Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
The new installment in the Monsterverse puts the mighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal deadly threat hidden within our world that threatens the existence of their species and our very own, as well as diving deep into the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond. Delving straight into the origins of Hollow Earth, this film will explore the ancient Titan battle that brought man and monster together forever.
Ted Cart reviewedMarch 9, 2025
TL;DR: I expected to watch 5 minutes then stayed for 2 hours.
This movie is FUN - lots of FUN - pure and simple. It knows what it is and it delivers. Plot holes? You bet! Look, do you want epic monster fights or not? Cuz they got some REAL good monster fights, like, with pathos and kick-ass fight choreography. The monsters carry a proper sense of weight but still do some anime-worthy epic kicks and punches. Buildings are fodder, we're clearly not worried about damage to the city(s) - Godzilla is mad! Kong needs help!
The plot is a carousel of trope after trope and it's BEAUTIFUL. Every plot point states plainly, "This story is not original because that isn't why you're here" and yet the story engaged me anyway - not because of the characters but because you never know what trope is coming next. Every plot beat is a cliche, but which cliche is next?! This movie somehow understands and demonstrates clearly this style of storytelling is valid entertainment.
And even though the script is more concerned with monster fights than humanity the actors f***ing nailed it! Perfect blockbuster, easy cheesy character arcs really CAN make you smile, almost like embracing these predictable moments without irony is enough to carry you along. It's also super-efficient about people explaining a monster's motive before brushing them aside (sometimes literally) to get back to the spectacle on which this movie unabashedly prides itself.
Kick back and enjoy the ride!