Review: “Godzilla vs. Kong” is the pinnacle of the MonsterVerse
9/12 ForReel Score | 4/5 Stars
Across the so-called “MonsterVerse”, it seems the films just never could get the formula right. Whether it was poor visual effects, an overuse of largely uninteresting human characters, or the lack of screen time for the titular monsters. Godzilla vs Kong seems aware of these gripes action-hungry audiences have. It’s a self aware film that doesn’t try to be something it’s not, dumping the human character development in favor of focusing on the advertised monster matchup, and as popcorn-flick entertainment, Godzilla vs Kong is magnificent.
In search of an invaluable power source for humanity, Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård - The Hummingbird Project, Passing) employs the help of Kong and his human protectors Jia & Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall, who recently made her directorial debut at Sundance for Passing). Moving Kong from Skull Island is a dangerous endeavor as there cannot be two alpha titans and they soon find themselves face to face with an enraged Godzilla, who has been causing mass destruction is his wake. Tempers flare, fighting ensues, entertainment abounds.
The most notable characters are the newest additions - specifically, Jia (Kaylee Hottle, making her big screen debut), a young orphaned deaf girl who has befriended and developed a bond with Kong. Their relationship helps develop Kong as a character and not just a rampaging ape.
But both title characters get sufficient screen time and thanks to the work of director Adam Wingard, the battles are an absolute godsend to watch, especially for those of us deprived of and starving for the splendor of big screen action. But even for my own viewing experience at home on HBO Max, many sequences were incredible visual spectacles making Godzilla vs Kong a solid watch whichever screen you choose to watch on.
This is a high octane action film that delivers on it’s namesake in a massive way. By alleviating problems that plagued previous entries and creating wild and entertaining battle sequences, this kaiju clash deserves to be the alpha titan at the box office.
Acting and Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?
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