Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Considering the massive stature of the titular beasts, it’s remarkable how the sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, actually feels bigger than its predecessors.

Whether it’s better is a different argument. This latest entry in the effects-driven monster mashup franchise after Godzilla vs. Kong has plenty of kaiju set pieces to thrill series devotees without advancing the mythology in any meaningful way.

The film opens with King Kong peacefully sequestered beneath the planet’s surface in Hollow Earth while erstwhile nemesis Godzilla minds his business among the pint-sized humans.

“As long as they don’t venture into each other’s territories, we’ve got nothing to worry about,” reasons a scientist (Rebecca Hall) basically in charge of making sure that doesn’t happen.

But it does, of course, thanks to some agitation from other behemoths seeking world domination, including a formidable primate known as Skar King who pushes Kong’s buttons, and a highly charged undersea reptile who lures Godzilla into a trap.

There are other human characters, too, some of which are holdovers. They include a conspiracy blogger (Brian Tyree Henry) trying to secure followers, an explorer (Dan Stevens) whose thirst for adventure comes in handy, and a deaf girl (Kaylee Hottle) with a mysterious past who’s a conduit of sorts to Kong.

Their collective role is to look bewildered and helpless, spout pseudo-scientific nonsense, and act as de facto narrators to translate the grunts and roars for non-fluent moviegoers.

All the brawls on the undercard cause some loyalties to shift and lead into an obligatory large-scale finale that triggers catastrophes on both sides of the Earth’s crust. On the terrestrial side, such landmarks as the Colosseum, the Rock of Gibraltar, and the Egyptian pyramids are part of the collateral damage.

Returning director Adam Wingard and his crew deserve credit for some elaborate world building and meticulous creature design. It’s a marvelous collection of computer-generated visuals.

A loud and proud exercise in spectacle over substance, the otherwise silly film delivers the goods with an abundance of slow-motion titan clashes that convey a visceral intensity.

However, despite half-hearted attempts to connect on a deeper emotional level, it’s almost impossible to muster any significant rooting interest in characters of any species.

With its expansion of the goliath roster, The New Empire feels more like a bridge to future installments, or the battle before a war that’s yet to materialize.

Rated PG-13, 115 minutes.