By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
The fifth installment of the Monsterverse franchise has arrived in explosive fashion. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” gives audiences exactly what they expect and nothing more. Monstrous titans clashing and pulverizing beautiful cities in their wake will appeal to fans of these kaiju, while a very weak storyline and bland characters will turn away others.
After King Kong was nearly killed by Godzilla in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” the giant ape was relocated to Hollow Earth while Godzilla remains on the surface to patrol and eliminate any additional kaiju threats that appear. Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), monitoring Kong and the Hollow Earth region, discovers a frequency being emitted from deep within the subterranean realm that is also causing strange visions for her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), who happens to be the lone survivor of the mysterious tribe from Skull Island. This also gains the attention of Godzilla, who begins absorbing every bit of nuclear energy he can get his scales on, gearing up for something big.
When Kong uncovers a hidden fiery realm, he crosses paths with an evil giant ape referred to as the Scar King, who rules the land of all giant apes as a tyrant with another titan under his thumb called Shimu, a frost monster with the ability to turn everything to ice with its breath. Injured and severely outnumbered, Kong must rely on help from his human caretakers and unlikely alliances to have a chance at defeating these deadly foes. If it’s not enough to stop this malevolent force, then the entire surface of Earth may be doomed.
Director Adam Wingard, who also directed the previous film “Godzilla vs. Kong,” sticks with a very basic action formula that lacks ingenuity. Think of it like watching WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), where the wrestlers are the monsters, and the combatant rings are populated cities with historical architecture begging to be turned to rubble by these massive beasts. The titans even have their own signature moves and entrance music. That being said, it can be fun watching Godzilla suplex King Kong into the Great Pyramids of Giza or have a royal rumble through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. Wingard throws in some nice touches like introducing a cute mini-Kong as King’s sidekick and having Godzilla support “Barbie” with his brand new pink spinal plating. He even gives Kong a powerup with a mechanized arm attachment that looks like something out of “Transformers” spare parts.
While the fight scenes and destructive force represent some decent eye candy, there is little else that contributes to the entertainment value of this film. Unlike “Godzilla Minus One,” there is very little attention paid to the human characters, clearly making them the undercard to the main event of titan battles. However, Wingard smartly directs a majority of the focus on developing King Kong into a more likeable and relatable character instead of Godzilla, understanding that Godzilla’s reptilian visage makes it virtually impossible for audiences to connect to him. He also makes an effort to explore the lore of the Monsterverse more in depth, which fans of the franchise will appreciate.
With all of the human characters being poorly developed into one-dimensional cutouts, there are very few acting performances that stand out in any meaningful way. In fact, only Brian Tyree Henry delivered a memorable performance as the comic relief. For the most part, his line delivery and timing were natural, creating some opportunities that generate rare moments of laughter.
If giant monster battles and professional wrestling are guilty pleasures of yours, then this film will meet your entertainment expectations. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is a visual spectacle that relies too heavily on boss battles to carry the day. The simplistic plot is entirely predictable with more filmmaking goofs than one can count, but it will be satisfying enough for those looking for brainless fun action.
This movie earns:
