Godzilla Vs. Kong - Bring It On!

 

Stream it on HBO Max 

    There are times when a movie doesn't need to be profound or nuanced, so long as it is enjoyable and provides exactly what it advertises; otherworldly monsters exchanging some fisticuffs. Looking at the insanity presented in the trailers and posters, you might be forgiven in assuming that it's just another Michael Bay-style waste of time. To that, I say no! Unlike anything Michael Bay has made from the first Transformers movie onward, Godzilla Vs. Kong isn't trying too hard to be cool or insert unnecessary human drama into the important stuff. Yes, a human story is tangentially connected to the monster fights, but it's only there to progress the monsters' real story. Under any other circumstances, this might be an issue. But with this movie, you get exactly what you expect, and it doesn't try to do anything else. Best of all, it delivers in spades! 

    The story takes place...oh, who am I kidding? We don't care about the story! Get to the monster fights!!!

    That's more or less the general feel of the movie. While there is a general plot that continues to expand Warner Brothers' new monster universe with recurring characters and references to previous story turns, it's not the main focus of the film's presentation. Fortunately, the movie is smart enough to provide just enough character development and lore for both the human characters and the monsters to feel more engaging. You know why the titans are fighting, you know why the human characters care, and it's enough to make you care as well. 

    The film's MVP award goes to Kaylee Hottie as the little deaf girl who's best friends with Kong. Her character provides a surprising level of depth to the monster fights and a tangible connection to Kong, who is more or less the real protagonist of the film. 

    Godzilla vs. Kong is the cinematic equivalent of a wrestling match between two icons: properly lit, decently choreographed, and with just enough emotional investment to make it feel like the proper epic it sets out to be. Even if you're not a devoted fan of the Kiju series, it provides all the necessary ingredients for a great time. Think of it as organic home-made brain candy as opposed to packaged chemicals. It may not enrich your life, but it will give you an amazing thrill. 

    Check this one out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.