Entertainment Blog #236 | Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire [2024] - It's Teaming Up Time..

AppleTV+ released a web series named Monarch: Legacy of Monsters last year. And the rumors were already out that a new Godzilla movie is coming, and King Kong was also going to be there. And now I understand why this series existed. It tried to catch up to the gap between the 2014 Godzilla movie and this movie. The attempt to fill the gap is successful, but the movie, you know how it is..

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a 2024 American monster film directed by Adam Wingard. Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it serves as the sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and is the fifth film in the MonsterVerse franchise. It is also the 38th film in the Godzilla franchise and the 13th in the King Kong franchise. The film stars Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen, with Hall, Henry, and Hottle reprising their roles from the previous film.

OK.. now King Kong is in the hollow earth dealing with small predators who tries to kill him. But it is having a big trouble than this. He's having a tooth ache. Also, he is feeling lonely in the Hollow Earth. So it decides to travel to Surface Earth to get treatments from Monarch.

In the interim, Godzilla is dealing with random MUTOs, also known as Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms, like Scylla, a large king crab with a head of a squid. While Godzilla was sleeping in the Colosseum, it suddenly wakes up and started moving to the ocean.

It seems like Godzilla was power hungry. It went to France to destroy a nuclear plant and absorb radiation. This is a sign that Godzilla is up for something big. From there, Godzilla started to move towards the Arctic. It seems like he's hunting MUTOs. Tiamat is its next victim. Godzilla chose it because of the radiation energy density of that area.

When those things went like that, MONARCH was getting a weird electromagnetic wave signal. And it seems like it is connected to all. If you remember the 2017 Godzilla VS Kong movie, there was a child character named Jia and Dr Ilene, the mother of the child. They and some other guys travel to Hollow Earth since the terminal down there is not working.

The team from Monarch discovers a whole new thing in there, while Kong also discovers something disastrous and friendship at the same time. But Kong needs more friendships to deal with this problem. It needs Godzilla on his side for this job. How will these two Titans team up to eliminate evil? I's up to you to find out.

"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" diverges significantly from previous Godzilla films by heavily humanizing its monster characters, especially Kong, which some fans feel detracts from the gravitas and primal terror traditionally associated with these titans. This approach contrasts sharply with the more somber and intense tone of "Godzilla (2014)," which emphasized the sheer awe and destructive power of the monsters.

Moreover, many critics and fans have highlighted "Godzilla Minus One" as a superior depiction, blending emotional depth with a respectful portrayal of Godzilla's iconic might, suggesting that Hollywood should take cues from its ability to balance human elements without undermining the monsters' inherent menace. The sarcastic tone and over-the-top character interactions in "The New Empire" often feel misplaced, undermining the film's potential impact and the epic nature of the Monsterverse.

"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 54% approval rating, with critics praising the monster battles but criticizing the film's plot and character development. Many reviewers unfavorably compared it to "Godzilla Minus One," noting that the latter brought a "lyrical majesty" to the franchise. Despite these criticisms, the film was acknowledged for delivering on the action and monster fights, which have become the hallmark of the Monsterverse series.

The film grossed $559 million worldwide on a budget of $135–150 million, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2024 and the highest-grossing Godzilla film of all time. Despite mixed reviews, it achieved significant commercial success. The film's success was driven by its thrilling monster battles and the continuation of the MonsterVerse storyline, setting the stage for future installments. With an untitled sequel already in development, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire solidifies the enduring popularity of these iconic monsters.