Godzilla & Kong: The New Empire review: monster overdose

WITH Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire, The MonsterVerse is finally returning to the big screen. Although it seems recent, the latest film in the saga was released in 2021. Since then, only the game series has been released. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV+ and anime series Skull Island on Netflix. But giant monsters should be in their natural habitat – the movie theater. And for this reason, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. found a new way to bring back the most famous creatures of the seventh art to viewers.

Story Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire picks up the end of the previous part. That is, after the victory Mechagodzilla, Kong moved to Hollow Earth while Godzilla He stayed on the surface to avoid more problems between them after this particular union. Now the monkey finds himself very alone in the land of monsters that lies beneath the earth’s crust. However, he will soon be faced with a formidable threat that he will have to deal with. Meanwhile, The King of the Titans seems to sense what is happening in the Hollow Earth and begins to react strangely.

Dehumanization

At first glance, what is striking in the synopsis is that the focus is on Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire is entirely focused on the two main characters. So far, one of the elements that has always weighed heavily on the MonsterVerse has been the human aspect. All the films attempted to mix the drama experienced by humans with the actions of monsters. Sometimes it worked out well, as in vengeful Kong: Skull Island. But most of the time they were the least interesting part of the entire film.

It looks like the studio has learned its lesson. This does not mean that it completely gets rid of people. They are there Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Stevens and small Kaylee Hottle. They’re not an ingredient you can do without, as evidenced by the best giant monster movies in cinematic history. But finally, in the saga its meaning is much more diffuse.

In reality, they are just a narrative tool to promote stories about Godzilla and above all, Kong. And this is very much appreciated. There are small attempts to emphasize his storylines, but at the end of the film one gets the feeling that they were something merely tangential and utilitarian. This is a giant gorilla who bears the entire dramatic weight of what is happening on his shoulders. Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire.

Behind its monumental growth lies a story of nostalgia, the desire to find one’s place in the world, and the loss of home. He is also shown to be a purely malevolent adversary who acts as a badass counterpart. They managed to push the beast one step further. Unfortunately, they still cannot find the same key for Godzilla that although he exists, his history is very vague and also of little importance. Although it’s always nice to see him destroy everything in his path.

Add more monsters!

Another very noticeable change Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire is the evolution of the MonsterVerse itself over the years. The saga began as the aforementioned human stories that came face to face with legendary monsters. But now, finally, disgust and prejudice have been cast aside, giving free rein to what these films should be. Already in the previous feed Godzilla Vs. Kongnot only did both giant protagonists come together, but also Mechagodzilla. And also in Godzilla: King of the Monsters Many kaiju appeared. But this is a step forward.

As the footage progresses, more and more monsters, fantastical or even horrific creatures appear. From the first scene of the film, the intentions are crystal clear. No more fear of putting all your meat on the grill. True essence Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire He puts monsters on the board to such an extent that everything becomes a very interesting holiday, intoxicated with itself. A B-category film with completely crazy ideas in the best senses and a multi-million dollar budget. A great success that will brighten the day for fans of this kind of cinema.

Every detail is in its place

The key is to realize that the film is nothing more than surreal bugs knocking each other left and right. Once the pretense of anything else is removed, the film can be enjoyed. The pace is very fast, things don’t stop happening because you don’t have to even half think about what you’re seeing. There is chaos, there is destruction and there is action galore. You just need to turn off your brain and let yourself get carried away by this popcorn spectacle.

In addition, a classic adventure movie component is included, bringing the film squaring the circle full circle. Enough Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire takes place in Hollow Earth. A place that opens your eyes Kong, on the one hand, and people, on the other. Director Adam Wingard baby from films and novels like Lost World, Jumanji And up to Indiana Jones. He has a great time showing the secluded corners of the unexplored jungle, where new dangers appear at every turn.

Finally, it is necessary to mention once again about a good visual apparatus Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire. Despite the obvious casual and almost absurd tone, often with creepy and hooligan humor, the effects and monster design are of the highest level. The company knows that this franchise is one of its best assets and that’s why they allocate huge budgets for each new installment to attract people to the theaters. By no means does it achieve perfection Kong: Skull Islandexcels in this aspect thanks to the excellent photography, but it is more than worthy of a look.

Definitely, Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire This is a sublimation of the idea hidden in the MonsterVerse. A very exciting event where fans of monster movies will find themselves very comfortable. Serie A has the look of a great blockbuster, full of stratospherically huge creatures, lots of action and crazy and hilariously funny ideas. A pure self-aware popcorn show in which, finally, people don’t matter. It’s all an overdose of kaiju and gorillas.

Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire premieres at March 27 in theaters.