Adam Wingard's 2021 blockbuster beat 'em up Godzilla vs Kong gave the pandemic-era box office a rare hit, making more than $470 million worldwide despite the fact it was released simultaneously on HBO Max in the US. With that kind of big-screen appeal, it was inevitable a sequel would soon arrive. And it does so when Godzilla's popularity has never been higher.
After the majesty of the Oscar-winning Japanese film Godzilla Minus One and the intricate, family-driven storytelling of the Apple TV+ original series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, it's an exciting time to be a Godzilla fan.
Those two serious and critically acclaimed entries may have some fans wondering whether or not there is a need for the bombastic and silly sci-fi blockbuster vehicle Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. But the juxtaposition of the fun and outrageous against the thematically dense and serious continues a Godzilla tradition, once again reminding us there is space for both.
Following directly on from Godzilla vs Kong, The New Empire reconnects with Kong expert Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) and her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle). They are working alongside the secret inter-government monster initiative Monarch to keep the mega-monsters, called Titans, at bay and famed giant ape Kong in his home at the centre of the planet, called Hollow Earth, as Godzilla roams the globe at any hint of a Titan appearance. (If any of that sounds confusing, watching the previous instalment should suffice in getting you up to speed.)
It hasn't been easy for Jia, who is now at a Monarch academy and would rather be hanging out with her giant ape pal than her school bullies. When Godzilla starts heading to the Hollow Earth, the crew head back into the subterranean space only to discover a shocking new threat that jeopardises everything above and below the surface of the Earth. They're joined by the returning Bernie (Brian Tyree Henry), who is a Titan conspiracy theorist and a constant source of delight, as well as new member Trapper (Dan Stevens, making a welcome reunion with The Guest director Wingard), who is a Titan veterinarian.
Leaning hard into the surreal science fiction of his early films such as The Guest, Wingard has a tonne of fun crafting a technicolour adventure that pays homage to the classic era of Godzilla – known by fans and cinema historians as the Showa era – by filling the runtime with monster fights, magical locations and even some wild tech for one of our titular creatures.
Hottle shined in the first Godzilla and Kong film in a supporting role. Stepping into one of the leads allows her to bring even more hope, charm and wit to the screen. It's delightful to see a deaf actress having the kind of adventures that Jia embarks on during the film, especially as her role is expanded here to connect to another beloved Titan outside of Kong.
As a huge fan of Godzilla, Wingard isn't afraid to have fun and throw humour into the mix, with some legitimately laugh-out-loud visual gags that once again make me feel like a small child watching my first Godzilla film. Like much of pulp sci-fi before it, some moments fall into the tropey side of the genre that may leave some fans slightly disappointed, but they're unlikely to be spotted by most.
The ensemble cast has a lot of fun, with Stevens adding a new and enjoyable bit of mischief into the mix. But the real stars are, of course, the massive CGI monsters at the centre of the film. For anyone not heavily invested in seeing a giant ape and immense lizard battle across the globe, there might not be much to enjoy no matter how charming the humans may be. But this may be the box office heavyweight to seek out for those who want a cinematic spectacle and monster fights with plenty of heart.
