Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire releases in theaters March 29, 2024.

I hold a special place in my heart for Godzilla (2014) by Gareth Edwards, which remains my favorite film of the MonsterVerse saga. Kong: Skull Island has managed to improve the overall opinion over the years, unlike Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which continues to be a major disappointment even after a couple of rewatches. In 2021, Adam Wingard found the ideal balance between the titanic battles, human storylines, and just the right amount of openly absurd fun in Godzilla vs. Kong. Therefore, excitement levels were high for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Former adversaries, Godzilla and Kong must join forces to fight a mysterious common enemy that emerges from the depths of the Hollow Earth. Meanwhile, the human characters focus on exploring the unknown origins of the Titans, in addition to providing small but valuable assistance in the impending battles. With the collaborative screenplay work of Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean), Simon Barrett (Blair Witch), and Jeremy Slater (The Umbrella Academy), along with a talented cast including Rebecca Hall (Resurrection), Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway), and Dan Stevens (Legion), The New Empire had all the right ingredients to deliver two hours of pure entertainment.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Critique

Also Read: Despite Negative Review Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Box Office Prediction is the Vote of Confidence Every MonsterVerse Fan Needs

And so it did. The New Empire takes what worked in the previous installment and amplifies every single aspect of it. It’s not worth deviating from the main expectations of any viewer entering the theater to enjoy another MonsterVerse flick. There are more and bigger battles between the Titans, with a clear technical improvement compared to what we’ve seen before. Nowadays, it’s not so common for someone to be truly awestruck by overwhelming visual effects – the two Dune movies are the most recent exception – but inconsistency throughout a film is still a serious issue within the industry.

Whether due to the limited time VFX artists have to complete their tasks, work overload, and/or unfairly low wages, it’s not surprising to observe, in the same film, a visually superb scene and, minutes later, exactly the opposite. Thus, I must commend the VFX consistency in The New Empire, which never loses quality. The numerous well-chosen locations used to orchestrate the action sequences are another technical element that contributes to the overall immersion in these adrenaline-fueled battles, along with powerful sound design and, of course, Titans of all sizes and powers.

The limitless creativity in this area translates to the story, for better or for worse. The New Empire is even more absurd than previous scripts, reaching a point where narrative complexity becomes a joke in itself due to how incredibly ridiculous it genuinely is. Wingard and his screenwriters perform an insane juggling act to explain the inexplicable, and some exposition scenes are hilariously exaggerated, as if anyone in the audience cares even slightly about how certain fictional aspects of this world(s) function. From prophecies to ancient civilizations, the absurdity of the plot is an undeniable trait, which will certainly divide viewers into two predictably opposing sides.

For those who didn’t appreciate the simplicity and silly fun of Godzilla vs. Kong, it won’t be The New Empire that will win you over, quite the opposite. But for those who simply crave this kind of cheap entertainment, get ready to receive everything you asked for and then some. That said, there’s indeed a central theme of parenthood. Whether through Kong’s loneliness in the Hollow Earth and his search for family or through the previously established mother-daughter relationship between Dr. Ilene Andrews (Hall) and Jia (Kaylee Hottle), Wingard dips his toes into this always interesting topic but evidently never turns the spotlight to a potential character study or thematic arc.

The cast doesn’t have much room to shine dramatically, but Stevens is the comedic standout. Portraying Trapper, an adventurous “veterinarian” oozing coolness, the actor seizes every second of screen time to charm the audience with his natural charisma and exceptional comedic timing. His perfect chemistry with Henry is even funnier, eliciting several laughs from the viewers. Obviously, Hall clearly carries the most “weight on her shoulders” – or even Hottle, honestly – but the supporting actors are an occasional breath of fresh air that’s welcome.

Regarding everything else, Junkie XL and Antonio Di Iorio’s score contains the required powerful sound for these types of giant clashes, despite some oddly placed needle drops. Once, it’s acceptable; multiple times, it starts to become annoying. The main titanic antagonist doesn’t possess as much menacing presence as other monsters we’ve seen in the past, but it serves its purpose well, also due to a greater narrative effort to add some sentimental value to the final battle. All in all, I received exactly what I anticipated from a movie that doesn’t take itself seriously and doesn’t try to be more than what it really is.

In Conclusion

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a “more” version of the previous installment. More Hollow Earth, more Titans, more gloriously giant fights filled with fantastic visual effects… and much more nonsense too. Through an openly absurd narrative, Adam Wingard takes the charm and chemistry of his cast to help focus the film’s main spotlight on the titanic protagonists, Godzilla and Kong, delivering two hours of pure, unadulterated entertainment. It won’t convert the most skeptical, but it will certainly solidify the unashamed passion of MonsterVerse fans.

7/10

Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.