Godzilla vs. Kong has no delusions about what kind of movie it’s trying to be. First and foremost, it’s a monster beat-them-up that pits two pop culture staples in a rematch that’s almost 60 years in the making. There’s not only a lot of action, but also thoughtful exploration of lore and new places. Of course, this isn’t trying to be Lord of the Rings, but the different elements mesh together to create a satisfying experience.
After years of protecting humans from other ‘Titans’, Godzilla attacks an Apex Cybernetics facility in Pensacola, Florida. Half a world away, Kong is still struggling to adjust to his limited habitat on Skull Island, after a storm destroyed most of the island. Hollow Earth expert Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) convinces resident Monarch scientist Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) to transport Kong to a gateway to the Hollow Earth in Antarctica, as that’s where his ancestors seemingly came from. On their way, Kong is targeted by a marauding Godzilla, and the two soon collide.
Meanwhile, Madison (Millie Bobbie Brown) tries to meet with conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) with her friend Josh (Julian Dennison) in tow. They uncover a sinister secret at the destroyed Apex facility that soon whisks them all the way over to Hong Kong.
Directed by Adam Wingard, Godzilla vs. Kong doesn’t waste any time in getting to the meat of the matter. The two titans engage with each other twice, showing different fighting styles. Each gets their moment to shine, and the fights are well-paced, never outstaying their welcome. The final battle is almost like a secret level in a video game, where our two titans have to work together to fight a common threat.
The middle of the movie takes an enjoyable detour as Kong and the scientists journey through Hollow Earth, which is a strange, wonderful landscape with inverted gravity and two planes of ground separated by that gravity field. Kong finally manages to find his home, which seemed to have been ruled by his ancestors. He finds a special energy axe and even a throne for his new kingdom. The color palette is also rich, with contrasting tones being used for Hollow Earth and Hong Kong.
The human characters have always been the wobbly parts of the Monsterverse films, and it’s no different here. At least, there’s more of a connection between Kong and an indigenous mute girl named Jia (Kaylee Hottle, who is deaf in real life), who communicates with him via sign language. In fact, Ilene, Nathan and Jia form a makeshift family, which makes their struggles more immediate and engaging. Henry injects humor into the narrative. Mercifully, this humor never gets as grating as Michael Bay’s brand of comedy in the Transformers franchise.
Godzilla vs. Kong isn’t without its share of plotholes and leaps of logic. But it’s easy to overlook them as the infectious energy of the film carries you through its runtime.
It’s a satisfying conclusion to the Monsterverse franchise, although there are plenty of other stories to tell in the franchise. But perhaps, it’s better to end it on a high, with the most iconic of monster battles.
