With a title like 'Godzilla vs. Kong' you know exactly what you’re going to get, and boy does this movie deliver!
Very loud with lots of bright flashing lights? Check. Superb special effects so that you can see Kong’s fur bristle? Check. The occasional tug at the heart string to 'humanize' massive, non-existent super animals? Check. Many, many plot holes, but you don’t care? Checkity check.
'Godzilla vs. Kong' is a true spectacular. It is loud, it is proud of its cheesiness, and on occasion (especially with music choice) it knows exactly what it is and invites you to laugh along with it. The film is also jam-packed with familiar faces, so much so that there must have been quite a lot of film left on the cutting room floor, as some very TV-famous people only get a few lines, hinting that they may have signed up for significantly bigger roles. You also wonder at the career choices of others (Alexander Skarsgard, what were you thinking?!), as this really is the type of film that will always be a fun B-grade romp, no matter who is leading the action.
There are a lot of familiar tropes, of course, with the orphan who has an uncanny connection to a giant ape, single parents, the discredited scientist who just needs a break, the evil corporation etc etc. You know where this plot is going, but the ride is all the fun. Speaking of plot – this may be the rare monster film that it might help to have seen some of the previous 'Godzilla' movies first. It’s still totally fun without the backstory, but I did feel like I missed something.
So, on a rainy night where you want complete absent-minded fun, grab a friend and some popcorn and prepare to be taken for a prehistoric, hollow-earth ride.
★★★☆☆
'Godzilla vs. Kong' is in cinemas now.
