"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire": Monster Movies with a Martial Art Twist

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire2024

In comparison to the previous "Godzilla vs Kong”, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" (GxK) expands the proportion of the Hollow Earth directly to 80% of the entire movie. By delving into the perspective of the monsters and telling the story from their point of view, humans become secondary characters. Obviously, the director knows what the audience wants to see most - monsters.

Since the reboot of "Godzilla" in 2014, the legendary Monster Universe has formed a vast worldview. It not only includes the two classic monster characters, Godzilla and King Kong, but also establishes the background setting of the covert organization "Monarch."

"Kong: Skull Island" in 2017 explores the origin of King Kong. "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" in 2019 introduces various giant monsters: King Ghidorah, Rodan, Mothra, and establishes Godzilla's status as the "King of Monsters." Finally, in the previous film "Godzilla vs Kong," Godzilla and King Kong compete for dominance, pushing their confrontation to its climax and opening up a new territory - the Hollow Earth. After ten years, "GxK" can be seen as a summary of the previous films, while also introducing new monster characters such as Scar King, Shimo, and Titan Tiamat.

Originally, the monster movie genre was more or less a fusion of disaster and thriller genres. However, "GxK" is different, it's more like a transition into a superhero and martial arts film. When broken down, themes such as chivalry, emotional relationships, and spiritual inheritance can be interpreted. The transition from the letter "V" in the previous title to the letter "X" in this title hints at a story of working together to fight enemies. The battles and alliances between giant monsters are similar to the factional struggles and hero alliances in the martial arts world.

The story takes place a few years after the "GvK" event. We thought King Kong was the last of his kind, but that's not the case. In the Hollow Earth, King Kong discovers his own kind, who look like his miniature version from his childhood, Suko (inspired by "Son of Kong" in 1933). However, this discovery leads him to face even harsher challenges: all the giant apes are controlled by a red-furred dictator, Scar King, and are his slaves. When King Kong is found, it disrupts the previous situation, and potential chaos is about to erupt. On the other hand, Godzilla senses new danger in the human world and prepare for the upcoming battle. He continuously eliminates other monsters, taking over their territories, including Titan Tiamat, to obtain new radiation energy.

The movie's first half follows King Kong's journey into the Hollow Earth, where he confronts threats like Scar King and his kind. Facing these dangers alone, Kong realizes he must ally with his former enemy, Godzilla, to change the course of the battle. The second half introduces the idea of a monster alliance, with five main monsters - King Kong, Godzilla, and Mothra on one side, battling Scar King and Suko on the other, creating an epic monster brawl.

There are three notable aspects of "GxK." Firstly, the new character Scar King and his backstory are actually hidden threads in the monster movie universe.

The mid-movie speech reveals a concise yet informative narrative about the Scar King, once the "former Monster King" of the Hollow Earth, who built a powerful empire by uniting the Titans of the ape tribe and eliminating threats, including Godzilla's parents and relatives. However, the balance of power shifted during an ancient battle when Godzilla and other colossal creatures imprisoned the Scar King in the depths of the Hollow Earth. The accidental breaking of this seal led to the Scar King's return, sparking the film's Monster World War. This backstory also explains the deep-seated enmity between Godzilla and Kong, rooted in their bloodlines.

Secondly, there's the action sequence design. From intense fights at the Roman Colosseum, to expeditions in the Hollow Earth, to naval confrontations between Godzilla and Titan Tiamat, and several clashes between Kong and the Scar King... these scenes don't just showcase mindless violence; they also exhibit the "Monster Aesthetics."

Huge monsters, with their extraordinary size and strength, create the most extreme contrast with humans. The extreme juxtaposition of immenseness and smallness, to the point where majestic pyramids are destroyed and the sky is filled with dust and sand, all exude a sense of beauty. This shift in perspective and the resulting change in experience is the visual root of why monster movies feel so satisfying.

Thirdly, there have been adjustments to the combat abilities of Godzilla and King Kong. Simply put, they have become more individualized. Godzilla's aggressiveness and resistance have increased, and after his radiation energy has increased by 20 times, his combat ability is unparalleled. King Kong has had two moments where he received help from humans: he got "dentures" after losing his teeth and a "robotic arm" after suffering frostbite.

These settings have infused King Kong with more human-like characteristics. In the old Hollywood movies, King Kong was portrayed as wild and powerful, symbolizing nature's raw force, distinct from technology. However, in this film, modern technology has been integrated to amplify his strength, portraying him as a being that transcends the divide between nature and technology.

Despite some plot inconsistencies, "GxK" is undeniably a Hollywood blockbuster worth watching this year. From an entertainment standpoint, it easily meets expectations. Most importantly, it allows audiences to fully immerse themselves in the world of giant monsters for two hours, free from the worries of reality.