Monster movies usually follow a pattern. Humans run. Buildings fall. A giant lizard screams at the sky. But Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire did something different, and honestly, it’s kinda polarizing. It leaned so hard into the "hollow earth" absurdity that it basically turned into an 80s Saturday morning cartoon with a $150 million budget.
If you went into the theater expecting the gritty, grounded realism of Gareth Edwards' 2014 Godzilla, you were probably disappointed. This isn't that. Adam Wingard, the director, clearly stopped caring about physics a long time ago.
The movie follows the uneasy alliance between Godzilla and Kong as they face a literal subterranean tyrant named the Skar King. It’s loud. It’s colorful. It features a giant ape with a mechanical power-glove. If that sounds ridiculous, it’s because it is. But in a world of self-serious cinematic universes, there’s something refreshing about a film that knows exactly what it is: a heavyweight wrestling match between gods.
The Evolution of the Monsterverse
People forget where this started. Back in 2014, we barely saw the monsters. Everything was obscured by smoke and rain. It was "prestige" kaiju cinema. Then came Kong: Skull Island, which brought in the color and the classic rock. By the time we hit Godzilla vs. Kong, the internal logic of the series had shifted toward high-concept sci-fi.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the logical, albeit insane, conclusion of that trajectory.
The film shifts the perspective. Usually, the humans are our eyes on the ground, but here, Kong is the protagonist. He has an actual character arc. He’s lonely. He’s looking for his people. He has toothaches. It sounds silly to say a CGI ape has "acting range," but the animators at Weta FX and the team at Legendary actually pulled it off. You feel for the guy. When he finds the other Great Apes in the Hollow Earth and realizes they’re being enslaved, it’s not just an excuse for a fight—it’s a genuine emotional beat.
Who is the Skar King?
The Skar King isn't just another big monster. He’s a contrast to Kong. While Kong represents a sort of noble, lonely strength, the Skar King is a lanky, cruel dictator. He doesn't just use brute force; he uses a whip made from a titan’s spine and controls Shimo, an ancient ice-breathing dragon that makes Godzilla look like a house cat.
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Shimo is the real wild card. According to the lore established in the film and the tie-in materials, Shimo is basically the reason the Ice Age happened. She’s an elemental force. The Skar King uses a glowing crystal to cause her physical pain, forcing her to do his bidding. It adds a layer of "animal cruelty" stakes that makes you actually want to see the villain get his head smashed in.
Godzilla, meanwhile, is busy "leveling up." He spends a good chunk of the movie swimming around the globe, absorbing radiation from nuclear plants and other titans. He turns pink. Why pink? Because it represents a higher energy state. It’s also a great way to sell toys. Let's be real.
Why the Human Characters Still Matter (Sorta)
Let’s talk about the humans. Usually, they're the part where everyone goes to the bathroom or checks their phone. Rebecca Hall returns as Dr. Ilene Andrews, and Kaylee Hottle is back as Jia, the last of the Iwi people.
Dan Stevens joins the cast as "Trapper," a titan veterinarian who listens to synth-pop and wears Hawaiian shirts. He’s the best part of the human subplot. He brings a "don't worry about it" energy that the movie desperately needs. When Kong needs a mechanical arm, Trapper just happens to have a prototype sitting in a shed in the Hollow Earth. Is it convenient? Extremely. Do we care? Not really.
The plot revolves around a distress signal that Jia perceives, leading the team back into the Hollow Earth. They discover a hidden tribe of Iwi who have been living in a gravity-defying paradise. This is where the film gets into the "heavy lore" territory. We learn about the ancient war between the Godzilla species and the Kong species. It turns out the Skar King was trapped in a deep fiery pocket of the Hollow Earth by Godzilla thousands of years ago.
Now, he’s out. And he wants the surface.
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The Visuals and the Physics Problem
Visually, the movie is a trip. The Hollow Earth is filled with floating mountains, glowing crystals, and bioluminescent forests. It looks like Avatar on steroids.
But we have to talk about the weight.
One of the biggest complaints from long-time fans is that the monsters don't feel "heavy" anymore. In the earlier films, every step felt like an earthquake. In The New Empire, Godzilla and Kong run. They jump. They do mid-air tackles. They move like Olympic sprinters.
This is a stylistic choice. Wingard wanted the fights to feel like Showdown in Little Tokyo or a fast-paced anime. While it loses the sense of scale, it gains a lot in terms of choreography. The final battle in Rio de Janeiro is a chaotic four-way brawl that uses the environment in ways we haven't seen before.
Factual Context and Real-World Reception
Released in early 2024, the film defied a lot of critical expectations. While Rotten Tomatoes scores were "mixed" from critics, the audience scores were through the roof. It’s currently one of the highest-grossing films in the entire franchise.
Box office analysts noted that the film performed exceptionally well in international markets, particularly in China and Mexico. This success has basically guaranteed that the Monsterverse isn't going anywhere. Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. have already started discussions for the next installment, with Grant Sputore recently tapped to direct the follow-up.
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The film also avoids the "cinematic universe" trap of requiring you to watch ten TV shows to understand the plot. If you saw the last movie, you're good. If you didn't, you can still figure it out: big monkey, big lizard, bad monkey, ice dragon. Go.
The Misconceptions
A lot of people think the Monsterverse is trying to compete with the MCU. It’s not. It’s more akin to the old Toho "Showa Era" films from the 60s and 70s. Those movies were weird. They had aliens, seatopians, and Godzilla doing drop-kicks.
Godzilla x Kong is a return to that specific vibe. It’s not "dumb" cinema; it’s "spectacle" cinema. There is a difference. The film acknowledges the absurdity of its premise and leans into it.
One detail people often miss is the environmental subtext. Godzilla’s "rampage" across the globe is him essentially acting as the planet's immune system. He’s hunting down threats to the balance of nature. When he takes over the Roman Colosseum for a nap, the movie treats it like a stray dog finding a nice cardboard box. It’s a strange, oddly touching way to view a walking natural disaster.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific corner of the Monsterverse, don't just stop at the movie.
- Read the Graphic Novels: Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted serves as a direct prequel and explains how the Skar King's influence began to leak out before the movie starts.
- Watch Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: If you actually do want that grounded, gritty human drama, the Apple TV+ series fills that gap perfectly. It bridges the time between 2014 and the newer, crazier films.
- Track the Soundtracks: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL) did the score, and it’s packed with heavy synth work that pays homage to 80s action flicks. It’s great workout music.
- Check the Toho Originals: To understand why Godzilla turns pink or why the Skar King uses a whip, go back and watch Son of Godzilla or Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). The DNA of this new movie is buried in those old classics.
The next step is simple. Stop trying to find the "logic" in a hollow earth and start appreciating the craftsmanship of the creature design. The Monsterverse has survived longer than most modern franchises because it isn't afraid to change its tone. Whether you love the "superhero" version of Godzilla or miss the "horror" version, the fact remains: these two titans are the undisputed kings of the box office for a reason.
If you’re planning a rewatch, pay close attention to the background of the Iwi city. There are murals that depict the entire history of the Titan War, many of which hint at monsters we haven't even seen yet. The lore is there, buried under the rubble of a dozen destroyed skyscrapers.
Keep an eye out for news on the 2027 sequel. With a new director at the helm, the pendulum might swing back toward a darker tone, or we might get something even more out-there. Either way, the era of the titan is far from over.