Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) Review

RATING: 5/10

TWO of pop culture's most iconic figures finally get their chance to square off as the nuclear-empowered sea monster, Godzilla, faces The Eighth Wonder Of The World, King Kong, in a film that fully delivers on its effectual premise - but sadly not much else.

Being the latest instalment in Warner Bros' floundering Monsterverse, Godzilla vs. Kong follows the events of the previous Godzilla and King Kong films where Godzilla defeated his titanic enemies and Kong was captured and preserved for further analysis.

However, when seemingly-unknown forces from Hollow Earth begin to awaken, the crypto-zoology agency Monarch appoint a team of scientists and soldiers to transport King Kong to Hollow Earth in order to learn more about the ancient civilisation before Godzilla is able to locate and destroy his chronic rival.

Is the plot a little convoluted? Yes. Is it necessary? No. But does the action make up for the lack of story development? Maybe.

Godzilla vs. Kong excels during its most simple scenes, delivering engaging and entertaining action as the titans briefly duel in Godzilla's favoured ocean before meeting a second time on land which leans more towards King Kong, setting the stage for the film's third battle held in the coastal city of Tokyo - an evenly-matched environment for the final showdown.

Each punch feels impactful and perfectly complements the roars which echo from the monsters thanks to the wonderful sound design courtesy of Erik Aadahl.

Known for his exceptional work on a multitude of blockbusters including Transformers, Erik Aadahl created the rebooted roar of Godzilla which makes for some of the film's most intense and chilling moments, particularly when the titan screeches in a silent plain.

Adam Wingard's monster romp isn't without its faults as the series' over-reliance on uninteresting human characters unfortunately takes up majority of the movie, with the trio of Brian Tyree Henry, Millie Bobby Brown and Julian Dennison being the most egregious inclusion as their 'comic-relief' side plot was boring, woeful, and worst of all, unnecessary.

Godzilla vs. Kong isn't exactly a tour de force for the film industry. Majority of the human characters ironically took away much of the film's heart and soul, but if you know what you're getting yourself into, then you will enjoy this action-packed monster mash.