Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Movie Review – This explosive monster rollout is thoroughly entertaining

This explosive monster rollout is thoroughly entertaining

The new Godzilla x Kong film is built on an alliance between the two monsters. However, that part comes very late in the movie, which is enjoyable for large parts nonetheless.

The experience of watching such a big blockbuster in a full theatre has its own charm. Every monster appearance – which by the way, are a lot – is greeted with cheers and a sense of awe. Legendary Pictures have gone out of their way to make this monster fest as focused on its USP as possible.

Hollywood’s unfortunate tradition of minting cash cows until the original premise runs stale always brings such franchises into endangered territory. Godzilla x Kong doesn’t leave much space for an immediate follow-up but the premise for a sequel might still be actionable. While these kinds of films never boast of storylines with heady themes or deep character development, they have esteemed importance in the marketplace.

In The New Empire, Godzilla and Kong are each awakened by a mysterious signal that calls them to Hollow Earth. Jia, who has always been in the thick of things, plays an important role here. Her meticulous visions and dreams materialize into the familiar human group – Dr Andrews, Bernie, and Trapper – venturing deep within uncharted territory.

Kong and Godzilla’s paths do not meet for the first half where they traverse their journeys alone. While Godzilla goes around various high-power sources to supercharge himself, Kong runs into large apes like himself on Hollow Earth. He comes across Suko, a baby ape while navigating the new geography. Although Suko is initially dismissive and wants to run away, Kong grows on him like a father figure as they get closer to the lair of the Skar King.

All three storylines merge at the Iwi civilisation’s cherished temple in honour of Mothra, who is the third big titan to feature in the film. The humans discover an unfulfilled prophecy that might manifest into a horror show for mankind. Only a strong alliance can stop the inevitable from happening…

The most admirable thing about Godzilla x Kong is its focus. The makers and producers have streamlined the film to completely capture the essence of its cinematic world of mysterious monsters and unfulfilled prophecies. World-building is a crucial facet of storytelling in such projects and the creative team gets it spot on. Ben Seresin, Alessandro Ongaro, and the visual effects squad work in great coordination to mastermind the whiz energy. Hollow Earth is larger than life and more fully visualized than the other movies. It is an organic step forward from the previous films, adding more bite to the overall picture.

The humanization of Kong goes hand in hand with this development. Saddling him with Suko and building the bond between the two gives the titular character emotional maturity. There have always been suggestions of animating him in such a way that he communicates with the audience through gestures and feelings. The New Empire has plenty to offer in that regard in the form of proud smugs and galloping smiles. It is almost as if Kong and Suko break the fourth wall to nag us with their newfound intelligence.

With Godzilla, the dynamic is different. The connection with the audience is much stronger in the case of Kong due to his human-like behaviour. Godzilla, on the other hand, has a more menacing personality and outlook.

In terms of writing, do not expect too many surprises. The format of the storytelling and the structure of the franchise are such that setbacks for our protagonist monsters are momentary. The optimism for them to emerge from those precarious situations is what drives the audience and gives us the adrenaline boost. It is tangibly felt in a full theatre with loud cheers and applause. 

The New Empire does not feature a lot of dialogue, which is indeed one distinction. The role of the cast and the actors is also very limited as they take a backseat to allow the monsters to take centerstage. Even then, the lack of involvement from the Iwi tribe inside HE is disappointing.

Go in with expectations of seeing new monsters wrestle each other with their full might and a lot of breathtaking fighting sequences. The New Empire delivers on that front, which is perhaps the only valid outcome to hope for.

 

Read More: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Ending Explained


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  • Verdict - 6.5/10
    6.5/10
6.5/10

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