Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
When it comes to Kaiju films, why do we all rush out to the theater? Is it to witness the destruction, mayhem and epic fights on the biggest screen possible with the best sound? Is it the environmental message they sometimes hold in the seams of its story? Is it the lore or is it the interpersonal story of the returning characters of the franchise as new loveable ones get introduced? Am I really serious about the human story question? We run to see the titans we love fight other monsters and save the world. Nobody really cares for the human story even if it is somewhat sweet and adds a level of relatability. At least these films from the beginning knew what they are and don't overstep their bounds. This franchise started off about the humans and wisely switched focused to the titans and their enemies. That is the promise that is fulfilled in every frame of this film with the characters delivering the exposition to keep the viewers on track of what's going and how it all makes sense.
Rebecca Hall returns as Dr. Ilene Andrews and she delivers a serviceable performance. She is just about the same as she was in the past film, but this time she was more about the adventure than just the science. Kaylee Hottle also returns as Jia and she continues to have the most heartfelt scenes with Kong. As her Dr. Andrews' adopted daughter, there was a genuine chemistry between them and it was the heartwarming if not cheesy. Bryan Tyree Henry returns as the loveable extremist and podcaster, Bernie Hayes. He hasn't skipped a beat with the amount of manic energy and comedic timing in every scene he's in. Dan Stevens was a fun and delightful addition to the troupe as Trapper. He was a full on hippy dentist that's just there for the adventure and flirtatious energy between and him and Dr. Andrews. Alex Ferns was cool the standard military dude Mikael, but he still has a fun and strong presence. Now the real stars of the film take center stage and I loved every second of their scenes. Kong was truly a badass and I loved that we get to see him be a shade of that classic 80's action hero that’s a smart, no nonsense leader and is for defending other apes like him. There is a smaller red ape that Kong meets and I had a huge fear that this kid was there just to sale toys, but he has his purpose and ultimately becomes useful. Godzilla was a destructive force that was truly on a mission this time around. It seemed everytime you saw him on screen, he was throwing down with another titan or just getting annoyed by the humans attacking him when he's simply preparing for an upcoming battle. I loved it anyway and liked that his new resting place. When Kong and Godzilla meet again, it was hilarious, fun and awesome once they actually team up. The new villain of the franchise, the Skar King, was sort of weak, but formidable.
The score by Tom Holkenborg and Antonio Di Iorio was good and bombastic and as epic as you'd want it to be. I really loved the mixture of 80’s synth and how it gave it that somewhat fantasy feel. The last 30 minutes of the film is where it adds to the chaos happening. Like I said before, you came to see our favorite titans take on a new villain while destroying everything in their path. While yes there are humans in the story, they were just there to keep us on track with the plot so we don't get bored. This film delivered on that promise and I was thoroughly entertained and you will be too. It may not be the best film of the year, but it was a massive and action one for sure. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
