Kuala Lampur, Nov. 7 -- When Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One roared into cinemas in late 2023, it didn't just revitalise a legendary 70-year-old franchise, it fundamentally recalibrated what a kaiju movie could be.

It sat proudly right at the top of my favourite films list that year, a masterclass in balancing city flattening spectacle with tender, agonisingly human drama.

So, naturally, when news hit that Yamazaki was returning to helm the sequel, Godzilla Minus Zero, I found myself caught in that classic film geek dilemma.

On one hand, I was drooling with anticipation at the prospect of returning to this post-war Japan that was flattened not only by war, but also by a giant monster.

On the other hand, there was that very real,...