Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Directed by Adam Wingard
Written by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, Jeremy Slater
Starring Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Godzilla, Kong
Rated PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour, 55 minutes
In theaters March 29

by Ryan Silberstein, Managing Editor, Red Herring

Godzilla fans have been lining up for what has been the most prolific period in the kaiju’s 70 year history (the big G hits that milestone anniversary this fall). First, Monarch brought Godzilla to a live action American television for the first time, expanding the Legendary Pictures MonsterVerse beyond the films. Then, in December, Godzilla Minus One came ashore in the United States and turned a planned single week theatrical run into a two month sensation that spawned a black and white version and Godzilla’s first Academy Award. And now, the MonsterVerse returns to theaters with the fifth feature film in this continuity which began with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla (2014).

As the Godzilla side of this series has progressed, the films have gotten less operatic and more playful. The New Empire takes an even bigger step towards embracing the feel of the Showa-era sequels, and fits right alongside classic monster battle films like Ebirah, Horror of the Deep and Destroy All Monsters for its science-fiction-meets-mythology plot and breezy tone. If King of the Monsters is “Stairway to Heaven,” The New Empire is “Running With The Devil.” The New Empire rocks just as hard as King of the Monsters, but it is far more into partying with the monsters than it is in creating breathtaking tableaus.

This is reflected in the human cast as well. Returning from the previous movie Godzilla vs Kong (2021), lead Kong scientist Dr. Andrews (Rebecca Hall) and conspiracy theory podcaster Bernie (Brian Tyree Henry) reteam for another adventure that requires some outside-the-box thinking and a return to the realm of Hollow Earth. The New Empire also introduces Trapper (Dan Stevens), a effervescent Titan veterinarian that rounds out the core throuple. Along with Andrew’s adopted Iwi daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), the three head to Hollow Earth to investigate a mysterious signal. Meanwhile, Kong searches for others of his kind, and Godzilla begins to power up for an unknown threat.

The most impressive thing about The New Empire’s script is that each of the core cast–human and monster alike– have an arc (except Trapper, who shows up fully actualized, fully-formed, and ready to rock). Both Godzilla and Kong have more character than in previous installments, which allows them to fully carry their storylines, leaving the humans to have their own plot.The new monsters introduced also each have clear motivations and personalities, even without dialogue. There’s an old school approach to making things so apparent without big character twists and turns, but this method makes for an end battle that is positively fist-pumping because the stakes are laid out so clearly. Wingard is the series first returning director, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire feels even looser and more confident than Godzilla vs Kong (2021). Add a bit of Spielberg face, a dash of synths to the soundtrack, some wrestling moves, and even more Hollow Earth critters and lore, and you have a very satisfying experience. After the movie, I realized my face hurt from smiling so much while watching.

In a time of so much uncertainty, where it feels like the world is crumbling around us, having a Godzilla or a Kong coming along and stomping things to bits–giving us a tangible face to our faceless problems–feels almost like a relief. It is the best time to be a Godzilla fan, and when so many long-running franchises seem to collapse under their own weight, it is also wonderful to have so much from a series where each release feels like a decent jumping on point for newcomers. Here’s to another 70 years!