Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

When Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse rumbled into movie theaters in 2014 with Godzilla, it did so with an advertising campaign that emphasized the movie’s gravitas. Director Gareth Edwards conservatively doled out peeks at the titular creature for two-thirds of the movie. The series’ second movie, Kong: Skull Island, showed a marked increase in monster visibility but still kept a strong emotional element. But for the next two movies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong, things got progressively less serious. The introduction of the Hollow Earth concept may lead fans of the more serious approach to liken it to a sewer drain, suggesting it’s where the MonsterVerse was drained of all its seriousness.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire not only commemorates the MonsterVerse’s tenth anniversary but also follows closely after 2023’s Godzilla Minus One, which some regard as the most distinguished and serious kaiju film to date. The existence of two separate studios producing two different types of Godzilla films independently may confuse some. Consequently, there were projections of modest box office returns for Godzilla x Kong during its opening weekend. However, MonsterVerse fans can rest easy; the franchise is thriving. The movie debuted with a robust $194 million global box office in just three days.

So, at this point in the review, I’d normally summarize the plot a bit and explain the highlights of the story. With four films preceding this one, you should expect a bit of set-up. But you don’t need to watch the previous four movies to understand what’s going on here. The movie opens with a quick summation of the story so far. If you’re the slightest bit interested in seeing this movie, you’ve seen the four other films or you haven’t. Either way, it doesn’t matter.

But, just in case it makes you feel better, here’s the quick and dirty summary. Godzilla resides on Earth’s surface, safeguarding it against various monsters and dangers. Meanwhile, Kong dwells in the Hollow Earth, apart from Godzilla, seeking clues to his lineage. When a mysterious signal emanates from within Hollow Earth, Godzilla perceives it as a threat. Kong uncovers a concealed truth. The humans, under the guise of Monarch and diminished to minor roles in the film to the point where only one character’s name is memorable, serve merely to advance the narrative from one location to another. The set-up merely provides a way to maneuver the monsters — and there are more than just Godzilla and Kong — into position for a giant showdown at the end of the film. Throw logic out the window and just sit back and enjoy the cartoonish, computer-generated mayhem.

While it might not sound like it, I completely enjoyed myself while watching Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. I saw it as it was meant to be seen: on a rainy, Saturday afternoon when I had nothing else to do. It kept me entertained and required no brain-power whatsoever. Taken in with that mindset, you should enjoy it too.