‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ IMAX Audiences Are Calling It the Best Film of the Year, and the Fight Scenes Are Stealing the Show
Giant-monster movies live or die by one question: does the spectacle hit as hard as promised? Early IMAX audiences for ‘Godzilla Minus Zero‘ seem to think the answer is a resounding yes. Their reactions, from breath-holding tension to “I’m in shock” levels of adrenaline, are lining up with a critical consensus that has been building since September.
The film arrives with serious pedigree. Takashi Yamazaki’s ‘Godzilla Minus One’ grossed $115 million on a budget of just $15 million and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, a first for the franchise. That success made the sequel one of the most anticipated kaiju releases in years.
Now the first wave of IMAX viewers is weighing in. Posting after an early showing, one moviegoer called ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ the best film she has seen all year and said it has some of the best action and fight sequences she has seen in a long time. She added that seeing it in IMAX was truly unbelievable, and her reaction is typical of the wave of social posts this week.
godzilla minus zero is the best film i have seen so far this year, i was holding my breath at certain points the adrenaline i felt was insane! this was truly unbelievable to witness in IMAX and has some of the best action and fight sequences i’ve seen in a long time, i’m in shock https://t.co/ZoCAHfeJ6E
— sonia (@finalgirlsonia) November 3, 2026
That enthusiasm is tied to how the film was made. ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ is the first Japanese production filmed for IMAX, shot entirely in Japan with IMAX-certified digital cameras. Its imagery and sound were optimized specifically for IMAX screens, so the format is the intended way to see it.
IMAX Early Access screenings took place November 3, Godzilla Day, three days before the wide North American release on November 6 through GKIDS. The film also opened in Japan on November 3 after a gala at the Tokyo International Film Festival on November 1. A Los Angeles premiere reportedly ended in a standing ovation.
The film picks up in 1949, two years after the first movie, with Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe returning as Koichi Shikishima and Noriko. The headline addition is King Ghidorah, who appears in his first mainline Godzilla film in 24 years. Reviewers have singled out the Ghidorah battle in particular, with one critic from The Washington Post reportedly calling the monster fights sick after an early screening.
Dread Central offers a useful reality check, noting that the movie is more of a King Ghidorah affair than a Godzilla one. By its count, Godzilla appears briefly three times in the first 90 minutes. Even so, the review says the action is just as remarkable as the original, with an added edge of unpredictable mayhem from the cosmic beast.
This is also the first R-rated Godzilla movie, rated for some violent content and bloody images. Yamazaki has said he refused to cut key scenes to get a lower rating. Reaction roundups suggest the film uses that freedom to push its destruction further than before, and Rotten Tomatoes’ first-reviews roundup says its mass-destruction sequences surpass the first film in complexity, creativity and visual effects.
The rating could narrow the potential audience, but the early buzz suggests it has not dampened enthusiasm. If anything, fans seem to see it as a signal that the film does not hold back.
The film sits in the mid-to-high 90s on Rotten Tomatoes, with one tally at 96% from 46 reviews and 78 on Metacritic. It would be the second-highest-rated Godzilla movie on the site if it holds, topping the 1954 original, though it trails the first film’s 99%. The Daily Beast has the only rotten review so far.
Opinions diverge on the emotional side. GamesRadar says it may be even more affecting than its predecessor, while IGN says it delivers on monsters but lacks the first film’s emotional resonance. RogerEbert.com gave it 3 out of 4 stars, saying it does not reach the first film’s highs, and Dread Central’s 3 out of 5 review found the film big, monstrous and a bit confused.
The new trailer for ‘GODZILLA MINUS ZERO’ has been released. In theaters on November 6. https://t.co/sgaEXweerd
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 8, 2026
The sequel is billed as the end of a two-part story, though early reactions have fans hoping it is not the last word. At the box office, it is tracking at about $25 million to $35 million domestically, a competitive opening for a Japanese production. IMAX tickets are on sale now, and audiences say the biggest screen is the way to go.
What are you most excited to see in Godzilla Minus Zero?
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