Godzilla and Kong are back on the big screen, and they’ve never faced anything like this before. Unfortunately, they’ll have to face it together. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire storms into cinemas on March 29th, 2024 from Warner Bros. Pictures.
Synopsis
The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
Review
The MonsterVerse has truly been a gift for both Godzilla and Kong fans alike, and it’s fascinating to see how this franchise has morphed and changed since its inception in 2014. Looking back, there have been some massive tonal shifts, especially when you look at King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong. However, Godzilla x Kong feels like the sweet spot. They’ve finally nailed what they’ve looking to achieve, and The New Empire is the result. This new installment is so comfortable and proud of its bizarre nature that it just lets loose with no regrets. Some fans are definitely still on the fence about this diversion, but as someone who has watched and loved every single Toho Godzilla movie, everything in The New Empire perfectly embodies the utterly goofy and bombastic side of Godzilla and Kaijus. Minus One revels in the metaphorical, pertaining to that nuclear embodiment that gave birth to Godzilla, while the MonsterVerse now embraces the fun that Godzilla can bring.
Simply put, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire takes everything that worked in Godzilla v Kong and amplifies it. There are still the same issues, but all of the elements that were great in Godzilla v Kong, are now even better. This installment is bigger, better, louder and filled to the brim with that delicious Titan action we’ve been waiting for.
It’s taken a few attempts, but Adam Wingard has finally nailed that balance between Human and Monster screentime. Human characters are integral for this sort of film, but they do really feel secondary. Of course. That means that a lot of the human cast are stripped down to their most basic forms; one dimensional and exposition extraordinaires, but that’s fine because this film lets you know that they’re not the main event. Now, that’s not to say that the Humans are bad. The returning cast are great fun and it was nice to see their own individual progression. The bond between Jia and Dr. Ilene Andrews blossoms beautifully and actually mirrors Kong’s arc with little Suko. Bernie is a delight as always, an improvement on his GvK appearance actually, and for him to have someone to bounce off of in terms of comedy was a very fine decision. The addition of Dan Stevens’ Trapper perhaps tipped the movie more towards the goofy side. Trapper works great with Bernie, but a lot of the film’s cheesiest dialogue comes from him. Yet somehow… it works. In a way, it’s a shame that these characters don’t stand out more, but the fact that this film recognises who the true stars are is a massive step forward for Monster movies as a whole.
There are also some monstrous additions to the cast; Skar King and Shimo, as well as a bunch of wonderful critters from the Hollow Earth. Skar King was a clear stand out from a visual perspective. He really stands out compared to Kong, but it extends well beyond his physical appearance. His overall presence is utterly menacing and while he doesn’t have the same gravitas as the likes of Ghidorah or Mechagodzilla, he definitely holds his own. Skar King is probably the most unique villainous force we’ve had in the MonsterVerse and they really lean into that window of opportunity. He’s a scene stealer with a nasty attitude.
Then there’s Shimo. Now, Shimo is an interesting one because while he is a very, very cool monster that looks absolutely beautiful on the big screen, his purpose is purely reduced to a physical adversary specifically for Godzilla. The end result is so worth it in terms of a spectacle, but you can’t help but think of the possibilities if they maybe utilised one of Godzilla’s more iconic foes as a way to tie the two together more fluidly. Having said that though, it was truly wonderful to see what the MonsterVerse was capable of, and there are so many insanely cool creatures in this movie that it would have been a shame to limit themselves to preexisting characters.
The best thing about this movie is of course Godzilla and Kong. The ruler of Skull Island definitely feels like the central focus, but that’s because you can explore the more expressive side of Kong. Kong goes on his own emotional journey and it was really nice to see them expand on Kong’s character. He has personality and a sense of humour, and these elements allow him to exist beyond simply being a punchbag for Godzilla. In regards to Godzilla, they fully let him off the leash and it’s the best. His new form is awesome and while this new weightless approach completely obliterates any notions of size and scale, it was so fun to see Godzilla in a fresh new light where laws simply don’t apply.
The action is absolutely crazy. It’s like the MonsterVerse took the weirdest elements from Godzilla’s Heisei era and merged it with their own, and it is a wonderfully silly concoction that unapologetically embraces the bizarre. There are so many crowd-pleasing moments that will fill any crowd with glee and they all mostly come from the unlikely partnership between Godzilla and Kong. There’s still that friction there, which they play around with, but we finally get to see this colossal team on the big screen, and it is just pure blockbuster goodness.
Verdict
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a ridiculously fun and epic ride that is so confident in what it wants to achieve that it’s hard to be mad at any of the small issues, it is all just pure exhilaration. The MonsterVerse has finally figured out what it wants to be and it is rolling with it, taking everything that made the MonsterVerse shine and pushing it further than ever before. Brilliant visuals, stunning world-building, and relentless action. The perfect cocktail for any monster movie fan.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will arrive on the big screen on March 29th, 2024. Tickets are on sale now.
