Ranking All 39 Godzilla Films
Now celebrating its 72nd anniversary, Godzilla is a character that has not only endured, but evolved over time. Godzilla has been a monster, a hero, a villain, a force of nature, etc. Godzilla also acts as a sort of time capsule from the 1950s to the present as the films have provided commentary on different eras and shifted tones and even genres. Perhaps the most miraculous thing is that the franchise is arguably better than ever in the past 12 years. In honor of the wide release of “Godzilla Minus Zero” today, I’m ranking all 39 Godzilla films. As a longtime fan, this list was harder to compile than I thought, but at this moment in time, this is where I stand.
1. Godzilla (1954)- The film that started it all. The dark original reinvented the monster movie and hit hard with its anti-bomb message. It’s simply one of the best films ever made and still the best Godzilla film. A special shoutout goes to “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” which is essentially this film from a different POV. For many, many years, this was the only version available in the US for years until the Japanese original finally got an official release here.
2. Godzilla (2014)- I will defend Gareth Edwards’ film to my dying day. It’s grounded, epic in scale, and shows the true terror of being on the ground level. Humanity is at the mercy of the Kaiju and the disasters they create. The Kaiju are real forces of nature here. This is the best Monsterverse movie to date and it’s not even close.
3. Shin Godzilla- A deep, intelligent, grounded, and fresh new take on Godzilla that deals with bureaucracy, disaster preparedness, the political chain getting in their own way, democracy, the economy, an evolving Godzilla, and Japan racing to stop Godzilla or face dire consequences from both Godzilla and mankind.
4. Godzilla Minus One- Set during the end of WWII, this acclaimed 2023 film features the best character work in the entire franchise. The story of honor, loss, redemption, life and love is an emotional one. As for the big G, he’s rarely been as ferocious as he is here.
5. Destroy All Monsters- A big high stakes all-star event with aliens and Kaiju battles. The third act is immensely satisfying.
6. Godzilla Vs. Hedorah- Not since the OG has a Godzilla film had such an impactful message. In this case it’s pollution. This is a trippy, dark, gross, apocalyptic film that features some truly artistic direction.
7. Godzilla Vs. Gigan- Aliens, a theme park, a love letter to manga, and the introduction to one of Godzilla’s best foes Gigan. What’s not to like?
8. Godzilla 2000- I’ve always had a soft spot for this one. It kicked off the Millennium era in grand fashion with a unique underrated foe (the alien Orga) and an intriguing exploration of Godzilla’s regenerative abilities.
9. Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep (AKA Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster)- As 60s as can be. While dismissed by some, the island adventure feels like a refreshing change of pace. There’s some ridiculous plotting to be sure, but the James Bond esque villains and Godzilla vs. Ebirah battles elevate this one.
10. Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah- The highly uneven Heisei era closes out on a high note. Godzilla has gone nuclear and might explode and destroy the planet, the Little Godzilla story arc gets a payoff, and a beloved new creature threat (Destroyer) emerges.
11. The Return Of Godzilla- This one ushered in a brand new era (Heisei) and brought Godzilla into the 80s. It harkens back to the original with its anti-nuclear weapons message and a darker and more serious tone.
12. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire- This is a divisive one, but for me, I like that it fully embraces the weird. There’s more Hollow Earth, an in-depth Kong arc, a Kong tooth ache, Kong and Gia trying to find their tribes, Godzilla sleeping in the Rome Colosseum, Gia having visions, new foes (The Scar King and Shimo), Dan Stevens bizarre vet character Trapper, psychic energy, a new realm, Kong bonding with Suko, Godzilla leveling up, a robot arm for Kong, Mothra, and portals.
13. Godzilla: Final Wars- Picture “The Matrix” as a Godzilla film and you’ll have some idea what to expect here. There’s techno, quick cuts, martial arts, mutants, and aliens. It’s a frantic, bonkers, action heavy extravaganza that is deliriously entertaining. The Kaiju fights are largely a bit rushed, but there’s so much going on here that you likely won’t mind.
14. Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.- The sequel to “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla” (which also has “Mothra Vs. Godzilla ties) digs into some thoughtful themes about ethics, souls, sacrifice, and attachment.
15. King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1963)- The first Godzilla film in color has a more playful tone. The King Kong costume leaves a lot to be desired and there’s some puzzling plots about berries, balloons and a guy whining about corns, but seeing the two titans face off makes it all worthwhile.
16. Godzilla Vs. Megalon- As cheesy as it is (and it is cheesy), it’s also undeniably entertaining. You can’t go wrong with Megalon, Gigan and Jett Jaguar (with his epic song). The fast boxing match esque showdown with Gigan and Megalon vs. Godzilla and Jett Jaguar is a blast too.
17. Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla- A bit heavy on the soap opera character drama, but you’ll undoubtedly be swept away by the engaging Kiryu concept (the best Mechagodzilla design in my book) and the grand fight scenes.
18. Godzilla Minus Zero- Nowhere near the level of “Godzilla Minus One,” but a respectable follow-up. I won’t divulge any spoilers as this just came out, but the big Vs. battle was a bit on the underwhelming side and some character actions were questionable and not so subtle. Still, Godzilla’s foe here steals the show and there are several intriguing plotlines about Godzilla’s cells, weaponization, PTSD, and the aftermath of disasters.
19. Godzilla Vs. Biollante- An eventful ode to 80s action movie, but an overstuffed one as it juggles too many plots about a telekinetic girl, Godzilla cell experiments, anti-nuclear bacteria, a giant growing plant creature with a human spirit, corporate espionage, and Super X-2 vehicle/weapon.
20. Mothra Vs. Godzilla- The introduction to one of the most popular Kaiju in the Godzilla Universe in Mothra along with the Twins. Although a lot of screentime is devoted to fighting over an egg, it’s still a solid entry.
21. Godzilla Vs. Kong- A real action spectacle with Hollow Earth weirdness. The Hong Kong battle is worth the price of admission though.
22. Godzilla Raids Again- The first sequel and the first Vs. film with Godzilla facing off against Anguirus. This one gets a bad wrap and I don’t quite get why. Sure, the story is all over the place, but there’s respectable characterization, a tragic character death, and it paved the way for all Vs. films.
23. Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla- The first appearance of both Mechagodzilla and King Caesar. This one didn’t hold up as well as I remembered and suffers from recycled ideas.
24. Son Of Godzilla- There’s a lot to like about this one, but it has some serious drawbacks. The good: The island setting, the scientific experiment plot, the introduction of Minilla, Kumonga, and Kamacuras, and seeing a different side of Godzilla. The bad: The Godzilla and Minilla costumes, the cartoony music, and derpy humor.
25. Invasion Of Astro-Monster- More of an alien sci-fi movie (and a bit too light on Godzilla). It’s a little sluggish, but there’s a refreshing change of scenery (Planet X), Godzilla’s iconic dance, King Ghidorah, and Rodan.
26. Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah- This entry takes some bold risks which don’t always work but are nonetheless fascinating. There’s time travel, backstory changes for Godzilla and King Ghidorah, dinosaurs, and Mecha-King Ghidorah. The story is full of promise and has a neat set-up, but it fumbles the execution.
27. Godzilla Vs. Megaguirus- A movie of moments. The Meganula and the end battle certainly deliver.
28. Godzilla And Mothra: The Battle For Earth- The Indiana Jones vibe of the first half hour and Battra are a plus, but the film loses steam as it goes on.
29. Godzilla, Mothra And King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack- I’m all for new interpretations but this is a strange one. It’s busy, mean spirited, and includes some out there plots about Godzilla possessed by spirits and Ghidorah being a hero.
30. Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster- Notable for the first appearance of King Ghidorah, aliens, and Godzilla’s first team-up (with Mothra and Rodan), but that’s not quite enough. It takes a long time to get going, the Kaiju battles are goofy (the Godzilla and Rodan rock scene in particular) and this is far and away the worst depiction of the Godzilla character (he’s a real dope in this for some reason).
31. Godzilla Vs. SpaceGodzilla- More telepathy, more Little Godzilla, but little story in this overlong entry. SpaceGodzilla rules though.
32. Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla 2- Dopey characters, poor plotting, and baby Godzillasaur antics make this a largely forgettable entry. At least Rodan appears.
33. Terror Of Mechagodzilla- A dull derivative sequel to “Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla” that also marked the end of the Shōwa era.
34. Godzilla (1998)- Hollywood’s first take on Godzilla is a missed opportunity. It’s simply a big dumb 90’s blockbuster with inept character actions, cartoony humor, and some abysmal casting. There’s some fun to be had here though with Jean Reno, the Zilla babies angle and some memorable visuals (Zilla on the Brooklyn bridge, the footsteps causing cars to move, etc.). The soundtrack is killer too.
35. Godzilla: King Of The Monsters- This might be a hot take, but this is the single most disappointing Godzilla cinematic experience (and the rewatch was even worse!). As 2014’s “Godzilla” proved, sometimes less is more. One would think the inclusion of Rodan, King Ghidorah, Mothra would work wonders, but not even the “Titans” can save it. This bloated feature contains too much Monarch, too many characters, a dumb Orca plot, ridiculous characters actions, and a story that is more concerned with universe building. Everything I loved about 2014 “Godzilla” is absent here. The Rodan set piece and the score are top notch though.
36. All Monsters Attack- “All Monsters Attack” (AKA “Godzilla’s Revenge”) have to be the most misleading titles. The film is about a bullied kid (Ichiro) who dreams about Kaiju including a talking Minilla. There’s a certain charm to it, but the “Home Alone” esque story, the awful opening song, and the reused footage from past films brings the effort down.
37. Godzilla: Planet Of The Monsters- The first part of the anime film trilogy is the best installment (which isn’t saying much). Conceptually, this sci-fi saga has a lot going for it with humanity being forced to leave Earth and eventually return to it, but you’re left wanting much more than what you get.
38. Godzilla: The Planet Eater- The overwritten finale to the anime trilogy featuring aliens, gods, sacrifice, and the appearance of a familiar Kaiju goes out with a whimper. You’ll just be glad the trilogy is over.
39. Godzilla: City On The Edge Of Battle- The second entry in the anime trilogy has the unfortunate distinction of being the weakest Godzilla film. The exposition heavy snooze fest is more about nanometal than anything else.
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