Ivan Radford | On 16, May 2024

Director: Adam Wingard
Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle
Certificate: 12

Godzilla just might be the biggest old star working in Hollywood today. And that’s not just because he’s 120 metres tall. The 70-year-old kaiju, who got a new lease of American life in 2014’s Godzilla, has gone from strength to strength in his recent sequels – from the mythical awe of Godzilla: King of the Monsters to the amped-up fisticuffs of Godzilla x Kong. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, as its title suggests, promises to build on that brawling blockbuster, and it does so with suitably colossal energy.

We pick things up as the duo have gone their separate ways, with Kong living down in Hollow Earth and Godzilla lurking on the surface, emerging whenever a new Titan poses a danger. A toothache early on makes it clear that Kong only comes up top when he needs help. Whether he’ll eventually seek it from his reptilian nemesis to defeat a dangerous new foe doesn’t really need answering, and The New Empire’s weakness is that it takes a very long time to build up to the unlikely team-up teased by the movie’s premise.

On the plus side, that means more time for world-building, and director Adam Wingard is in his element in this franchise. He rolls up his sleeves and dives right into the gooey, plasma-filled messiness of it all, capturing alien textures, bubbling peril and beautiful strangeness with an infectious enthusiasm. Whether it’s a mechanical glove to give Kong’s punch some metallic oomph or a tree that can swallow a human whole, Wingard populates both above and below ground with some wonderful touches. By the time we get to a scar-covered villain, an ice-breathing threat and some familiar winged thrills, there’s so much spectacle to enjoy that any shortcomings in the script department are easily drowned out.

Step away from fray and the human cast do their best to bring some personal stakes to the table. Brian Tyree Henry returns as a conspiracy-loving podcaster, alongside new addition Dan Stevens as swaggering Titan-veterinarian Trapper, which feels like one fast-talking comic relief too many, but Rebecca Hall’s scientist, Ilene, builds her bond with adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), providing a running theme of belonging and family.

But there’s no doubt that Kong is the big heart of the story, as his connection with Jia and his discovery that he’s not the only one of his species give him a surprisingly moving and human edge. It’s not quite Planet of the Apes, but it’s a satisfying arc to root for – a much-needed hook, given that Godzilla feels sadly shelved for much of the runtime. The result isn’t the streamlined, purposeful actioner of Godzilla x Kong or the smorgasbord of visual symbolism of Kong of the Monsters; the film doesn’t quite know who it wants to be its protagonist, leaving its runtime feeling unfocused and overlong. But when The New Empire hits its gargantuan stride, shattering pyramids with a love of the franchise’s monstrous legacy, it’s a joy to see in motion. Can we get a Godzilla x Kong: Round 3?

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