Fifty-nine years after their first battle, the two most iconic movie monsters of all time reunite for a rematch to end all rematches in “Godzilla vs. Kong.” The fourth film in the “MonsterVerse,” the film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison and Lance Reddick. It is directed by Adam Wingard from a script by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein.
“Godzilla vs. Kong” is currently in theaters while simultaneously streaming on HBO Max for the first month of release.
The film begins with the giant ape Kong, first seen in the 2017 film “Kong: Skull Island,” under observation by the organization Monarch in a simulation of his original habitat. There, Kong develops a friendship with the daughter of one of the scientists studying him, with whom he communicates through sign language.
However, he is soon released from his captivity when the King of Monsters, Godzilla, embarks on a mysterious series of rampages after years of protecting the Earth. The two titans find themselves on a collision course, both determined to prove themselves the true alpha predator. All the while, mysterious forces conspire in the background to unleash an even greater threat than the two giant monsters combined.
From the start, viewers will notice that “Godzilla vs. Kong” has a distracting style shift from previous installments. Any pretense of realism has been abandoned in favor of a softer science fiction aesthetic that would not feel out of place in either “Star Wars” or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As dazzling as the special effects can be, it does not feel contiguous to the grounded style of the rest of the franchise nor is it presented as an organic evolution.
Even by the already low standards of the “MonsterVerse,” the human storylines feel particularly half-baked. One of the main villains is Ren Serizawa, played by Oguri, the son of one of the previous protagonists of the franchise.
However, instead of using this connection to add dramatic weight to the story or give that character an interesting motivation, the film treats it as a throwaway detail. Kyle Chandler’s Mark Russell, the main protagonist of “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” is so irrelevant to the story that his role could be entirely cut without any meaningful difference in the final film.
Instead, the primary human storyline of “Godzilla vs. Kong” revolves around the Monarch research team assigned to monitor Kong on Skull Island. Hall gives a passable performance as Dr. Ilene Andrews, as does Skarsgård as Dr. Nathan Lind, but neither are particularly interesting or memorable in their own right.
Even worse for Skarsgårdis is that his character is a proponent of the “Hollow Earth” theory, a long disproven and pseudo scientific hypothesis that undercuts the film’s intention of depicting him as a serious scientist. The film’s insistence on presenting this theory as fact does not help matters.
Ilene’s adoptive and deaf daughter Jia, played by Kaylee Hottle, has the most interesting human role in the movie by virtue of her ability to communicate with Kong via sign language.
Comprising the film’s secondary human storyline is returning character Madison Russell, played by Brown, who investigates the corrupt corporation Apex Cybernetics alongside newcomers Bernie Hayes and Josh Valentine, played by Henry and Dennison, respectively.
Putting aside the questionable ethics of glorifying a conspiracy theorist as a protagonist, the trio’s plotline is as one note as it is completely illogical. “Godzilla vs. Kong” expects us to believe that three civilians (two of whom are teenagers) have the skills to infiltrate a billion dollar tech corporation, but the audience’s ability to suspend disbelief can only go so far. If there is any entertainment to be found in this subplot, it is only the ironic humor in how lazily written it is.
As much as the film fails its human cast, it does not disappoint in its depiction of the two titular monsters. Kong and Godzilla are infused with much more humanity than their previous appearances, bringing an emotional core to their spectacular battles. Through his interactions with Jia, Kong’s desire to reunite with other members of his species is explored, making him all the more relatable. Godzilla’s rampages in the first half of the film finally bring him in line with the classic depictions of the character, as well as create intrigue as to what is motivating him in this installment.
Of course, what the fans of the “MonsterVerse” desire more than anything is to see giant monsters fighting exceedingly destructive battles across big cities, something “Godzilla vs. Kong” has in abundance. The fight scenes showcase the two titans at their finest, with special mention going to the third act battle in Hong Kong. Because they are both monsters lacking in human speech patterns, Godzilla and Kong’s interactions are all the more compelling since viewers have to interpret what they are communicating to each other for themselves.
Ultimately, “Godzilla vs. Kong” is a fine creature feature that delivers on its title. Though the human storylines leave much to be desired, watching these iconic monsters in conflict more than justifies the film’s existence.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Hawks
