Today’s quick review: Godzilla vs. Kong. After years of peace between humanity and the Titans, Godzilla suddenly attacks Apex Cybernetics, an advanced technology company suspected of malfeasance. In the wake of the attack, Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgard) and Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) transport Kong from containment on Skull Island to a secret tunnel in Antarctica, where they believe he can lead them to the birthplace of the Titans.
Godzilla vs. Kong is a science fiction action movie that pits two titanic monsters against each other. The movie picks up several years after Godzilla: King of the Monsters, when Godzilla’s status is challenged by the emergence of Kong. The movie focuses heavily on its action, delivering monster fights on a gargantuan scale. However, outside of its action, the movie suffers from rushed storytelling and minimal development for its human cast.
Godzilla vs. Kong lives up to its premise. With three previous movies to establish the world and its Titans, Godzilla vs. Kong is free to dive straight into its action. Godzilla and Kong are at their most vicious, sinking ships and tearing up skyscrapers as they fight for dominance. The scope of the destruction, the polish of the CGI, kinetic fight choreography, and some intriguing lore additions make Godzilla vs. Kong an entertaining popcorn watch.
Godzilla vs. Kong is on shakier ground when it comes to its story. The plot moves quickly and skimps on exposition, making it hard to tell exactly what rules the universe is playing by. The cast of characters is larger than it needs to be, and the movie shortchanges their development in favor of extra subplots that help set up for the finale. The result is a story with fruitful ideas that never get a chance to breathe.
Give Godzilla vs. Kong a shot when you’re in the mood for raw spectacle. At its core, Godzilla vs. Kong is a grudge match between behemoths, a dose of unadulterated action that takes full advantage of its monsters and their capabilities. This gives it a broad and easy appeal for action fans, with a few special bonuses for fans of the series. However, viewers should come prepared for a fast-moving story with quite a few extraneous threads.
For a more atmospheric introduction to the Titans, try Kong: Skull Island or the 2014 version of Godzilla. For a sci-fi action movie in a similar vein, try Pacific Rim or its sequel. For a somewhat more streamlined movie about giant creatures, try Rampage. For a superhero action movie with a similar story structure, try Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. For large-scale sci-fi action that hits similar beats, try Transformers: Age of Extinction.
[7.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5034838/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for impressive action and a messy but enjoyable story.