie is astounding as it captures the full attention of its audience.
5. The Host
Credit: The Host
South Korean cinema is known for creating award-winning masterpieces like Parasite and Train to Busan. It didn’t take long for them to jump on the Kaiju bandwagon with their own monster movies, like The Host.
In this movie, American scientists flush chemicals into the Han river, which results in the rise of a horrifying aquatic monster who’s looking for revenge. An unlikely hero saves the day, but not before going through physical and emotional turmoil while fighting the monster.
6. King Kong (2005)
Credit: King Kong (2005)
King Kong was a reboot of its 1933 predecessor. Even though the original one will always be a cinematic masterpiece of its time, the remake has excellent qualities. Firstly, the uber-talented actor, Andy Serkis, was the one to bring King Kong to life through motion-capture tech. In addition, the visual effects were stellar, while the storyline was similar to the original one.
7. Colossal
Credit: Colossal
Who knew a movie about self-discovery will also contain a terrifying Kaiju monster? Anne Hathaway stars as the protagonist, Gloria, going through a mid-life crisis. At the other end of the world, a giant monster is attacking the city of Seoul in South Korea. It turns out Gloria has a strange connection with that monster.
Through a journey of discovery, she learns something about herself while also solving the monster problem. This movie has a unique story and is worth watching for Kaiju fans.
8. Cloverfield
Credit: Cloverfield
The best Kaiju movies list is incomplete without Cloverfield. This 2008 movie was produced by J.J. Abrams, who brilliantly used the found-footage format for this movie. It’s set in New York City, where a group of 20-something friends is trying to navigate their own lives when a monster hits the streets.
Insanity and havoc ensue as the five main characters of the movie trying to survive the sudden chaos. The human element of the movie completely immerses the audience. It’s no wonder why Cloverfield left a deep mark on Kaiju movies. Luckily, fans have a new Cloverfield movie to look forward to as a sequel is in production.
Final Thoughts
Kaiju movies are just getting better, thanks to CGI and special effects. However, this genre is here to stay, and it will get bigger as time goes on. If you are a fan of this genre, add all these great movies to your list and have fun! Godzillaa sequel is in production
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