‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ Review
If you’re looking for a fun popcorn movie, this is it. If you’re looking for something with a solid plot, this isn’t it.
The last showdown between Titans Godzilla and Kong in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) almost finished Kong. Godzilla isn’t called King of the Monsters for nothing. However, when they found a common enemy, they combined forces and destroyed Mechagodzilla. In Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Godzilla and Kong reunite to take on a hidden foe that threatens them, Hollow Earth, and all of humanity. If you’re looking for a fun popcorn movie, this is it. If you’re looking for something with a solid plot, this isn’t it.
The movie opens with Kong being chased by some Hollow Earth creatures. He’s running and jumping in slow motion like an action star. He’s suffering from a bad tooth ache and is lonely in his new home. When he goes back above ground in Barbados at a Monarch headquarters, charming Trapper (Dan Stevens) attends to his tooth, while Ilene (Rebecca Hall) and Jia (Kaylee Hottle) wonder what else is going on. Jia has been drawing figures that match graphs that track Skull Island and Godzilla. Ilene enlists the aid of conspiracy theorist podcaster Bernie Hayes, played with great comic timing by Brian Tyree Henry. Bernie tags along with them when they decide to go to Skull Island and monster hunting hijinks ensue.
Once on Skull Island, they discover why Godzilla has been going around soaking up all the nuclear energy that he can. Kong discovers this threat before them, battling as the alpha monster that he is. He doesn't come out of it unscathed, though, and Tapper gets to try Project Powerhouse out on him, with winning results.
When it’s finally time for the Titans to team up, we’re treated to Dayglo Titans, including Godzilla. Some of the fights are nail biting but what this movie suffers from is too many monsters in the Monsterverse and not enough story. By about halfway through, the movie feels rushed. What made Godzilla vs. Kong so engaging was that the storyline was focused. You had the mega-titans butting heads, then combining forces to take down a threat to them and the world. This time, the way the story unfolds is a bit messy.
In Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) the focus is on Godzilla and his Titans, foes and allies. In Kong: Skull Island,(2017), the focus is on Kong, his habitat, and where he fits in the Monsterverse. In Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Kong is the emotional center of the story, but Godzilla gets very little screen time. After the recent success of Godzilla Minus One (2023), Godzilla is in demand. Screenwriters Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater unfortunately don’t give the fiercest kaiju enough story.
Director Adam Wingard and cinematographer Ben Seresin (World War Z) follow up their collaboration on Godzilla vs. Kong with this. Most of the cinematography is stunning, as well as Tom Hammock’s production design. But some of the visual effects don’t look as clean and effective as those in Godzilla vs. Kong. Antonio Di Iorio and Tom Holkenborg’s score is sweeping and pulsating, particularly underscoring the fight scenes.
This is a serviceable entry into the Monsterverse as long as you go in just wanting to enjoy yourself. Like the early Godzilla films, this is about the battles and introducing fearsome foes.
This Warner Bros. release hits theaters on March 29, 2024.
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Sonya Alexander started off her career training to be a talent agent. She eventually realized she was meant to be on the creative end and has been writing ever since. As a freelance writer she’s written screenplays, covered film, television, music and video games and done academic writing. She’s also been a script reader for over twenty years. She's a member of the African American Film Critics Association and currently resides in Los Angeles.
