‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’: Everything You Want And Crave In An Epic Cinematic Battle Of The Titans
Photo from Warner Bros. Discovery
From Joe Peltzer
Maybe I am just a sucker for CGI monsters battling it out on the biggest screen possible, or maybe Adam Wingard’s mashups of Godzilla and King Kong are just that great. It’s probably a mix of both given that Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire plastered a consistent two hour smile on my face during what amounts to an an exhilarating blast and crowd-pleaser from start to finish.
After battling it out in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, the two titans find themselves here in their respective homes, Godzilla above the surface and Kong below in Hollow Earth. When the giant atomic swimming champion himself starts to seemingly be preparing himself for an unknown threat, and with readings from Hollow Earth causing electromagnetic chaos and energy bursts, the two find themselves on a path to reunification in order to ultimately save the world from an ancient menace. From the very start of The New Empire, Wingard makes it clear that this is very much a story about the titans and that the human story will be taking a backseat (even more so than usual). We spend the majority of the film with Kong as he discovers previously uncharted areas of his home while Godzilla traverses the globe, sucking up energy wherever he can (a nuclear reactor, another titan… just another day). Each scene with the two behemoths, however, is utterly engrossing and just a spectacle to behold, flush with crisp CGI, beautiful scenery, and a pitch-perfect score from the returning Junkie XL. Not to mention, some of the classic tunes injected into the soundtrack are absolute bops.
Returning human players Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), Jia (Kayla Hottle), and Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) are joined by the loose-flowing, energetic, and hilarious Trapper (Dan Stevens) in a subplot that actually turns out to be quite creative. The development of Jia’s character, utilizing her backstory as an orphaned Iwi girl and the last of her tribe, is the puzzle piece that drives much of the story’s development in The New Empire. It leads to not only a solid performance from the heart of these films,Hottle, but tender moments between her and on-screen mom Hall (who is always a consistently great performer). Bringing Stevens in provided a natural compliment to Tyree Henry’s hilarious performance as the conspiracy theorist podcaster (who, as we’re reminded, helped save the world in the last film), leading to well-earned chuckles via their banter. Sure, the “human story” takes a back seat, but this is a Godzilla and Kong movie after all.
Godzilla vs. Kong laid the foundation for why these two titans would even interact, flush with a lot of setup and tying up of loose ends from Godzilla: King of Monsters and Kong: Skull Island. It is that films delicate balance of all involved that allows Wingard to simply go nuts with an unrivaled battle spectacle that takes the action and ratchets it up to the max setting. Not only do we get the expected final conflict (which is flush with pure destruction and satisfying… fight choreography?), but we get creatures galore throughout that both fit the plot and scratch that itch of monster mayhem. Skar King? Terrifying and, although a bit Planet of the Apes looking, a cool addition (same with Shimo). Through it all, Wingard continues to imbue stunning emotional moments with both Godzilla and Kong (especially the latter), overcoming the lack of dialogue between CGI characters with facial expressions, grunts, and focus on the eyes. Anger, compassion, humor, hurt… it’s all there. A prime example is the ongoing interaction between Kong and Baby Kong. Is it silly? Yes. Is it adorable and charming? You betcha.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a “check your worries at the door” blockbuster that invites you to sit back and have a good time. It delivers on just about every front, as best as a film about giant monsters fighting without regard to life and property can. This is the ultimate popcorn flick flushed with solid roots that could sustain more of the same for sequels to come. This film makes it clear, without a shadow of a doubt, that Adam Wingard is the master of the MonsterVerse, indeed his “new empire.” and all roads should rightfully lead through him.
Rating: 4.5/5
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire hits theaters this Friday.
