I don't really know where to begin with how I felt watching "Godzilla Minus One". I felt all kinds of emotion watching this: anxiety, awe, hype, sadness and relief.
Let's start with everything outside of Godzilla first. The story is absolutely fantastic and I rooted for everyone in this. Naturally when you go watch a monster movie, you are there for the destruction. In this, when there was no destruction on screen, I was still riveted by the story and the characters' journeys.
There was a big theme of redemption, responsibility and forgiveness and I didn't see that coming. The score might be one of, if not, the best of the year because it just elevated everything on top of that too. It was way intense, hopeful and epic.
Now for the beast. WOW! Godzilla was pure mayhem and really felt like a villain in this; he was just devious and downright scary. When he shot his nuclear beam, I was genuinely floored and my wife looked over at me and saw me with my mouth ajar from sheer thrill.
Perhaps my only complaint is that I felt I didn't have quite enough of Godzilla as I would have liked. But for what we had, it was the best interpretation in my opinion.
No spoilers but the third act felt like the perfect culmination of everyone's story and I am so happy I saw this on the big screen.