Released: 29th March 2024 (UK and US)
Length: 115 Minutes
Certificate: 12A
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle and Alex Ferns
For the last decade, the Monsterverse from Legendary Pictures has been one of the few cinematic universes to find success outside of the superhero scene. Following some critical missteps, the long-awaited Godzilla vs Kong finally found its feet by delivering exactly what it said on the tin without the tiny humans getting in the way. Now Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire continues that trend with a serviceable outing.
Following their confrontation, Godzilla and King Kong have claimed their respective territories on Earth; the former serves as an inadvertent protector for humanity and the latter yearns for more simian companionship. Hidden even deeper than Kong’s home in the Hollow Earth, a new threat from his own kind emerges, one that will take the combined strength of him and Godzilla to overcome. Adam Wingard returns to direct The New Empire and the focus is evenly split between three main threads. On the surface, Godzilla takes on other titanic monsters while increasing his nuclear power. In the hollow Earth, a small band of humans uncover a hidden civilization and below that, Kong stumbles on a band of apes enslaved by another King who is just as strong as he is. Despite adding more plot threads than previous films, The New Empire succeeds at pushing all of them forward without tipping the scales; between some straightforward human drama and the gargantuan clash of titans, the pace and structure is very efficient. There is one downside on the way through and that’s the increased exposition; GXK introduces a group of ancient humans on the way through and this leads to several pauses where the characters explain the backstory which can become tiresome. Of course, the ultimate monster mash-up is saved for last. It’s an enjoyable climax that does tip into bloated territory with the addition of one monster who acts as a mediator. This inclusion felt very rushed, a quick bid to form one more connection with the human cast.
Staying true to Godzilla vs Kong, the small group we stick with is simple yet effective with another rotation of characters. None of their quirks become too overbearing and they play an active role in the monster battles as time goes on. Rebecca Hall and Kaylee Hottle deliver a solid mother and daughter bond with the young Jia communicating only through sign language; it’s a good follow-up to her role in the previous film. Bryan Tyree Henry and Dan Stevens offer up some comic relief while also having their own parts to play in the journey; Trapper is easily the most active character of the bunch, assisting Kong with a new metal tooth and later an augmented arm. Much like the last film, none of the characters are very deep, but they don’t need to be in this context. The only performance of the group that doesn’t engage is the Scotsman Harris, played by Ron Smyck. His attitude and personality were rather stereotypical across a short appearance.
The gargantuan action scenes are also impressive, though the shift to sci-fi fantasy is very apparent. You’ll immediately notice the change in perspective; the world itself has now eclipsed the monsters when it comes to scale. Both Kong and Godzilla are often viewed from greater draw distances to the point they resemble human characters, though luckily the camera does pull back whenever the two worlds are on-screen together. There is still plenty of over-the-top technology involved, especially when we first journey to the hollow Earth with an eye-popping transition sequence set to Golden Earring’s “Twilight Zone” (epileptics be forewarned). Taking some cues from older monster movies, The New Empire spends a lot of time giving Kong more emotions, especially when interacting with a smaller monkey. These moments are very effective, relying on some detail computer effects that match the overall tone. The soundtrack is suitably epic and weighty, once again matching the rumbles on display.
Continuing on smoothly from its predecessor, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire delivers the same rip-roaring destruction, albeit with a bit more exposition and a tacked on element or two at the climax. If you’ve been following the Monsterverse from the beginning, this entry will deliver exactly what you’re looking for while successfully balancing out its plot threads and characters.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)