Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is the fifth film in Warner Bros’ MonsterVerse, the inexplicably popular franchise involving cinema’s two biggest beasts. This latest episode has already been a hit, but like it’s predecessors it’s mostly forgettable.
Returning to Hollow Earth, the underground dimension from the last film, Kong and Godzilla must team up to stop a new tribe of giant apes and a titan from wreaking havoc on the surface world.
That’s about as much plot as the script allows, spending the first act shovelling exposition until they are allowed to give the screen over to a colourful monster mash. The action is entertaining, and the effects are impressive, but that’s all the film has to offer. The beleaguered human cast are wasted looking up at their CGI castmates, with Rebecca Hall’s titan expert explaining every step, while a returning Brian Tyree Henry cracks jokes along with newbie Dan Stevens.
In some ways, would be ridiculous to expect anything more. The American takes on Godzilla have always traded on action over subtext, and previous film Godzilla Vs Kong was a crowd pleaser that overcame a shallow plot with huge beasts tearing it up in a neon city. There’s nothing wrong with mindless spectacle, but after five movies it’s beginning to repeat itself. Director Adam Wingard, who broke through with 2014 thriller The Guest, delivers a trailer friendly product that makes a lot of noise but leaves no impression.
It doesn’t help that Godzilla X Kong arrives just a few months after Godzilla Minus One, the latest Japanese Godzilla that reminded audiences of just how powerful these movies can be. By comparison, these low IQ American cousins offer little more than Hollywood spectacle.