There’s lots to be said about media that inspires you to make your own art. It can be thought-provoking, inspiring, or just so successful on every level that you can’t help but hold it in admiration. As a hopeful filmmaker, I can say that Godzilla vs. Kong is the movie that makes me want to write my own movies just because of how much I disliked it. Directed by Adam Wingard (You’re Next, Death Note) and written by Max Borenstein (other Monsterverse films) and Eric Pearson (various Marvel films), this fourth entry in Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse manages to deliver spectacle where it counts, but just can’t underscore it with any meaningful sense of scale or impact. And, unlike prior entries into this franchise which had deployed actors like Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, and John. C. Reilly, nobody starring here can distract the audience from this movie’s worst moments.
The trajectory of the Monsterverse has been a weird one from the beginning. 2014’s Godzilla, was a distinctly American take on the classic kaiju that set a dramatic, realistic tone. It slowly built up its giants with calculated cinematography Spielberg-esque character reactions, though sometimes to the detriment of actually showing the monsters at all. A few years later Kong: Skull Island took a sharp left turn in style and tone, making a for a more fun but less well-paced and engaging story. Godzilla: King of Monsters attempted to synthesize its two predecessors, taking the serious tone of Godzilla and the fantastical elements of Kong, but fell flat on its face in almost every regard of quality. With Godzilla vs. Kong the Monsterverse attempts to move past its varied history by harnessing the vibe of an average modern action flick—it strikes about the same tone as something in the MCU. Godzilla himself has changed in design as well; instead of the slow-moving, walking tank that he was in his debut, here he’s more dynamic and nimble, almost like the actors wearing bodysuits in the Toho films.
Kong hasn’t changed much, though this movie has a lot it wants to catch the audience up on since his first appearance: his containment in a scientific compound on Skull Island, his ancient rivalry with Godzilla’s kind, and the Hollow Earth realm where he and all other monsters apparently originate from. Trouble is, Godzilla vs. Kong wants to focus more on latter of these elements to the disservice of the rest. The interesting quandaries that might come with keeping a giant monkey in prison are swept aside, and the explanation for why this movie has the “vs.” in its title is relegated to one throwaway line in the first scene.
The humans in these movies have never been memorable, but at least other entries into this franchise have at least one interesting character to latch onto. I don’t think I can do justice to how even minor characters in other Monsterverse movies are given life by great performances, like David Strathairn’s understated role as an out-of-his-depth general, or Samuel Jackson’s revenge-driven portrayal of a Vietnam air force captain. Except for Millie Bobby Brown’s returning character and Brian Tyree Henry’s introduction as an anxious conspiracy theorist podcaster, nobody else feels like a fleshed out character, which is a problem when there are more core characters in this movie than I have fingers. While Brown, Henry, and Rebecca Hall all pull their own weight and provide moments of levity, they have to share the spotlight with so many other okay-at-best performances that no one actor is really given a moment to shine.
As for the two titular monsters, neither Godzilla and King Kong feel like fully realized characters in a movie bearing their names. It is quite surprising however, given the mediocrity surrounding these beasts, that their brawls are as entertaining as they are. While they don’t have the gravitas found in better examples of monster fights, even within this franchise, Godzilla vs. Kong is able to find a cinematic voice for itself in their legendary bouts. It’s also worth mentioning the excellent use of color to control the highlights and moods of scenes; it gives a touch of intentionality to what would otherwise be bland imagery.
I don’t know what the future holds for the Monsterverse, aside from the fact that they’re going to keep making more movies in it. This film certainly doesn’t give a lot to look forward to, which is a shame considering some of the good stuff that came before it. Godzilla vs. Kong couldn’t even be bothered to be a movie literally about Godzilla vs. Kong most of the time, though when it is, it’s not so bad. Just wish less time could’ve been spent on what this movie thinks is interesting and more spent on what is objectively interesting: a big lizard and a big monkey just absolutely going at it.
2/5 STARS