Godzilla Vs. Kong pits two mighty opponents in a closely matched battle, and mortals can never hope for a decisive outcome. Godzilla Vs. Kong is one fight that is destined to never end. The world might be divided one way or the other when it comes to supporting them, but we all know in our hearts that we will come away with a deadlock each time they enter the ring. And the battles continue in the series’ first post-pandemic release.
Let’s face it, both are breathtaking: the giant ape, King Kong, and the radioactive, fire-spewing lizard, Godzilla. The only hitch to their awe-inspiring destructive battles is the humans who come in the way. And they are as dispensable as flies. They get thrown off skyscrapers and trampled in their dozens under the gigantic foot of the super-reptile.
The Story Line Is All About Godzilla Vs. Kong
This expendable quality of humans makes them almost a boring sub-plot in this engrossing battle of the titans. The dull and uninspiring quality that humans bring to the story is not due to the slip-up of any actor. They are smart and pretty, and quite capable performers.
Ilene Andrews is played brilliantly by Rebecca Hall. She brilliantly portrays the role of the ‘Kong whisperer’ to the hilt. Alexander Skarsgard as Nathan Lind is hot as the laid-back academic, his dull and uninspiring exterior hiding a looker. He is the proponent of ‘Hollow Earth,’ a parallel world that exists behind the one we know. It is the source of all the gigantic demons that ravage the earth, both destroying and entertaining mankind.
Demian Bechir is perfect in the role of the polished but ruthlessly motivated Walter Simmons. And finally, Kyle Chandler returns to his role after the blockbuster Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, back in 2019. He is back as Dr. Mark Russel, who understands Godzilla enough to realize that when the super ape is in one of his moods, it is healthier for humans to stay away from him.
A Boost For The Besieged Industry
Godzilla vs. Kong, on HBO Max, is the 4th in line of the MonsterVerse Franchise, produced by Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros., who also hold the total distribution rights. The film is expected to hit the jackpot., churning out one of the greatest hits post the pandemic.
Sales have already crossed $70 million in China and $120 million in the global market. The road seems smoother ahead for the industry. The general audience is returning to the theaters after a horrendous year.
With the viral monster on the wane with the introduction of the vaccine, we are in for more interaction between humans and a slow return to the pre-pandemic days. Godzilla Vs. Kong is expected to be a boost to the besieged film industry.
Other younger specimens of humans are even less important to the storyline. Another entrant from Godzilla: King of the Monsters is Madison, Dr. Russell’s young daughter, played by Millie Bobby Brown. She is entrenched in the idea of podcaster Bernie Hayes with his conspiracy theories. He is an employee in Simmons’ company and is aware of the transgressions of his boss.
But then again, if you have seen any one of the recent titles, you have seen them all, so banal are the plots. But the best role among them goes to Kaylee Hottle, who plays Jia, Andrews’ adopted child. She plays the deaf Jia, which is true in real life too. She communicates with Godzilla by interpreting his sign language.
A Predictable Storyline, But The Movie Scores Where It Matters
This is a storyline lifted from the tale of Koko, a beloved gorilla in California who could communicate with human beings through signs and who loved kittens. Their interaction is the best part of this movie, which has very few scenes worth recalling.
Jia communicates with Kong through something more than the mere use of sign language. She empathizes with him to the point where she can sense his heartbeats pounding through the ground. This imparts a touch of poetry to their relationship.
You might as well forget the remainder of the plot of Godzilla vs. Kong as you switch off your set. The rest of Godzilla vs. Kong is cluttered with repetitive scenes and forgettable moments. Lind accompanies Simmons to Hollow Earth as they search for a covert power source, taking Kong as their guide.
Simultaneously, he is working on a machine to annihilate Godzilla at his facility. Godzilla then departs from Florida, sulking on his road to Hong Kong. He encounters King Kong on his journey, who is on his way to Hollow Earth by boat. Reviews have found the mindlessness of the storyline dumbfounding.
But then the storyline is not supposed to be complex or intricate. We are here to see the fight of two titans for the whole length of Godzilla Vs. Kong. The only change is the locations as the fight continues from the sea to the roads of Hong Kong. Adam Wingard, the director (Blair witch, The Guest) relishes the few moments worth seeing. The fight in Hong Kong is gigantic and a visual treat. Godzilla vs. Kong is a confrontation of gigantic proportion with spectacular sound effects that stands as its only redeeming feature.
But then, who do you choose at the end? It is the homesickness that propels Kong. For Godzilla, it is the rage, as he lets out his overwhelming desire to be left on his own. Both are misfits in the world that fails to recognize them. But we will never get back the soul of earlier movies, with computer-generated images taking over. The miniatures that were part of past movies seem more lifelike than the images used in these movies.
But then there is an undeniable charm in these movies. Kong carries with him the sorrows of the entire world underneath his tortured brows. As the sedated Kong flows into view with the charming ‘Loving Arms,’ the Elvis Presley classic, playing in the background, the scene has a dreamlike sequence to it.
And Godzilla romps on across cities in Godzilla vs. Kong, his terrifying outlines of spiky spines, and atomic breathing reflecting his inner rage. His rage is not against humans, the cities and their inhabitants just seem to get in his way. There is only one creature on planet Earth whom he acknowledges as his adversary. But then their battles are never meant to end.
The Industry Rests Its Hope On The Shoulders Of Godzilla Vs. Kong
This summer will prove to be vital for the movie industry. It needs a few hits and if Godzilla vs. Kong can match its performance in China with another strong run back home, it will send some pretty strong signals. Other smash hits are set to hit the theatres this summer. There is ‘Black Widow’ from Disney and Marvel, Warner Bros ‘The Suicide Squad,’ and ‘F9’ from Universal. The combined box office returns should jump-start the troubled industry.
Another first should be the signs that theatre release can co-exist with simultaneous release on the streaming platform. ‘Black Widow’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’ are set to be released simultaneously on both platforms.
It is still early to suggest that the industry has emerged from the pounding it took last year. Here’s hoping that Godzilla vs. Kong can bring some of the roars back in the theatres. The summer season has got to a late start in 2021, but then it’s way better than what it was in 2020. Halting the pandemic in its tracks is the key to a turnaround. This is the summer of hope for the industry and should portend a better fall and holiday season as we roll towards 2022.
