There’s Something Wrong With Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) [Spoilers]

Godzilla vs. Kong is not a “good” movie to watch in the traditional sense. In fact, the CGI is the standout element in this messy movie. It’s messy because it doesn’t know whether to call itself a creature movie or a movie about people trying not to be cruel to animals — even titans. Here’s a hint: if you want to watch a movie about two hugely popular yet fictional monsters, you don’t need actual actors to do anything. Godzilla and Kong do this movie justice, and they are the only thing in it worth seeing, period.

That might come off as a little harsh, but it’s no less true. Even seasoned actors such as Alexander Skarsgård and Rebecca Hall can’t save it from a mediocre script.

That aside, Godzilla and Kong should be up for academy awards — or at least the CGI crew should because the special effects are some of the best I’ve seen. So let’s pay credit where it’s due, and that’s mostly to Weta Digital and Scanline VFX. There were so many people involved in Godzilla and Kong’s creation that it’s hard not to pay those talented people attention. After all, Kong and Godzilla were the highlights of the movie. And it’s easy to see why when you run your eyes over the list of credits for the crew.

So, in short, Godzilla vs. Kong is about two titan-type monsters going head to head with each other. That’s it, that’s the movie. No, seriously. That’s what everyone wants to watch, and that’s all they’ll care about. Rebecca Hall and Alexander Skarsgård will go unnoticed by the millions of people who will see this movie. And that's not a bad thing.

And it’s the same with Millie Bobby Brown and the Kiwi kid from Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Julian Dennison. Their characters were largely insignificant when you look at the “bigger” picture. In fact, the scenes involving Millie Bobby Brown and Julian Dennison were cringy. I'm sorry, but we're not going to believe that two teenagers saved the world. In the end, the humans were nothing more than a distraction from the main attraction. You’re bringing two of the most iconic monsters in film history together for a clash of “titanic” proportions. Nobody is going to care much beyond that.

There are, however, some small, emotional moments when King Kong understands sign language. I thought that was a nice touch considering certain famous gorillas have been known to use sign language to communicate with humans.

There’s a “Mandalorian and Grogu” moment that’s, well, a little awkward, to be honest. Some will say it’s a nice way to gather sympathy from the audience, but it’s also a little crass. I mean, this isn't "Star Wars", and King Kong isn't cute like Grogu. Let's remember what we're dealing with here. King Kong is a killer. And now he is somehow bonding with this cute kid (she is cute, he isn't).

Because again, do we really care about some kid’s “bond” with Killer Kong? No. We’re here for the mayhem, the fight of the century. We’re here because we love these monsters the most when they’re taking each other’s heads off! And that part of the film was superb and worth the ratings this film has been getting since it opened for box offices last week.

If I could salute Godzilla and Kong, I would, but I’ll settle for tipping my hat to the director Adam Wingard and the creative team behind this movie. Their contribution to the Monsterverse has been a moment a lot of fans will treasure for years to come.

Originally written by Julie Gray for Now Showing NZ

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