Each of the recent kaiju films produced by Legendary Pictures has taken a unique approach, and "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" upholds this tradition. This film serves as a direct sequel to 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong," a straightforward narrative inspired by the 1962 Toho Studios classic "King Kong vs. Godzilla," which featured a confrontation between the iconic lizard and ape before uniting them against a mechanical adversary. However, instead of merely replicating this formula in "The New Empire," returning director Adam Wingard, along with his two co-writers, presents a more disjointed and occasionally self-aware storyline, interweaving various action sequences across multiple settings that culminate in a grand confrontation involving numerous creatures.
From an artistic standpoint, this installment is the most inconsistent within the current MonsterVerse, lacking the unified and distinctive atmosphere that characterized its predecessors. These include the 2014 "Godzilla" (essentially "Close Encounters of the Godzilla Kind"), "Kong: Skull Island" (a surreal take on Vietnam films), "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (the first collaborative entry, infused with family drama), and Wingard's original, delightfully absurd Godzilla-Kong film, which drew inspiration from 1960s exploration science fiction like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and 1980s Hong Kong and American action-comedy films, where the protagonists must engage in a fistfight before joining forces against a formidable foe.
Rebecca Hall portrays anthropologist Ilene Andrews, who takes center stage as she cares for her adoptive daughter, Jia (Kaylie Hottle). Ilene is on a quest to decipher the link between enigmatic energy pulses detected by the Monarch Project's monster-monitoring technology and the chaotic drawings that Jia has been creating on school desks and scrap paper. With assistance from muckraker and conspiracy podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry), a returning character from the previous film, they uncover a theory reminiscent of the "Close Encounters with Godzilla" concept. This theory suggests that their experiences represent a combination of a distress signal and a forewarning of an impending disaster. As hinted in trailers and promotional content, there exists a hidden civilization of colossal, Kong-like primates confined within an uncharted area of Hollow Earth, conspiring to escape and seize control of the surface world. Their leader is a brutal and scarred tyrant who enslaves his own kind for a mining operation in a nightmarish volcanic cavern, a setting that indicates the filmmakers have drawn inspiration from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire 2024 Watch on 123films
As a long-time supporter of this franchise, it is with regret that I must convey that "Godzilla x Kong" lacks coherence, failing to build momentum before abruptly shifting to other scenes. In comparison, "King of the Monsters" appears to maintain a singular focus. Furthermore, this installment is burdened with excessive and clumsy exposition aimed at ensuring the audience comprehends every detail at all times, even more so than its predecessors. The confrontations are exhilarating and often exceptionally choreographed, particularly the climactic battle, which features multiple monsters and a flurry of other creatures in the background. The live-action and motion capture performances are largely commendable, despite the subpar dialogue and director Adam Wingard's tendency to hastily navigate through sequences and relationships that could have been remarkable if given the necessary time to develop.
Dan Stevens brings a charming yet somewhat ridiculous flair to the cast. He portrays a daring, poetry-loving ex-boyfriend of Ilene, known for being the first and only kaiju veterinarian. His introduction is quite the spectacle, as he descends into Kong’s mouth from a hovercraft to remove an abscessed tooth. (While I’m not sure if it was Shakespeare or Freud who claimed that a man with a toothache cannot be in love, this film suggests that a giant ape with a toothache is unable to protect the world above.) Stevens shares a genuine chemistry with Henry, whose lines often feel spontaneous, even if they aren’t. There are moments when it seems they might burst into laughter and ruin a scene. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t fully capitalize on their dynamic to create something truly unforgettable.
Kong’s bond with a wide-eyed, mischievous young ape he encounters in Hollow Earth represents a significant missed opportunity. The scenes we do see are brought to life by talented motion capture artists and imaginative FX teams. This younger ape, essentially a mistreated child, displays treachery, selfishness, and cowardice due to his upbringing in a cult. Now, he finds a positive role model in Kong, a rugged, solitary figure who, despite being an orphan himself and lacking parental guidance, shows the young ape patience and kindness, even when it’s undeserved, helping him grow into a better creature. Adam Sandler has told similar stories before. In this context, it reflects the relationship between Ilene and Jia—where Jia reconnects with her roots while Ilene grapples with the sadness of potentially being outgrown. Two adoptive parents face different challenges, yet the core narrative remains the same: so much potential was left untapped.
1. On the downside: The creature designs generated by the computer appear more cartoonish compared to earlier films. Additionally, the screenplay introduces the genuinely menacing and charismatic villain, Skar King, too late in the story, missing the opportunity for him and Kong to develop their rivalry, unlike the previous film's exploration of Kong and Godzilla's dynamic. It's intriguing to see Kong's moral framework unfold, especially when contrasted with his sinister counterpart, a boastful villain reminiscent of a Gary Oldman character from the '90s. Kong's victory should have felt like a meaningful triumph of goodness over tyranny, rather than just ticking narrative boxes.
The film could have benefited from more scenes featuring the apes, as that's where the emotional impact lies. It seems the movie doesn't fully grasp its own strength. A more thoughtfully structured film might have prioritized the vividly depicted apes and their human companions, potentially sidelining Godzilla, who mainly serves as a chaotic element that the film frequently cuts to simply because of the title. However, he does have some standout moments, like executing a pro-wrestling suplex on an opponent and curling up in the Roman Colosseum as if it were a giant dog bed.
If you appreciate the adventurous spirit that the Legendary Pictures monster franchise has adopted so far, there’s still a lot to enjoy here. However, it shouldn’t have felt like a treasure hunt to find those moments.