Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire IMAX 3D Review

MOVIE REVIEW

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire picks up after the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong, and it follows King Kong getting used to his new life in Hallow Earth. However, when a new threat arises seeking to upset the world, Kong, and a group of scientists looking after him, have to travel even deeper into Hallow Earth to find it. And if the threat gets to big for Kong, maybe bringing back Godzilla to help is in the cards.

I haven't yet been able to do a review on Godzilla vs. Kong. And I still plan to do so one day, so I'll try to save all the details on my opinion of that film for a later date. But in short, it's not a perfect film. I found its human characters to not be all that engaging or enjoyable. But when the action started, it becomes a spectacle to behold and is more than worth the price of admission. I easily recommend it, and in 3D if you get the chance. Going into this new Godzilla and Kong film, I wasn't really sure what to expect. We've seen the two fight each other and then SPOILERS team up to take down their enemy END SPOILERS. So from a plot standpoint, I figured whatever they were able to come up with, it wouldn't be a necessary continuation and would probably have about as much substance as a boy playing with his Godzilla and King Kong figuring for a couple of hours on a lazy afternoon. For the most part, I was right. But a lot like it's predecessor, the story serves as a vehicle for the main attraction, that being we see monsters fighting other bigger monsters. And on that front, it does fortunately deliver.

I know it'd probably be a bit easier to do so after seeing Godzilla Minus One, but if you go for anything subversively deep to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, you'll be most likely disappointed. The human characters still aren't that engaging, and to a degree, are more slightly annoying than they were than I remember them being in the Godzilla vs. Kong. They bring back the conspiracy podcaster from the last film, who doesn't really service the plot any, and contributes lines the movie expects you to find funny but never come off that way. They introduce an Australian dentist to work on Kong's tooth who's a little fun. But still, it feels the script is trying to hard to make him the cool guy that I couldn't really get into him. The one thing that did have me a little invested was the mother/daughter story between the adoptive mom and her deaf Iwi daughter from the last movie. There's a dynamic at work that intensifies the further they go into Hallow Earth as the Iwi girl discovers she's not the last of her kind. However, it never comes through as emotionally investing as it probably should've been.

But then again, that's probably because the main core of the story is Kong himself, whose CGI work gives him a mesmerizing human-like sensibility. Seeing him move around and go deeper into Hallow Earth to find the monster below, his performance gives off a surprising amount of nuance in his facial expressions and body movements, and it really gets you invested in his story. For as much as people like to point to dwindling CGI effects in our current entertainment, this is one movie that still manages to get it right. And it's not just with Kong, all the other primate creatures we come across benefit from the tastefully done animation. Even the reptiles come off as quite convincing.

Of course, though, the action sequences are where the film peaks. And the action we get here is big, bombastic, chaotic, and an absolute delight. From the surreal set pieces in Hallow Earth to the menacing creatures we meet to the incredible size of it all, the film offers no shortage of creature punching, monster fighting, destruction-wrecking excitement. I'll mention more about it in my 3D review of the film, but this is one of those films I'm glad I caught on the IMAX screen in 3D. Not only does the screen size give the film's scale justice, but the sound system and 3D effects make for the ultimate sensory overload you want from a big action movie like this. In fact, it probably rivals Dune: Part Two as the best IMAX film of the year (that film was excellent, by the way. Too bad I didn't get to talk about it as it's not in 3D).

And yep, that's pretty much all there is to it. From an objective standpoint, there's better fare at the theater with better characters and a better storyline. On the other hand, though, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire not only has a few pleasant surprises, but it offers some of the most stylized visuals and engaging action you can currently catch on the silver screen. In fact, this is one of the few films where the big villain defeat at the end resulted in massive applause from the audience. So as a big, mindless blockbuster, I'd say it does its job well. A bit like the last film, it's got some generic shlock to wade through. But once it gets going, it's a fun ride.

OVERALL FILM RATING: 3.5/5

3D REVIEW

Once again, I wanted to get the most out of this colossal spectacle, so I saw it in IMAX 3D. I'll try to focus more on the 3D effects than the IMAX experience here. But the latter still affects the former quite a bit. So keep that in mind if you're planning to see this film in 3D on an ordinary screen. Our perception of the 3D might not be the same.

While I didn't get to review any of the Godzilla movies in 3D, I did do Kong: Skull Island. And in that review, I talked about how much the presence of 3D helped to further enhance the sense of size and depth in the world of Kong. The same applies for pretty much all the Godzilla movies, and it's also true for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Probably not to the same degree, though, because whereas Kong: Skull Island was more focused on the human's perspective of the jungle, this film switches back and forth between the world from the point of view from humans and from Kong. Still, in scenes where the depth of field is meant to capture the immensity of the environment and the monsters in it, it's pretty effective.

Now for as that depth is utilized, let's start with Hallow Earth as it offers some pretty mesmerizing 3D visuals, made all the more stunning when the film switches to the full IMAX screen ratio. Right from the start, the camera pans past the studio logos by going through tunnels filled with crystals. There are some excellent corridor/tunnel, hole, and trench shots that make for fun viewing in 3D. Hallow Earth gives us plenty of, as mentioned before, surreal set pieces that contain unique positions of things like rocks, cliffs, trees, crevices, and even waterfalls. Add in some giant creatures, though, and you'll be running for your life. You can even feel as if you're looking off far into the distance in many of the landscape shots, made all the more interesting by a row of floating rocks and a sky made up of another surface. The film even contains a couple of tracking shots following flying creatures as the camera spins around, once again making good use of the far off landscapes.

As good as the 3D is in Hallow Earth, and even during some surface-level scenes such as Godzilla's fight in Rome or the climax in the city, the 3D isn't quite as impressive on the human side of things. Don't get me wrong, they still give us some neat shots when entering a portal that takes us through a light tunnel, look out of a vehicle windshield into the danger outside, or even stare up onto a giant handprint on a huge cliffside. But when it's in rooms, in talking scenes, or closed-in areas, the 3D, while certainly present, isn't as well utilized. Luckily, though, this doesn't make up the majority of the movie. When the film gets monster-centered, the 3D shifts into high gear.

The pop outs in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire aren't Kong: Skull Island levels of fun, but there's still enough to give you a good thrill. There are several great shots where monsters lunge out at you to attack you, there's some kicked up sand, floating dust, flying planes, falling rocks, objects getting swung around, and fiery explosions. Even on the more subtle side, we still get clouds, people, monsters, crystals, and various other objects sitting on top of or slightly out of the screen.

On the whole, I wouldn't consider the 3D in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire to be entirely necessary to the experience. It's not quite as well-utilized as other movies I've seen as of late. Still, the setting stuns in the extra dimension, there are some moments of impressive 3D composition, and the action feels more up close and personal. The film just naturally works with 3D, making the third-dimension plenty well-worth the ticket price. If you have to decide between 3D and IMAX, though, I'd easily recommend IMAX. That's the intended way to experience these gigantic creatures, especially with those aforementioned scenes that use the IMAX ratio, filling up the whole screen. Still, 3D is far from the worst way to go. And if you track down a rare IMAX 3D showing, all the better.

3D RATING: GREAT

OTHER SOURCES THAT REVIEW THIS MOVIE'S 3D

Cinemablend's To 3D or Not Review: https://www.cinemablend.com/3d/to-3d-or-not-to-3d-buy-the-right-the-godzilla-x-kong-the-new-empire-ticket

Real Future Picture's Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KRO9BMT19Q

FINAL THOUGHTS

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is certainly quite a bit inferior to its predecessor Godzilla vs. Kong. And just getting off of Godzilla Minus One, it's shortcomings in the plot and character department do feel slightly more jarring than usual. But all thing considered, it still works as a fun enough ride for those looking to have a good time at the cinema. For those willing to check their brain off at the door and enjoy some big monsters doing big monster stuff, I recommend this next installment. If you're one of those people, then you'll probably want to get the most out of the experience, in which case I'd of course strongly suggest you go see this film in IMAX 3D and become immersed in the world of King Kong and his new pal Godzilla. Is the 3D that good all on its own? I'd say yes, but not quite as much as the IMAX screen/sound system. Still, if you can get them both together, it's quite the thrill ride. Maybe the 3D 4DX would be more to your liking if you don't mind getting thrown out of your seat. I didn't see it that way, but judging by how earth-shattering Godzilla Minus One was in that format, I wouldn't expect anything less from this film. But if you aren't in the mood to get tossed around like a rag doll, IMAX will fulfill your needs. If you don't live near an IMAX theater, then spring for the 3D option. It'll bring you closer to King Kong, Godzilla, and their enemies than you'd probably be comfortable with in real life.

DID YOU LIKE "GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE" IN 3D (IMAX OR NOT)?

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