“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” rocked the big screens on March 29, 2024. Following the success of “Godzilla vs. Kong” in 2021, director Adam Wingard returned to follow up the pandemic film that had little time in theaters and almost went straight to online streaming. One of the greatest things to learn about this film was how Adam Wingard listened to the comments of viewers and audiences following his previous film and learned from them, something that feels rarely seen and practiced in modern cinema. Fans wanted more fights with the monsters and a better human story, and thankfully this has been delivered in the next franchise of the Monsterverse with this film.
Starring returning actors such as Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle in their roles as Ilene Andrews, Bernie Hayes, and Jia. The film also introduces newcomers such as Trapper, played by Dan Stevens, which has easily become a new fan favorite of the franchise moving forward. These characters helped to make a very enjoyable human story and element that has been missing from the previous entries in the franchise for a few years. In relation to the monsters and fights, the humans feel slightly more comfortable in their role this time, instead used as comedy and leading story points for the big monsters to take center stage.
The stars of this film are easily the monsters, or Titans per the franchise. With obvious characters such as Godzilla and Kong, the film also introduces new faces like the adorable Suko, the terrifying Skar King, and the newest creation of the Monsterverse, Shimo. These monsters easily are the central characters of this story and help to progress the story, but also have brought more emotion and depth to the characters than in any previous films. The connection made between the audience and the monsters on the screen was better used and expressed to further help this story stand on its own.
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” earned a critic score of 54% and an audience score of 91% according to Rotten Tomatoes. This movie has easily helped to prove a love and revival of Monster movies in modern cinema, especially following the more serious nature film “Godzilla Minus One” from December of last year. This film is a great payout for fans of the Monsterverse franchise and for kaiju-movie lovers alike, as the monsters have progressed to become something more than just simple CGI creatures. I suggest watching this film as it is a fun watch filled with funny moments, and plenty of cool fights. Any moviegoer that wants to enjoy their time at the cinema should consider going to watch this film and watch it on the IMAX screen for the best experience.
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