It’s a great time to be a kaiju fan. The 70-year-old genre defined by giant, destructive sci-fi monsters has seemingly never been better or more popular, and in recent memory, two incredible kaiju movies offered two very different takes on the concept. One of those films was a poignant human drama told in the shadow of an unstoppable, skyscraper-sized dinosaur. And the other is streaming now on Max.
Look, I’m not here to debate whether Godzilla: Minus One or Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the better movie. That’s like asking what’s better: a cheeseburger or sushi. Both are delicious, it just depends on your mood. The same goes for these two movies, and while Minus One may have earned rave reviews and even the first Oscar ever awarded to a Godzilla movie, it’s equally important to celebrate Godzilla x Kong as the absurd, crowd-pleasing spectacle that kaiju fans deserve.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the fifth film in the MonsterVerse, a Marvel-esque franchise helmed by Legendary Pictures that began with 2014’s Godzilla. After established both Godzilla and King Kong in standalone movies, 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong finally pitted the two iconic characters against each other. Then, in 2024, we saw them team up to take on an even greater threat.
Trying to explain the plot of Godzilla x Kong is like trying to remember that weird dream you had three months ago. You might recall a few faces or moments, but the plot and dialogue all sounds like gibberish when you replay it in your head. The same goes for this movie. Godzilla x Kong is essentially four epic kaiju battles strung together by a bunch of scenes where human characters spout exposition while doing their best to act in front of a giant green screen. Clearly, much more effort went into visualizing the monsters and their combat than anything the humans might be doing underfoot. And to be honest, that’s a good thing.
In the span of about two hours, we get to see...
- King Kong fight other giant gorillas by hitting them with a smaller (but still giant) baby gorilla
- Godzilla smash Kong into the Pyramids of Giza
- An evil gorilla who fights using a giant whip made of a monster’s spine
That alone is the worth the price of admission, especially when the price is a subscription to Max that you’re already paying for so you can watch House of the Dragon on Sunday night.
It’s also worth noting, if you care about this kind of thing, that Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is an absolute box office monster. The movie has already raked in $559 million on a budget of roughly $150 million, making it the biggest hit in the MonsterVerse so far. In other words, there’s a decent chance you’ve already seen it in theaters, but even if that’s the case, you’re probably due for a rewatch now that it’s streaming on Max. (Oh, and if you’re looking for Godzilla: Minus One, try Netflix.)
