'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' film review: MonsterVerse's titan-sized misfire

In this modern era of 'cinematic universes' wherein every sequel exists in service to the next big thing, the new MonsterVerse flick 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' (in theaters March 29) ... just sort of exists.

In short: A tenuous coexistence between Godzilla and Kong is tested when a new threat, with connections to Skull Island, endangers the planet.

Ever since the 2014 edition of 'Godzilla' kicked off the so-called Legendary 'MonsterVerse' series of Godzilla movies, all of these movies seemed to point toward something bigger. And when the 2017 flick 'Kong: Skull Island' revealed that it too was part of this 'MonsterVerse,' all roads pointed toward the main event everyone wanted: King Kong versus Godzilla. And this happened in 2021's 'Godzilla vs. Kong.'

'New Empire' is barely a 'Godzilla x Kong' movie - at best, it's a Kong movie with an extended Godzilla cameo. The two share very little screen time. And audiences have already watched that clash of titans. 'The New Empire' exists in the hangover of 'Godzillas vs. Kong,' with this weird, rudderless sequel just drifting along in the wake of its more entertaining predecessor. 'Godzillas vs. Kong' was stupid but fun - a popcorn blockbuster that was exactly as advertised: the King of the Monsters versus the King of the Beasts. 'The New Empire' feels like the forgettable undercard match that weirdly followed the heavyweight fight everyone wanted to see.

Any fair assessment of 'The New Empire' would review this sequel in a vacuum - without really considering its place within the MonsterVerse story and especially ignoring last year's vastly superior 'Godzilla Minus One.' And even just considering 'New Empire' on its own merits: this sequel is just a flaccid non-event. Any film featuring these two cinematic legends deserves better than 'The New Empire,' a movie that coasts on the audience's affinity for Godzilla and Kong as the "mystery" of its storyline takes entirely too long to unfold. Even when the actual stakes and dangers finally reveal themselves, the results are pretty underwhelming. That fact that ‘New Empire’ feels like a disconnected standalone flick isn’t itself the problem - the root issue here is just how bland and unmoving this sequel is.

As this is a spoiler-free review, this review will not disclose the actual antagonists of 'New Empire' - except to say that it is neither the titular Godzilla nor Kong. And there's no meaningful 'Godzilla versus Kong' moment. In fact, this film's title is a total misnomer. Godzilla is in so little of this flick that he could have been written out completely and let 'The New Empire' stand as a Kong-only film. For a sequel theoretically part of a much larger franchise synergy, 'New Empire' doesn't build much from any of its previous films and leaves zero excitement for anything on the MonsterVerses's horizon. Another iconic Toho monster does make a cameo in 'New Empire,' but like everything in this sequel, it also just lands with a dull, underwhelming thud.

Oh, there’s also some human characters in here too. They explain plot stuff from time to time. The always great Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens are underserved by thin characters who just deliver exposition.

Final verdict: If 'The New Empire' is any indication, then the MonsterVerse may have run its course.

Score: 2/5

'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' opens in theaters nationwide on March 29. This sci-fi action adventure has a runtime of 115 minutes and is rated PG-13 for creature violence and action.