The film is the fourth installment in Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse franchise – which started with Godzilla in 2014 and has also encompassed Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla: King of Monsters (2019). The rest – including Madison’s dorky friend Josh (Julian Dennison), conspiracy podcaster Bernie (Brian Tyree Henry), reclusive scientist Dr Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) and “Kong Whisperer” Dr Andrews (Rebecca Hall) – all seem transplanted from previous films that exist only in some parallel reality. It’s hugely problematic, but almost certainly endlessly enjoyable too. In the US, the film has been released simultaneously in cinemas and on VOD platforms – which is increasingly looking like the way forward in the industry – and so at least fans have the option to see it projected as enormous as possible if they so choose. How strange it is then, that UK audiences are currently only able to watch the pair’s new film on television and laptop screens, with the blockbuster opening while cinemas are still shut due to pandemic restrictions. Godzilla vs Kong is a film hungry for the big screen. What the creative team behind Godzilla vs. Kong have delivered is as promising as the trailers led us to believe. Read it at your own risk. ginormous punches on a suitably large screen. To manage your email preferences, click here. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? It goes without saying that with so much destruction and carnage, people were bound to die and get hurt in Godzilla Vs Kong… You can unsubscribe at any time. 12A, 113 mins Godzilla vs Kong … When “Godzilla vs. Kong” debuts in the U.S. on Wednesday, it will play in more theaters than “Tenet,” “Wonder Woman 1984” or any other pandemic-era release. Wingard’s film is a $200m iteration of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, but doesn’t find itself dragged down by the excesses of the MonsterVerse’s other, equally frivolous entries. In the nicest sense, I cannot believe this film exists in its current form. Godzilla Vs Kong – Who Dies?. Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison. Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences. The Godzilla vs. Kong trailer assures viewers this will be an exception, with a winner emerging from the monster fight between Godzilla and Kong. Directed by Adam Wingard (best known for indie horror flicks like You’re Next and The Guest), Godzilla vs. Kong follows a group of scientists who decide to lure Kong to the ancestral home of the Titans in order to find an energy source that might help stop a recent bout of seemingly random rampages from Godzilla. I know that this is a film about Godzilla & Kong fighting, but there were moments where I couldn’t quite believe what I was watching. You’ve finished watching Godzilla Vs. Kong on HBO Max (or maybe in a movie theater! The problem is that every time you find yourself admiring a shot, you wind up asking yourself how much better it would look on a big screen. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. It’s no exaggeration to say that the gargantuan creatures are both undisputed icons of the silver screen. We’re a long way from 2014’s Godzilla, the first outing in Legendary’s short-lived MonsterVerse. It still won’t be a perfect film by any means, but it should certainly play an awful lot better. No one could possibly accuse this film of taking itself too seriously – and that’s the film’s greatest strength, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, Dir: Adam Wingard. There can be few film characters who sum up the word ‘cinematic’ more than King Kong and Godzilla. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into uncharted terrain and unearths clues to the Titans' origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever. Frankly, it’s hard to make a proper judgement on the film when watching at home, other than to say that the small screen does it no favours. It’s all filler between the monster fights, but these scenes are so airheaded that they’re at least fun. The film’s opening is soundtracked by Bobby Vinton’s “Over the Mountain, Across the Sea”, and lovingly takes us through Kong’s morning routine: a yawn, a butt scratch, a waterfall shower. Godzilla, with his beady eyes and constant screaming, is more like a very large, very angry chihuahua. Spoiler Free Review. The words “ancient rivalries” are periodically brought up – and that’s all we get. Of course, there is some hope: in line with the government’s current roadmap for easing restrictions, cinemas are scheduled to open again on 17th May, little more than a month from now. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Reclusive scientist Dr Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) has Kong guide him to the Earth’s core. When they do fight, the limb-flinging, body-slamming nature of it all feels somewhat realistic, even if one participant does regularly shoot atomic breath out of his mouth. News, photos, videos and full episode guide, Godzilla vs. Kong has its moments – but it doesn’t really work on the small screen, How strange it is then, that UK audiences are currently only able to watch the pair’s new film on television and laptop screens, with the blockbuster opening while cinemas are still shut due to pandemic restrictions. In Godzilla vs. Kong, he was part of a big-budget, splashy action film where the main characters are computer-generated. Get the free guide written by Paul Lewis. McDonald & Dodds renewed for third series on ITV, All Creatures Great and Small casts Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey following the death of Dame Diana Rigg. Published: Friday, 2nd April 2021 at 11:47 am. Thundercats are on the move, again. Already have an account with us? It’s also true that the near constant onslaught of action becomes somehow more exhausting and wearing on a small screen – when you’re unable to marvel at the scale of it all – which can inevitably lead to the film becoming a bit dull in places. The cheesy 1962 epic “King Kong vs. Godzilla” is famous for its over-the-top monster fight choreography, particularly the memorable moment when Kong rips a … As Kong and Godzilla (as well as a man-made monster of similar size) bash and brutalize each other, the surrounding scenery gets predictably crushed and obliterated with loud screeching effects. In the UK, though, unless you are the owner of a particularly large TV, the film just can’t be viewed in its appropriate form for now. 12A, 113 mins. Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein’s script is profoundly illogical to the point of delirium, while the sets are all trimmed with neon lights so everyone looks like they’re at a cyberpunk-themed laser tag. Madison, Josh, and Bernie try to work out why Godzilla’s reemerged, while Dr Lind and Dr Andrews have Kong guide them to the Earth’s core, which they believe contains a formidable power source. Why do Kong and Godzilla want to fight? Of course, there is some hope: in line with the government’s current roadmap for easing restrictions, cinemas are scheduled to open again on 17th May, little more than a month from now. "Godzilla vs. Kong" is a crowd-pleasing, smash-'em-up monster flick and a straight-up action picture par excellence. And while many fans will doubtless be eager to see the two monsters face off in what has been described as “an epic battle for the ages” as soon as possible, I would urge them to wait a little while longer – Godzilla vs. Kong has its moments, but it just doesn’t really work on the small screen. Thanks, you are now signed up to our films newsletter! You can unsubscribe at any time. Movie Review: In ‘Godzilla vs. Kong,’ the two classic monsters fight each other while a wasted cast, including Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, … And while many fans will doubtless be eager to see the two monsters face off in what has been described as “an epic battle for the ages” as soon as possible, I would urge them to wait a little while longer –, So much of what makes these films appealing is about bluster and bombast, with everything existing on a grandiose scale, and these things just don’t translate to a smaller screen, meaning the film loses a huge amount of its impact. It should be a full-body, collective endeavour, where audiences gather around a cinematic boxing ring and watch two cultural icons duke it out. Claim a Whitefurze planter bundle for just £19.99! Now, Godzilla vs Kong brings the two characters together – for the first time on-screen for almost 60 years – and also boasts an all-star cast of humans who appear alongside the warring giants. Get your gears turning with hundreds of puzzles, with new ones added each week - and enjoy a seven day free trial! What’s most important about Godzilla vs Kong is how it treats its monsters, who have long lost the mystique of their initial outings. Godzilla vs. Kong, One Will Fall! Godzilla vs. Kong has its moments – but it doesn’t really work on the small screen The latest instalment in the Monsterverse doesn't translate to … Thanks! Start your Independent Premium subscription today. The latest instalment in the Monsterverse doesn't translate to the home viewing experience, says Patrick Cremona. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. The time is finally here. {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, Godzilla vs Kong is very silly – and all the more enjoyable for it, Booking.com promo: 10% extra saving with Level 1 Genius membership, 15% off selected luxury beauty products by using this Debenhams discount code, Exclusive Ideal World promo code: 20% saving on fitness, Enter this AliExpress promo code for £10 off £100 orders in the tech sale, Argos discount: Save up to 15% on selected bikes and scooters. Sign up to get alerts for movie news, reviews and recommendations. After more than a year of paltry (and non-existent) opening weekends due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the box office is roaring back to life with Godzilla vs. Kong… Legends collide in "Godzilla vs. Kong" as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. As a film, it’s unquestionably flawed: there are big problems with the pacing, for example, while it’s human characters are rather two-dimensional and exist largely as exposition machines. Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our films newsletters. Dir: Adam Wingard. Minutes after I started watching Adam Wingard’s sequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong, even though I knew where this film was eventually going, the getting there seemed to get detoured by a storyline, at best described as Byzantine and, at worst, as just plain nonsensical. And yet it’s hard not to admire the spectacle on some level, as you’re sucked into the well-choreographed fights in all their bombastic glory. This doesn’t feature the crass Vietnam references of Kong: Skull Island (2017) or the visual incoherence of a rain-soaked San Francisco in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). So much of what makes these films appealing is about bluster and bombast, with everything existing on a grandiose scale, and these things just don’t translate to a smaller screen, meaning the film loses a huge amount of its impact. It is the fourth film to be set in the MonsterVerse after Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.It is the second film to feature Godzilla and King Kong since Toho's King Kong vs. Godzilla.It is directed by Adam Wingard and written by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. It marks the first time the Titans have appeared on screen together since 1962, and from the moment the monsters are pitted against each other it’s a predictably all-action affair. Ever since Kong made his debut all the way back in 1933, and his Japanese counterpart followed suit just over two decades later, the pair have been a constant feature of big screen iconography, appearing in countless blockbusters and destroying myriad landmarks alongside several generations of movie stars. After setting up various storylines including an assortment of human characters, the film really gets going with the pair’s first encounter around the 40 minute mark and it never slows down again from that point onwards. By entering your details, you are agreeing to Radio Times privacy policy. Naturally, these ancient foes are bound to collide and destroy a lot of high … No one could possibly accuse this film of taking itself too seriously – and that’s Godzilla vs Kong’s greatest strength. We look forward to sending you our email updates. There are only two familiar faces here, King of the Monsters’s rebellious teen Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) and her father (Kyle Chandler), a higher-up in the mysterious Monarch organisation. Now they finally feel like fleshed-out characters. What’s most confusing about Godzilla vs Kong is that everyone is so casually introduced that it implies we should already know them and be invested in their fates. Frankly, i. t’s hard to make a proper judgement on the film when watching at home, other than to say that the small screen does it no favours. True to form, the human characters are still pointless. As someone who’s firmly Team Godzilla, I still cheered when the overgrown iguana tried to drown Kong somewhere in the Antarctic Ocean, and cried out in despair when his ape nemesis suplexed him in the middle of downtown Hong Kong. It’s also true that the near constant onslaught of action becomes somehow more exhausting and wearing on a small screen – when you’re unable to marvel at the scale of it all – which can inevitably lead to the film becoming a bit dull in places. Google “Watch Godzilla vs. Kong” and you’ll find several movie theaters and even more showtimes. Dan Lin of Rideback and Roy Lee of Vertigo, […] Godzilla vs. Kong is a 2021 Kaiju Action Adventure crossover film by Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. There are several moments that seem engineered specifically to create wonder and awe, for the audience to gape open-mouthed at the huge creatures towering over us – and this just doesn’t have the same effect when the characters are shrunk down to fit on a laptop screen. What they’re all meant to be doing is equally unclear. It still won’t be a perfect film by any means, but it should certainly play an awful lot better. Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison. You're now subscribed to our newsletter. Godzilla vs. Kong is a 2021 American monster film directed by Adam Wingard.A sequel to both Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and Kong: Skull Island (2017), it is the fourth film in Legendary's MonsterVerse.It is also the 36th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 12th film in the King Kong franchise, and the fourth Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. It was the first time he … Amusingly, the ape has been written to be something of everyman here, like Die Hard’s John McClane, to the point he even gets his own leaping-out-of-the-way-of-an-explosion moment. Warning: This article contains Godzilla Vs. Kong spoilers. As the climax of a bitty and uneven franchise, Godzilla vs Kong is profoundly silly – and all the more enjoyable for it. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. It’s a Jules Verne-inspired detour, of sorts, that’s surprisingly imaginative. City skyscrapers are blasted in half with atomic blasts and lasers and smashed with huge fists; they’re crumbled and set on fire as the battlers fall into them or crash through them. It blows my fucking mind how breezily Godzilla vs Kong thinks it can incorporate elements from that movie, as if a solitary living soul gave any shits about the human drama we got there. At the same time, though, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the two Titans team up in the end; they've both been treated as heroes in the MonsterVerse to date, and there have been hints of MechaGodzilla and aliens, meaning something … While it’s not been confirmed, it seems likely that Godzilla vs. Kong might be one of the first films available when the box office does reopen, and so fingers crossed there will still be a chance to watch the two creatures throwing. But, in its favour – and to the credit of horror director Adam Wingard (You’re Next, The Guest) – that thrill isn’t entirely lost now that it can only be experienced at home. In a time when monsters walk the Earth, humanity’s fight for its future sets Godzilla and Kong on a collision course that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in a spectacular battle for the ages. “Godzilla vs. Kong” director Adam Wingard is attached to helm a computer-animated adaptation of the beloved 1980s Rankin Bass animated series “Thundercats” for Warner Bros., from a script Wingard will write with frequent collaborator Simon Barrett (“You’re Next,” “The Guest”). Godzilla vs. Kong makes a number of spectacular offers in its brisk 100-minute runtime. Use the calculator to find out how much you could release. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) Billed as the culmination of the MonsterVerse (for now, at least), Godzilla vs. Kong certainly delivers on its title in two lengthy major battles between the legendary stars. While it’s not been confirmed, it seems likely that Godzilla vs. Kong might be one of the first films available when the box office does reopen, and so fingers crossed there will still be a chance to watch the two creatures throwing ginormous punches on a suitably large screen. That film did well to grasp the baseline terror of studio Toho’s original creation – a demonic manifestation of the trauma Japan suffered after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.