You may not remember Japanese kaiju such as Mothra or Rodan, but Godzilla is still pretty much a household name – and for good reason. This time around, the big, goofy creep isn’t the result of hydrogen-bomb testing, but an ancient sea creature that got super-sized dining on U.S. nuclear waste. A bizarre eruption in the bay causes waves of damage and panic in Tokyo, making Japanese bureaucrats and officials scramble to respond to this homeland security threat. What follows is a joyride of explosive action and genre comedy, and as in all good monster films, it is loaded with metaphors of natural disasters and global tensions.

Co-directors Hideaki Anno (Shin Ultraman) and Shinji Higuchi were chosen for their previous successes (the former on Neon Genesis Evangelion, the latter on the Attack on Titan tokusatsu film). They do a terrific job of appeasing purists by staying faithful to classic Godzilla films – even opening the film with the a Toho Studios logo and a Godzilla roar – whilst updating it enough with material that’s funny, smart and self-referential without overdosing on reboot nudge-nudge wink-winks.