Directed by Adam Wingard, Legendary Pictures’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” was released in theaters on March 29, 2024.
In this fifth installment in the franchise, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” tells a story about the two titans facing a new threat hidden deep within the Earth. Dr. Ilene Andrews, played by Rebecca Hall, adopts Jia, played by Kaylee Hottle, from Skull Island and is believed to be the last of her people. With the aid of Godzilla and King Kong, our protagonists work alongside the beasts to defeat the impending doom and protect humanity.
Adam Wingard delivers a generic Hollywood film with a mediocre script and plot. This film is unimaginative with simple dialogue, and instead of paying attention to the screenplay, it overly relies on the kaiju vs kaiju, or giant monster, action. The created prehistoric history within the story arrives unexpectedly, which is confusing for the audience and is never disclosed in the previous films.
With the title of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”, it is ironic how the movie focuses more on King Kong rather than Godzilla. It was as if Godzilla was more of a supporting character, rather than receiving the attention a title character deserves. On the contrary, the visual effects team demonstrates great work on all of the kaiju with a budget of $135 million.
Rebecca Hall’s character is meant to be the leading expert on Godzilla and King Kong. And yet, her character was written as if she was the most clueless and least knowledgeable. Bernie Hayes, played by Brian Tyree Henry, is a conspiracy theorist who somehow knows more about the kaiju than her character, and she has a doctorate. Not only was her character poorly written, but Rebecca Hall did not give a great performance. Her expressions remain consistent throughout the film, even in moments when she’s crying.
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” may have put a damper on the kaiju genre.
However, the 2023 low-budget “Godzilla Minus One”, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, provides hope for the future. This critically acclaimed film adapts Godzilla into a social drama, focusing on the human characters more than the monster itself. With only a budget between $10 to $15 million, their success led them to win the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Godzilla Minus One defies the idea that the kaiju genre possesses capabilities outside of being a standard Hollywood film.
All things considered, these qualities did not support making a compelling story. Instead of spending money to watch this film in theaters, wait until it’s available on streaming services. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” will most likely be available on MAX since it’s distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
