Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Adam Wingard’s fifth instalment in the monster-verse, is no cinematic masterpiece, but it sure delivers exactly what fans of the franchise crave: larger-than-life battles and stunning visual effects. If you’re willing to suspend disbelief and embrace the spectacle, this sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) offers a thrilling ride.
Building on the success of its predecessors, this film thrusts us straight into a world where Titans clash and ancient evils threaten to demolish everything in their path. The story kicks off with the discovery of a hidden realm within the primordial Hollow Earth, which is home to a community of apes that pose a threat to mankind. They are led by Skar King, a formidable simian Titan wielding a whiplash-like weapon crafted from the remains of other Titans.
Living a solitary existence in the depths of Hollow Earth, Kong becomes aware of a looming threat and enlists the help of his former rival, Godzilla, who has taken on the mantle of Earth’s defender. They, of course, don’t need to like each other, as long as they can work together! And together, they must confront the ancient evil. Suko, an adorable young Titan resembling ‘mini-Kong’, joins forces with Godzilla and Kong in their quest to defeat Skar King.
Meanwhile, Dr Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) — a scientist working at Monarch, for those who have forgotten — picks up sinister electromagnetic signals from Hollow Earth. Sensing that these signals are causing distress to her adoptive child Jia (Kaylee Hottle), the last surviving member of the Iwi tribe from Skull Island, she goes on an expedition to find out the cause, and ends up bang in the middle of the showdown between the monsters.
From the opening moments, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire wastes no time in delivering turbo-charged action sequences. We are treated to a barrage of CG creature chases and spectacular battles, including a showdown between Godzilla and a spider-like Titan, and a scene-stealing encounter where Kong grapples with a toothache!
The film’s standout moments are undoubtedly the epic fight scenes, meticulously crafted for maximum effect. From the Egypt battle amidst ancient pyramids to the icy wilderness of Antarctica where Kong faces off against the frost-breathing Titan, Shimo, each confrontation is a visual feast.
The climactic battle in Hollow Earth, where Godzilla and Kong unite against the tyrannical Skar King, is particularly exhilarating, as is the underwater duel between the two Titans in the Pacific Ocean. The destructive city battle in Rio De Janeiro serves as a fitting finale to this adrenaline-pumping parade of deafening roars and crunching brawls.
Some may find the film’s runtime (115 minutes) a tad overlong, and the constant introduction of new creatures somewhat tiresome. But the sheer wonder of monsters wrestling on the big screen makes Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire worth every bite of popcorn in our very own version of ‘hollow earth’: the cavernous multiplex theatre.
