Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
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Two legendary titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in a high-stakes battle for dominance in a world where both are misunderstood by humanity.
The story
Five years after the defeat of the three-headed dragon-like extraterrestrial King Ghidorah, the ape Kong is monitored by the organization Monarch. When the organization moves Kong from Skull Island to a new home in the Hollow Earth, he is forced into a confrontation with Godzilla. Simultaneously, a rival organization, Apex Cybernetics, seeks a powerful energy source within the Hollow Earth to power a secret weapon intended to stop Godzilla's mysterious attacks. As both factions venture into the subterranean realm, the fate of the world hangs in the balance as the two titans prepare for a monumental clash.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the defeat of King Ghidorah, Kong is kept in a dome on Skull Island by Monarch. Dr. Ilene Andrews and the deaf girl Jia care for him, while the organization Monarch fears his relocation would provoke Godzilla. Meanwhile, Bernie Hayes, a conspiracy theorist, discovers suspicious activity at an Apex Cybernetics facility where Godzilla attacks. Madison Russell and her friend Josh Valentine join the investigation. Apex CEO Walter Simmons recruits Nathan Lind to lead a team into the Hollow Earth to find a power source. They transport a sedated Kong to the Hollow Earth, where he finds his ancestral home. In Hong Kong, a team including Ren Serizawa and the robot Mechagodzilla are prepared for a potential threat. Godzilla arrives in Hong Kong and battles Kong. Later, a hijacked Mechagodzilla, controlled by Ghidorah's consciousness, attacks Hong Kong and overpowers Godzilla. Lind revives a dying Kong, and the two titans join forces to defeat Mechagodzilla. Ultimately, Godzilla and Kong acknowledge each other and part ways, with Kong establishing a new rule in the Hollow Earth.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 113
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Adam Wingard
- Writers
- Eric Pearson · screenplay; Max Borenstein · screenplay; Terry Rossio · story; Michael Dougherty · story; Zach Shields · story
- Cast and characters
- Alexander Skarsgård · Dr. Nathan Lind; Millie Bobby Brown · Madison Russell; Rebecca Hall · Dr. Ilene Andrews; Brian Tyree Henry · Bernie Hayes; Shun Oguri · Ren Serizawa; Eiza González · Maia Simmons; Julian Dennison · Josh Valentine; Lance Reddick · Guillerman; Kyle Chandler · Dr. Mark Russell; Demián Bichir · Walter Simmons; Kaylee Hottle · Jia
- Genres
- monster; science fiction; action
- Themes
- nature vs. technology; humanity's role in the natural world
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; epic
- Setting
- A modern-day world including Skull Island, the Hollow Earth, and Hong Kong.
- Premise and plot tags
- monster_battle; hidden_world; conspiracy
- Source material / true-story basis
- Monsterverse franchise
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the visual effects and action sequences, but criticism towards the human characters.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 59 · scale: 100 · review count: 57; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 86% · scale: percentage · review count: audience members
- Awards and nominations
- Seal of Authentic Representation · Ruderman Family Foundation · Won
- Production trivia
- The film was a streaming hit, becoming the most successful launch title in HBO Max's history until it was overtaken by Mortal Kombat.; The film's production was delayed from a November 2020 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.; The film's production was initially slated to begin on October 1, 2018, but was moved to November 12, 2018.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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