The latest installment in the
Warner Bros. MonsterVerse franchise arrives after the critically acclaimed
Godzilla Minus One, which demonstrated the potential for a monster movie to
have both a compelling narrative and memorable characters.
 |
| 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES |
In contrast, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire relies heavily on CGI-generated mayhem reminiscent of a video game, which may please fans of the series but does little to attract new audiences. One notable moment in the film shows Godzilla taking a nap in the Colosseum in Rome, a scene that stands out as one of the most relatable moments in the movie.
In this installment, Godzilla
doesn't have as much screen time, as the focus is primarily on Kong's quest to
find others of his kind. Kong appears worn, bearing scars from past battles and
suffering from an infected tooth that drives him to leave Hollow Earth in
search of medical help. He finds aid in Trapper (played by Dan Stevens in an
entertainingly eccentric manner), a veterinarian who specializes in large
animals. Trapper is dropped from a helicopter into Kong's mouth, under
sedation, to perform emergency dentistry, which he finds great fun.
Several actors reprise their roles
from the previous film, including Rebecca Hall as a scientist who delivers a
lot of exposition, Brian Tyree Henry as a blogger who provides comic relief,
and Kaylee Hottle as the deaf Iwi girl who communicates with Kong.
The human characters are
overshadowed by the film's titular stars, who are no longer enemies as in the
previous installment. Although they're not friends, they team up to face mutual
foes, including the chief villains: Skar King, a giant simian cult leader with
vitiligo who wields a whip made from a creature's spinal column, and Shimo, a
reptilian Titan whose frosty breath causes frostbite on one of Kong's hands. To
help Kong, Trapper equips him with a giant robotic hand, making him even more
formidable.
Kong also befriends the adorable
Mini Kong, known as Suko, who appears to be designed as a plush toy. Initially,
Suko proves he's no pushover, but he warms up to Kong after sharing a meal,
despite its unpleasant contents.
The basic storyline involves the human
characters venturing into Hollow Earth, where they encounter an ancient Iwi
civilization. After an initial standoff, the Iwi are welcoming, as they share a
mutual goal with the humans: preventing Skar King and his minions from causing
chaos above and below ground.
Kong and Godzilla wreak havoc in
various iconic tourist destinations like Rome, Paris, Cairo, Gibraltar, and Rio
de Janeiro, destroying many landmarks in the process. Despite their destructive
paths, they never seem to appear in nondescript, unpopulated areas. Thousands
of innocent people are presumably killed during their rampages, but this is not
dwelt upon in the film.
The filmmakers manage to create an
emotional arc, particularly with Kong, who displays relatable emotions.
Godzilla, on the other hand, is portrayed as more stoic. Fans of the
MonsterVerse will be pleased to see Mothra make an appearance and likely return
in future films.
Director Adam Wingard orchestrates
the monster battles with impressive visual flair, although he relies heavily on
'80s-era pop songs to enhance the excitement. For the series to continue
successfully, however, the human characters will need to be developed with as
much care as the monsters.
Production: Legendary
Pictures
Distributor: Warner
Bros. Pictures
Cast: Rebecca
Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, Fala Chen,
Rachel House, Ron Smyck, Chantelle Jamieson, Greg Hatton
Director: Adam
Wingard
Screenwriters: Terry
Rossio, Simon Barrett, Jeremy Slater
Producers: Mary
Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod, Thomas Tull, Brian Rogers
Executive producers: Yoshimitsu
Banno, Kenji Okuhira, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Adam Wingard, Jen Conroy, Jay
Ashenfelter
Director of Photography: Ben
Seresin
Production Designer: Tom
Hammock
Editor: Josh
Schaeffer
Costume Designer: Emily
Seresis
Composers: Tom
Holkenborg, Antonio Di Iorio
Casting: Sarah
Halley Finn
Rated PG-13, 1 hour 55 minutes
0 Comments