Legendary Pictures has released their latest addition of the MonsterVerse franchise with the American monster film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which I must say veers into a different approach when it comes to telling the story of giant beast, focusing on the spectacle of these Titans engaging in destructive combat as well as working together to take on equally larger than life foes.
I most enjoyed the moments where Godzilla and Kong were on screen, especially since their communication is left open to interpretation and it’s easy to just have fun with imagining what the titans are saying to each other. Kong’s first fight with the group of apes had me laughing as I was not expecting Kong to swing another ape around as a weapon.
This time around, I didn’t care as much for the human characters, however I do appreciate the continuity, and did feel my heart soften by the end of the film as a certain storyline wrapped up nicely. Overall, I came into this film looking for action-packed monster fights, which the film eventually delivers. There are smaller conflicts throughout the film that feel rushed through, as mere footnotes in the storyline to help progress the plot to where it needs to be for a final fight to occur.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire feels like a natural progression for the film series, following up from Godzilla vs. Kong, but leaves room on the table for more, however it will be up to fans to decide if they want more or not. One thing that I noticed was that it did not feel as tied to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters as it could be for better or for worse as a missed opportunity.
Catch Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in theaters March 29, 2024.
