When one looks back on the accumulated knowledge that comes from being a fan of the cinema, there is a plethora of emotions, humour and pathos often in equal measures. Some moments however fall fully into the whimsical camp. For me, one of the most hilarious moments was when that atomically-charged monster Godzilla destroyed entire cities made from balsa wood and paper.
Those early films were so endearing. Now fast forward to today and we have the trifecta duke out of monsters called Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The third member is the uncredited Mothra, guess the film title was long enough already? Into this mix comes the advanced state of computer-generated imagery, so unfortunately the balsa wood and paper have been set aside in light of more believable visuals and bigger targets to destroy. Did anyone say the Great Pyramids of Giza? They get reduced to rubble.
Making up for this lack of handmade mayhem, the filmmakers have used the art of CGI to create believable facial expressions on the faces of the Titans. No more unmovable rubber masks but visual emotions. This approach adds to the appeal. One emotion not shown however is regret. It doesn’t matter to them that there is the almost complete destruction of every manmade object they come in contact with during their worldwide battles. No monument no matter how famous or ancient is safe. This theme pays direct respect to those groundbreaking original auteurs.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire may not be the Titan’s finest hour but it is a lot of fun and the homage paid to the character’s creators are heartfelt and tangible. In our daily lives, we come across the signs of the true monsters that exist in our world, so what’s not to like about spending a few escapist hours with these made-up ones? The ones that get to indulge in harmless wanton destruction while still being able to entertain us and giving us a short break from the actual horrors that plague this world of ours.
Rob Hudson
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