In 1962, two of the biggest icons in cinema history came together for the battle of the century. 59 years later, they return for a rematch. Of the shared universes currently out there, one of the more consistent is the Monsterverse, a world where the most iconic kaiju coexist. Now, it all culminates into an epic crossover, one I've waited for a very long time: "Godzilla vs Kong".
Plot: A period of peace suddenly comes to a halt when Godzilla mysteriously goes on a rampage. Monarch is approached by Apex to convince the now fully grown Kong to help search for a solution in the Hollow Earth. This puts the two alpha titans on a collision course, one that will determine who will be the true King of the Monsters.
The minds behind the Monsterverse took a page from Marvel in carefully planning out this eventually crossover, building on what started with "Godzilla (2014)" in all the right ways and paying off spectacularly. The story is well-paced and told even with the 2-hour runtime, feeling like all parties involved get their due. The main human cast, consisting of three factions, are simplistic but decent and contribute to the story in varying degrees, especially towards the end. I came to like their interactions, some comedic and others having a little weight behind them. They also help explain what's going on with the monsters when needed. Easily the heart of them is Jia, a deaf Skull Island native bonded with Kong who communicates via sign language. Her expressions really sell it when a scene calls for it, leading to some touching moments like one she shares with the big ape during the rain. Only two minor characters come up short in terms of potential and overall roles. While not as deep as previous entries in terms of story and themes, the film does explore the value of trust, reflected in different ways among the cast, human and monster, as the story progresses.
At the center are the monsters as one would expect. Kong is the arguable protagonist as he goes on an epic journey of discovery wrought with trials and tribulations. You feel the raw emotion as he goes through tough times. While having less screen time, Godzilla is given as much respect. He truly feels powerful and menacing as a force of nature should, though he's also sympathetic when his motives are understood. Whenever they battle, it lives up to the hype; both have clearly defined fighting styles, lots of back and forth as each deals heavy blows with everything around them being utterly wrecked. Unlike in the OG film, this clash of titans has a clear winner. There are other monsters, including a famous Godzilla character that's executed brilliantly in design, portrayal, and sheer power. The environments are pure eye candy from the neon-lit Hong Kong giving stunning illumination to the wondrous Hollow Earth with its unusual wildlife and trippy landscapes. Junkie XL's music is another highlight, capturing the scope of the film and giving each monster their own musical cues based on which is more dominant on screen. I also dig the many nods to previous movies like an iconic moment from the OG version. The cinematography is top notch; much as I love suitmation, the CGI allows for incredible angles to make the fights more visually grand like brief POV shots from Kong and underwater scenes. My only gripe is that the film does cut a few corners, mainly where the aforementioned humans are concerned with a few missed opportunities.
"Godzilla vs Kong" is like a roller coaster, starting off slow to set the mood and then becomes a thrill right with constant action. Watching my childhood heroes duking it out got me giddy in my seat. This is an event that lived up to expectations and then some. It's certainly better put together than "Batman v Superman" which tried to do too much at once. It's not the deepest Monsterverse film, but it's sure to please. Two scaly/furry thumbs up.
Plot: A period of peace suddenly comes to a halt when Godzilla mysteriously goes on a rampage. Monarch is approached by Apex to convince the now fully grown Kong to help search for a solution in the Hollow Earth. This puts the two alpha titans on a collision course, one that will determine who will be the true King of the Monsters.
The minds behind the Monsterverse took a page from Marvel in carefully planning out this eventually crossover, building on what started with "Godzilla (2014)" in all the right ways and paying off spectacularly. The story is well-paced and told even with the 2-hour runtime, feeling like all parties involved get their due. The main human cast, consisting of three factions, are simplistic but decent and contribute to the story in varying degrees, especially towards the end. I came to like their interactions, some comedic and others having a little weight behind them. They also help explain what's going on with the monsters when needed. Easily the heart of them is Jia, a deaf Skull Island native bonded with Kong who communicates via sign language. Her expressions really sell it when a scene calls for it, leading to some touching moments like one she shares with the big ape during the rain. Only two minor characters come up short in terms of potential and overall roles. While not as deep as previous entries in terms of story and themes, the film does explore the value of trust, reflected in different ways among the cast, human and monster, as the story progresses.
At the center are the monsters as one would expect. Kong is the arguable protagonist as he goes on an epic journey of discovery wrought with trials and tribulations. You feel the raw emotion as he goes through tough times. While having less screen time, Godzilla is given as much respect. He truly feels powerful and menacing as a force of nature should, though he's also sympathetic when his motives are understood. Whenever they battle, it lives up to the hype; both have clearly defined fighting styles, lots of back and forth as each deals heavy blows with everything around them being utterly wrecked. Unlike in the OG film, this clash of titans has a clear winner. There are other monsters, including a famous Godzilla character that's executed brilliantly in design, portrayal, and sheer power. The environments are pure eye candy from the neon-lit Hong Kong giving stunning illumination to the wondrous Hollow Earth with its unusual wildlife and trippy landscapes. Junkie XL's music is another highlight, capturing the scope of the film and giving each monster their own musical cues based on which is more dominant on screen. I also dig the many nods to previous movies like an iconic moment from the OG version. The cinematography is top notch; much as I love suitmation, the CGI allows for incredible angles to make the fights more visually grand like brief POV shots from Kong and underwater scenes. My only gripe is that the film does cut a few corners, mainly where the aforementioned humans are concerned with a few missed opportunities.
"Godzilla vs Kong" is like a roller coaster, starting off slow to set the mood and then becomes a thrill right with constant action. Watching my childhood heroes duking it out got me giddy in my seat. This is an event that lived up to expectations and then some. It's certainly better put together than "Batman v Superman" which tried to do too much at once. It's not the deepest Monsterverse film, but it's sure to please. Two scaly/furry thumbs up.