Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Fala Chen, Rachel House
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 115 mins. Reviewed in Apr 2024
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Two ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull Island’s mysteries.
We need to check the title. In 2021, there was Godzilla vs Kong. Now, with a small letter change, we see that Godzilla and Kong are together; the ‘x’ signifying that, if they do not necessarily love each other, they are now working together.
This is the continuation of a series of Godzilla and Kong films, with a continuity of plots. The first was: Kong: Skull Island, Kong re-emerging into our consciousness, and the discovery of the subterranean universe, Hollow Earth, and the young girl, the last of her tribe. The next step in the series was to focus on Godzilla – and Godzilla’s propensity for giant destruction. And then the bringing together of the two giants in conflict. Now, peace between them in their coming to the aid of ordinary humans as well as the lost tribe.
The opening does not waste much time. We seem to return to the prehistoric world, monstrous creatures pursuing, Kong, literal cliff edge drama, and Kong’s infected tooth. Meanwhile Godzilla is running rampant in Rome, finally settling down to sleep and occupying the Colosseum.
Then back to the humans, Dr Ilene Andrews (Hall), participant in the previous adventures, Jia (Hottle), the little girl who feels alienated at school. In the meantime, Trapper (Stevens), is called with his multi-purpose plane, to hover over Kong in pain and extract his painful molar and supply a false tooth.
But, there are ominous signs. An expedition to Hollow Earth, including recruiting Bernie, (Tyree Henry), running his own podcast, part of the previous expeditions.
Which actually means there is quite a lot of plot, the audience spending time with each character, one after another. There is Kong’s story, his discovering some rebel apes, including a little one who joins in the action, a variation on the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Then there is the story of the tribe in Hollow Earth, an advanced civilisation, young Jia able to communicate, their being under threat by the apes, the veneration of the giant Mothra and bringing it alive again. Meanwhile, Godzilla has woken up in the Colosseum, submerged and travelling to the Arctic to replenish strength.
Whatever the communication, the next stop is Cairo, Godzilla doing some more trampling, especially on the pyramids, but Kong emerging, then making peace, Tia intervening, standing on the head of the Sphinx, and pact to join forces against the rebel apes.
It is a change to have destruction in Rome and Cairo rather than in New York City, but the imagination stretches when, suddenly, they both turn up in Rio de Janeiro – more confrontations. Bringing the three stories together means more action than we might have been anticipating, all in confrontation, a lot of bellowing from Kong, firebreathing from Godzilla, dangers for the humans, and Mothra joining in the attack.
It seems that this is a recipe for popular entertainment, fantasy and action, imagination, dangers and rescues, and considerable success at the box office. (A statistic: It is also the 38th film of the Godzilla franchise and the 13th film in the King Kong franchise.) When and where will, in Godzilla combine again?
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