Godzilla vs. Kong Is Visually Breathtaking and Releases in Theaters and HBO Max on Wednesday March 31, 2021.
Godzilla vs. Kong is absolutely gorgeous…visually. The real problem is with the human cast. Think less Pacific Rim and far more Pacific Rim: Uprising.
Similar to the original King Kong vs. Godzilla from 1962, we expect the outcome and like every comic book crossover when two heroes who don’t know each other let their egos dictate their interactions until they discover a common enemy forcing them to change directions.
The most compelling human character in the film is Kaylee Hottle, an all-deaf young actress that plays Jia and is able to connect with Kong, everyone’s favorite of the great apes. This actress was able to connect with the beast on a level that no adult in the film could …and out of the mouth of babes, as they say is what stands out.
What is truly amazing is how incredible an actress Rebecca Hall is and can always get me to bellow at the screen, “Will you shut up already!?!” Hall and I share a birthday, yet no matter what role she’s played that I have seen, whether in Iron Man 3, Transcendence or Holmes & Watson, I love to hate her character portrayals.
Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews comes across as distant to her adopted daughter Jia and comes across as the scientist who only cares about the final outcome instead of the emotional well-being of the child. She cares, but it isn’t a warm and inviting style that the culture I come from would find acceptable.
Millie Bobby Brown returns as Madison Russell from the original Godzilla: King of the Monsters as does Kyle Chandler aka Dr. Mark Russell.
Alexander Skarsgård is in it…oh and Kong doesn’t like him. Brian Tyree Henry is the resident conspiracy theorist, Bernie Hayes, who turns out to be right and is a bit of the comic relief for this pictures.
Godzilla vs. Kong is absolutely a delight to watch if you expect to enjoy a movie that’s based on visual effects, destruction, bright colors and fan service, but if you are looking for deep character development this isn’t the picture for you.
Godzilla vs. Kong Releases in Theaters and HBO Max on Wednesday March 31, 2021.
- Overall Score
Summary
Godzilla vs. Kong is a triumph in visual storytelling that will hopefully lead to another sequel, but I did wish for more character development with a near 2-hour runtime.
