Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Director: Adam Wingard
Cast: Kaylee Hottle, Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Brian Tyree Henry
Genre: Action/ Sci-fi
Rating: 5/10
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a very middling attempt at a monster movie. It’s as by the numbers as it can get, complete with startling new revelations that startle nobody.
The movie, like all previous MonsterVerse entries, is packed to the brim with technical exposition. While that was fun in the earlier movies, it just feels boring this time around mainly because we learn nothing new.
Another gimmick the filmmakers use to convey the real world is letting the monsters demolish known landmarks. Rome is ruined, Godzilla takes a nap inside the Colosseum, the Pyramids of Giza are torn down and the beaches of Rio de
Janeiro are destroyed.
But none of this really makes the audience sympathise with anyone in the movie because the filmmakers don’t spend any time showing us the after-effects of these attacks.
The characters in the movie are also cliched. Brian Tyree Henry is the nerdy comedic relief, Rebecca Hall is the concerned mother, and Dan Stevens is the most egregious example of the manic pixie dream guy I’ve ever seen. He even has the Hawaii shirt to prove it. Don’t get me wrong, all of the cast did commendable jobs in their roles. It’s just that their roles weren’t all that great to begin with.
The inclusion of sign language in the movie is a nice touch though. It provides a different aspect that isn’t usually seen in such movies.
The plot has somehow become even more convoluted since the last movie.
Not only is there a hollow earth, but there’s a subterranean realm underneath that too. Along with this new development, the movie also tries to establish a lot more mythology related to the monsters. But the thing is, nobody really cares about any of this.
We don’t feel connected to any part of the movie mainly because they focus too much on the monsters - and not on the humans.
It’s not all bad news though. The CGI and action in this movie are top-notch, as always. The fight scenes are well-choreographed, especially those between the monkeys!
Verdict: A lacklustre movie that’s better suited for home viewing on any OTT platform than at the theatre.
Rating: 5/10
- By Deviprasad Nair
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