Carl Roberts 
“Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire gives the audience exactly what they came for. A film that is purely and simply escapist, entertaining mayhem.”
The time for talking is over, the wait has ended. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is here. The two leading Titans of the Monsterverse have returned for another bout of monster mayhem. Fans of the franchise have been eagerly awaiting this new chapter in the expanding Monsterverse. After the enjoyment and sheer excitement that was delivered with Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters, and that incredible final shot, hopes were high that this new movie could continue in the same vein. The film follows the same formula that led to split opinions with Godzilla Vs Kong. But can it be better than that film and deliver a spectacle that will have audiences cheering, delivering a knockout, or is it limp and on the canvas, down for the count?
PREMISE
The film follows Godzilla and Kong as they unite together against Skaar & Shimu and also focuses on the previously untold origins of the Titans and Skull Island.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
Fans of the franchise needn’t worry. The Monsterverse continues on in spectacular fashion here. The action comes thick and fast with some highly impressive visual effects and fights between the Titans. Watching the trailers, you’d be mistaken for thinking Kong and Godzilla share an equal amount of screen time. Not so. Whereas the last movie was heavy with Godzilla with Kong playing a supporting role, leading to fans being somewhat unsatisfied, this time, it’s reversed. This is undeniably Kong’s movie, with Godzilla playing a rather diminished role. That’s not to say the giant lizard doesn’t make an impression when he’s on screen. Far from it, he’s a vital cog in a huge wheel. But fans of the Zilla may feel short-changed.
NOD TO THE ORIGINAL FILM
Kong fans, however, will be seventh heaven (or should that be eighth, considering Kong is the eighth wonder of the world)? The King of the Titans has the movie almost to himself. And it works brilliantly. From an opening sequence that pays tribute to the 1933 original movie In Places (you’ll know it when you see it), we are thrust into an adventure that will have the audience in awe. Taking the premise that has worked so well and transforming it into an old-fashioned monster movie such as Journey To The Center Of The Earth, any of the classic Sinbad movies etc, the film builds a world that is ever-increasing. It provides an even bigger sandbox to play in going forward. Considering the majority of the film is set in Hollow Earth, with only a fraction set in our world, the film is never less than engaging.
WORLD BUILDING
Setting the majority of the film in Hollow Earth does wonders for the film. Not only do we get to discover more about it in general, it opens up countless possibilities. With the introduction of new creatures, new friends and enemies for Kong and a threat to both Hollow Earth and the surface world above, the landscape has been extended to encompass everything. The tone at times is slightly predictable, as we have seen similar scenarios in other movies over the years. But despite this, the film does wonderfully in opening up these new avenues. With the introduction of the Skar King and his band of followers, the reveal of Shimu, and the cuddliness of Suko (kids will name him Mini-Kong), the film delivers everything that fans could ask for.
THE HUMAN CAST
Despite there being many monsters throughout the film, it also contains human characters, not that people have come to see them, of course! The returning Rebecca Hall as Dr Ilene Andrews leads the human cast in a role that is strong, empowering, and provides a grounding point for all the mayhem. Acting as a mother figure one minute, a devoted scientist trying to solve problems and get to the bottom of the events the film contains, Rebecca Hall is the anchor that secures the movie when it threatens to float off into the completely ridiculous.
Her character is conflicted, torn at the events surrounding her adopted daughter, Jia. She wants to help her, she wants to protect her. But the age-old question raises its head. When to protect a child from the world and when to let them go, free to make their own mistakes and decisions. Ilene gets to wrestle with this alongside the fate of the two worlds we see.
DAN STEVENS
Dan Stevens as Trapper joins the cast for the new movie. A typically upbeat, know-it-all Brit, Trapper is the glue that has to hold everything together, whether it’s to be a calming hand to Brian Tyree Henry’s returning Bernie Hayes or acting as Kong’s dentist (don’t ask, just watch!), Stevens is never anything other than fun, charming, and not an action hero. Trapper is actually very reserved for the most part. Of course, he does get to have his wild, off-beat moments but Stevens plays the role well.
BRIAN TYREE HENRY
Brian Tyree Henry returns as Bernie from the previous movie. Now, I like the actor tremendously. No matter what character he plays, I always find him engaging. He is here too, but for a time, he is extremely annoying. That’s not his fault, it’s his character. But after this hiccup, Tyree Henry once again gives us a comical, heartfelt performance that is as vital to the film as Rebecca Hall’s. He provides a grounding, amusing character that once the initial frustration wears off, is one that we hope to see again in a future film. From the character we met in the previous outing, Bernie has finally come into his own. And Tyree Henry brings the laughs that are sorely needed during some of the film’s events.
KAYLEE HOTTLE
This new film is built around the continuing relationship between Kong and Jia. Returning as the character once more, Kaylee Hottle is the one human character the film relies on. And the young actress pulls it off with ease. The weight of the events of Hollow Earth in the storyline rests heavily on her shoulders, but she carries the burden without effort. Signing to Kong and signing back to her is a relationship to cherish. Despite the fact the film is full of monsters tearing strips off each other, the relationship between Jia and Kong is the beating heart that sustains the film. Kaylee Hottle has a terrific career ahead of her. Once again, she shows her prowess at making us hang on to her every action. The script wisely focuses on her, making Jia the focus of the story within the film. And she delivers.
KONG
The creatures are what we are really here for. And they once again rise to the challenge. Kong is the lead this time around and once again proves that he has a massive heart beneath the fur. I’ve always loved Kong, ever since the 1933 original film. And nothing here can stop that love and affection I and the audience have for him. One minute beating his chest, fighting a number of creatures after his hide, the next is tender and friendly, loving almost to Jia, he is the character we know and love.
But when he finally grabs that big axe of his, especially towards and during the finale, he is a force to be reckoned with. And even Godzilla can’t compete with him at times. Along the way, it seems as if Kong has decided to make the film a WWE-style smackdown. It actually feels that way at times.
GODZILLA
Of course, the big lizard does get his moments to shine. They are few and far between in this movie though. But when he appears, things start to pick up. Similar to the previous film, Godzilla is on a bit of a rampage which no one can understand. As the film progresses, all is revealed, giving the audience a sense of impending doom for whoever crosses his path. The two Titans have a mutual understanding, Godzilla rules the surface world, and Kong remains in Hollow Earth. And never the twain shall meet. Until they have to, of course. Kong has to seek Godzilla’s help, travelling to the surface world. And in true fashion, Godzilla doesn’t appreciate that. The ensuing battle is fun to watch before Godzilla understands why Kong has had to seek him out. And then the fun really begins.
THE NEW CREATURES
The big bad of the movie is the Skar King. And he is a huge threat to both worlds. How he is revealed to the audience is something that can be considered a spoiler, so I won’t delve deeply into it here. But suffice to say, he is a nasty, evil, violent titan who proves a match for Kong at times. His destiny and plans are revealed to the audience, giving the film an added threat. The treatment he doles out to the apes, not within his inner circle is vicious. For once, the villain isn’t a throwaway, token monster but one that threatens to destroy Hollow Earth and end Kong’s reign once and for all.
Shimu is a side villain but one that we are never sure of. Can she be truly evil or does she do what the Skar King demands of her by inflicting pain on her? Shimu is a character that plays a huge role in the film from the middle point onwards. The design she has been given makes her a scary, fearsome adversary. Her power of creating and breathing ice is something that is used to great effect during the time she spends on screen. And gives the film a darker edge. By now, people will know that Mothra makes her return in the film. It is wonderful to see her again. But this time, she is much bigger than before, all golden and light. She too has a vital part to play in the finale of the film, making the stakes that much more intense.
DIRECTION AND SCRIPT
The direction from Adan Wingard is as assured as it was for the previous film. He frames his shots brilliantly, shooting his locations well, showing Rome and Cairo to their full glory, and his sequences of Hollow Earth and its lush greenery come through wonderfully, using a glorious color palette to show it off to the full. The ease of using the real locations and incorporating them alongside the stunning visual effects is so natural, that we can believe that we are seeing reality at times.
The screenplay by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater, from a story by Terry Rossio, Adam Wingard, and Simon Barrett does exactly what it needs to do. It references what has previously gone before in the franchise and moves it forward well. The use of references is a welcome addition to what we see on the screen. It also drives the narrative forward and opens the franchise up to more possibilities and stories than before. And it does the mythology of the two main characters well.
MUSIC
The score by Tom Holkenborg and Antonio Di Iorio is a problem. Despite the use of the classic Godzilla theme, the score comes across as not much more than noise. The previous film had the same problem but the new film makes the same mistake. While the Godzilla theme is welcome, the rest of the score is simply average. The soundtrack does contain some enjoyable needle drops throughout but they are not enough to disguise a score that leaves a lot to be desired.
VERDICT
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire gives the audience exactly what they came for. A film that is purely and simply escapist, entertaining mayhem. It is loud, brash and unapologetically hokum. We came to see giant monsters fight and that is what we get from the start. Some things give the film some flaws, like the muting of Godzilla’s famous roar, and some scenes that have us rolling our eyes but these are minor flaws to the entertainment on offer. Some scenes will have the audience laughing out loud, some will make them cringe, and some will have them cheering the cinema roof off.
Once Kong And Godzilla go into battle alongside each other, the film kicks into overdrive, giving fans and the audience the action and fun they desire. The human element isn’t the best at times, with some scenes slowing the pace down but once they are done, we are back to what we paid the admission fee for. This isn’t high art but then again, it’s not to be. It is meant to entertain the masses and leave them questing for more. In that respect, the film hits its target with ease. There is certainly enough scope for another film as well as spin-offs in the future. But for now, grab your foyer snacks, sit back and witness the New Empire rise in front of your eyes. Godzilla and Kong are back to amaze us. They succeed at every turn. All hail the two Titan kings.
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is in cinemas internationally now and will be released in the USA and UK from Friday, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
