Ever since the Marvel Cinematic Universe dawned upon cinemas other companies have attempted similar feats with their franchises. Some died on arrival, such as the Dark Universe, and others lost their way such as the DC Extended Universe. There has been another consistent cinematic universe and that one has been the MonsterVerse. The MonsterVerse didn’t have a plan at the beginning with Godzilla back in 2014, and it was when Kong: Skull Island came out in 2017 that their worlds began to merge. It is a surprise that the results have been pretty good. The Godzilla sequel was impressive and then the Godzilla vs Kong did well despite COVID getting in the way. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a continuation of the previous film and it is equally as fun and entertaining.
The rules of this universe has been set, the tone is also set and the familiarity of this world is sinking in. This is very helpful as you can easily prepare yourself for what to expect, a bit like with the Fast and Furious franchise. This is a film about big apes battling big lizards, there is a sense of lightness and silliness but it captures that spirit and essence and runs with it. Despite the film having Godzilla and Kong in the title it appears that the central character of the film is Kong. Godzilla is in it and he plays an important part but I do feel like he could have been used more. Both of these characters are pitted against another big ape and big lizard within the Hollow Earth, which is a world under ours as it was explained in the previous film. The action sequences and globe-trotting elements are fantastic and the film does move along quickly too, making the film flow well and feel non-stop, maintaining its own momentum.
Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla both handled the human aspects of the story just as well as the monster aspects of the story. Since then however the human characters have been mismanaged and sidelined, which makes sense considering audiences are paying to see these titans attack and kill each other. Only a few select characters from the franchise return with Brian Tyree Henry returning as Bernie, a conspiracy podcaster, as well as Rebecca Hall and Kaylee Hottle as Dr. Andrews and Jia, the key characters of this film. Dan Stevens is a scene stealer, when it comes to the humans at least, as Trapper who is a veterinarian for these titans. The film does attempt to explore more of the mythology with these titans and the human characters are here to help expand this universe as opposed to deepen it. It’s a minor flaw, but it is worth mentioning for those who do want a more grounded film. This is not that kind of film.
From Godzilla sleeping in an ancient coliseum to an epic showdown in Egypt, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sure knows how to keep us entertained. The film is colourful, and the IMAX scenes certainly startle and immerse you. The visual effects are also very well done, it is just a shame the film relies very heavily on them. I do miss the human perspective shots of these monsters in the earlier films, but the scale since then has increased and audiences do prefer to see more of the monsters so it makes sense to lose the focus a little on these elements. Fans of these titans and of their legacy will love and gain something out of the film, but for those wanting more will sadly not gain anything new from this latest blockbuster feature film.
★★★☆☆
3/5
Final Verdict:
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a film that goes bigger and bolder, like every other sequel these days. It is entertaining and the tone and style of these films now have a sense of consistency. You know what to expect and what you get is certainly what you pay for. Both Godzilla and King Kong have their presences felt throughout the film, more so with Kong and less with Godzilla. The human aspect of the film is lacking, but the expansion of the monolithic mythology kind of makes up for it. It is a film that fans will enjoy and it is the perfect film to kick off the spring blockbuster season.
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Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions