Godzilla vs. Kong

For the Warner Brothers MonsterVerse, this is its "Avengers" moment, and potentially final film as I'm not aware of any future-announced installments (and there is no post-credits stinger). 

We've got our #thicc Godzilla versus a now-towering Kong in a brawl for the ages. I found this series took a pretty significant dip in quality with the previous film, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Would Godzilla vs. Kong follow that trend or put it back on top? 

The short answer is: somewhere in between. 

What I'm missing from these films now that was present in the original Godzilla is the sense of suspense. The original did such an incredible job building and layering it in that the final fight and first moments with the beast were jaw dropping. Similarly, Kong: Skull Island was able to orchestrate tactful suspense with the creatures of Skull Island and a talented cast. King of the Monsters - coupled with a non-sensical story to bring all the titans out into the open - was void of pretty much any of this important tension. Was it cool to see Godzilla beat the hell out of Ghidorah? Yes, most definitely, but it also felt like there was no weight to it. 

Godzilla vs. Kong is able to recreate some of this tension thanks in large part to anchoring on Kong and his relationship with the [still] idiotic humans. Kong is an Apex predator that Godzilla wants dead (because there can't be two) and after Godzilla starts attacking humans unprovoked after several dormant years, our human group decides they need a special weapon to fight him. When I say that this movie is dumb for the rest of the plot I mean it's really dumb. The concept of "Hollow Earth" is a wild but perfect example of this sort of "Oh hey, did you know about this?" secret tool for the film to use. At a certain point you just roll with it because there's not much else of a choice but if I'm being honest, another aspect I miss of the earlier films in this series was the better (and slightly more realistic TBH) explanations for everything. 

Why do I get Dementor vibez from Godzilla here?

Stranger Things: 
Wow This is a Much Bigger Monster
Season 02

Our human group is just as dumb, but more entertaining this time around. It's not on par with Skull Island's wildly impressive cast, but the in-between-monster-fight moments are better this time around if still painfully duller and dumber. We've basically got two groups running around, one anchored by Millie Bobby Brown, Brian Tyree Henry, and Julian Dennison. The three play off each other well and are the "comedic relief" although the script is never all that funny so it wasn't more than a chuckle. On the other hand we have Alexander Skarsard, Rebecca Hall, Eiza Gonzalez, and Kaylee Hottle. They're Kong's main support group and truly only child actor Hottle (who is deaf) and her adoptive mother, Hall come out of this with much to praise. Hottle is the emotional anchor for Kong and wears that heavy crown well. It doesn't elevate the movie considerably, but it is probably the most earned human/heart moments throughout this entire series. 

So yeah, the story is a collection of "Good God, that's stupid" explanation and intensely mediocre human moments. But that's not what you care about. It's called Godzilla vs. Kong...so how are the fights?

Luckily, this is where Godzilla vs. Kong soars, providing some of the best moments of the MonsterVerse 4-film series. While I stand by my earlier comment around suspense, there is no denying that these fights can also be flat-out badass and still entertain effectively. There's really 3 main bouts in the film, all of which excite and are likely to be some of the best movie moments of the year. Each is coupled with some jaw-dropping special effects that's highly detailed and makes the clearly-impossible brawl look shockingly realistic. Kong's more human fight style also is an interesting compliment for Godzilla's abilities and powers, leading to well-choreographed fights. There's still plenty of punch-smash-punch, but it's not hollow like the previous film and the awesome moments are sprinkled in throughout. The locale of said battles are also unique - the most of which being in the middle of the ocean on top of aircraft carriers, but a neon-soaked downtown Hong Kong that eventually transitions to morning provides some solid shots and color variation. Even though you can watch this at home on HBO Max, I was inclined to go to the theater and see it on a large-format screen. I wasn't disappointed as the grand sense of spectacle and scale is captured with talent here, and the movie's best moments are a solid blend of monster action, big shots with good framing, and a shockingly awesome original score. 

If you're able and comfortable, see this on a big screen.
Your home setup won't do it much justice and you can help support a local theater!

I am ultimately disappointed these films took a turn from the more suspenseful/gritty (and arguably "realistic") approach they started out with, but whereas I was bored with this one's immediate predecessor, I greatly enjoyed any monkey vs. lizard moments here while feeling like I was suffering less during the human ones. And - unsurprisingly - it was incredible to hear, see, and feel these monsters on a very, very big screen again. 

CONS

• Story is very dumb. Where the hell did Hollow Earth come from?
• Human element is still lacking. Our "comedic relief group" doesnt have a script that allows for more than a small chuckle
• I wish there was more suspense and weight within this series (like there used to be)
• Original score is strong! I wish they would have doubled down on it, almost to the point of excessiveness

PROS

• Despite my gripes about Hollow Earth, it is visually stunning
• The fights between Godzilla and Kong are incredible and a perfect "welcome back" to your theater's huge screen
• This film is a special effects monster
• Mostly during monster moments, the cinematography and framing is spot-on
• Surprising synth-based original score that fits perfectly here

Rath's Review Score | 7/10