Few monsters are as well known in popular culture as Godzilla and King Kong. First appearing in their own movies back in 1954 and 1933 respectively, they eventually shared the screen for the first time in 1962, battling for dominance in King Kong Vs. Godzilla.
This rivalry has lay dormant until 2021 with the release of Godzilla Vs Kong, directed by Adam Wingard. Legendary Pictures have been laying the groundwork for the showdown ever since Gareth Edward’s Godzilla (2014) hit cinemas. Since then, fans have been eager to see the creatures battle it out once more.
And those fans will most likely be pleased with what this movie offers in the way of kaiju on kaiju action. Unfortunately, anyone seeking even a semblance of depth to the proceedings surrounding the monster fights are going to leave short changed.
This is the fifth movie in Warner Brothers’ MonsterVerse, and the one they’ve been building towards. But the epic feel of such an occasion is almost nonexistent. Combined with some of the worst human drama this side of the CW, this makes for the weakest outing yet. Attempts at emotion come across as insincere, and too many talented actors are wasted on poor dialogue and characters.
This is the third Godzilla movie to have the lizard’s name in the title but hardly feature him at all. The spotlight this time is on Kong, as we get hints to his backstory and where he came from. There is a glimmer of a good movie here, and some interesting ideas at play, but we don’t spend long enough on them.
Wingard’s direction is largely uninspired, often opting for the most basic of shots. The only time the camera work sparkles is in the titular battles. The credit for that however can no doubt go to the very talented animators.
When we do see Kong and Godzilla fighting, the movie comes alive. It’s exciting and joyous and leaves you longing for what the movie could’ve been. Even if they do only fight for a criminally small percentage of the movie’s runtime.
A regress in quality compared to previous efforts, Godzilla Vs Kong is loud, slow and far too little fun.
