Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Movie Review – Squashing Both Cities and Negativities

There have been plenty of Kaiju-based films over the years, ever since the original Godzilla film aired in 1954. Moreover, the King of the Monsters has been featured in many films over the same period. With the creation of the MonsterVerse centred around Monarch and the release of Godzilla (2015), we’ve again had the pleasure (or displeasure) of seeing the most iconic Kaiju do battle time and time again. In the latest instalment, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sees him team up with Kong for another battle to save the planet.

RELATED: Godzilla Minus One Would Never Have Worked With An English Dub

In 2023, the MonsterVerse universe expanded beyond the big screen with the release of the Monarch series. The series provided a glimpse into the everyday lives of people affected by the Titan battles with the fallout of destruction left in their path.

Additionally, it offered a more story-driven approach, exploring more of the human element involved in the universe, which we rarely see on the big screen. Although there aren’t as many titanic battles, it occasionally throws in a few thrills, creating a good balance between the two dynamics.

2023 also saw the release of Godzilla: Minus One. It also showcased the difference in approach from the MonsterVerse franchise. It, too, focused on the narrative over and above the gigantic battles.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire throws all that out the window. It aims, almost single-mindedly, to provide an all-out action adventure, leaving little room for rest between the action or any deep story behind it. That’s not entirely bad either, as it doesn’t hide what it is or aims to be more than that. It delivers an almost breathless amount of action across its 1h55m runtime and is in good measure.

RELATED: The MonsterVerse’s Final Boss Is Already Obvious

You’ll be sorely disappointed if you’re looking for a story-driven blockbuster in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The film is sometimes predictable and cringeworthy, leaving much to be desired regarding its dialogue.

That being said, there is a bit of a story to get through – a little in the way of the many action scenes. Kong continues his search for companionship in the newly-discovered Hollow Earth. After an extended period of coming up empty-handed, Kong is lured into yet another hidden layer of the Earth’s crust, where he encounters a group of giant apes. Unfortunately, his fellow apes live under the rule of a tyrannical leader who also has control of the mighty Titan, seeking to find a gateway to Earth’s surface.

I spent the first 20-30 minutes waiting for things to pick and being highly critical of the film’s first chapter, coming across as a student project rather than a big-budget feature. However, I slowly grew into it with each passing action sequence, choosing to forget most of the fluff around the iconic battles.

And this time around, it’s a no-holds-barred affair, with the consequences of giant monsters fighting, looking and feeling the part. Large parts of cities and surrounding infrastructure are flattened in the wake of each appearance of the Titans. At times, it can feel a bit too dramatic, but it feels far more realistic compared to the first few films, which isolate some of the destruction to smaller regions.

RELATED: How Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Could Reignite the Flailing MonsterVerse

In addition to the all-action blockbuster directed by Adam Wingard, there are a few other positives worth mentioning in the film. A favourite from the first Kong film, Kaylee Hottle returns as Jia with much more screentime and substance to her role. The deaf actress has been a great addition to the cast, not simply as a matter of diversity but adding a new dynamic to Kong’s relationship with humans and bringing a level of emotion missing from many of the other cast.

Irrespective of what the movie journalists may think of the film, first impressions from movie-goers at premieres worldwide have indicated positive ratings. Fans leaned into the film thanks to its action-packed make-up.

What makes this even more impressive with the latest instalment in the MonsterVerse franchise is that it’s also the lowest-budgeted film, with around $135 million spent to bring the feature to the big screen. That’s relatively modest regarding blockbuster films, especially for those shot for IMAX. There’s already talk of its earnings potentially being higher than the previous instalments, which is good news for fans looking for it to extend beyond its latest entry. I can’t see how much further the franchise can take with its tag-team wrestling dynamic already pushing its limits.