Legendary Studios’ MonsterVerse has come out of left field as arguably the fastest growing, and even most consistent, cinematic universe to date. The now five-film array consists of some of the most ridiculous fun and absurd scale of any recent blockbuster across the board, offering up instantly memorable moments that have only done more in cementing it as a mainstay franchise on the modern cinematic landscape. With the recent release and success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire we figured there would be no better time to revisit the franchise and rank those five films. Without further ado, let’s jump into hollow earth and begin the brawl.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
King of The Monsters (KOTM) is the half-decade later sequel that has basically become the black sheep of the MonsterVerse. Like every movie on the table here, it has its fans, but the overall consensus upon and since release has been one of disappointment, and we share that. Director Michael Dougherty manages to squeeze some powerful visual scope out of it, but the convoluted script and messy, overused characters drag it easily and safely to the bottom of this list. There is some fun to be had for hardcore Godzilla fans, but for the most part, you’d be better off skipping this one if you’re revisiting these films.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
From here on out, you can’t really go wrong with any of these movies. Godzilla x Kong feels like a bridge movie between something more traditional (Godzilla vs. Kong) and something far more experimental. It suffers in that way, but the off-the-chain action and visceral aesthetic achievements make it a necessary first watch, and one that will likely reward multiple revisits. It isn’t stellar, but it’s hard to go wrong with a movie in which Godzilla literally suplexes King Kong, WWE style. That’s really all that needs to be said in the first place.
Kong: Skull Island
Kong: Skull Island feels a tad disconnected from the rest of these movies, but it still posits one of the most interesting visual palettes of the bunch, as well as a star-studded cast to remember. Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and, of course, King Kong. It’s an island adventure movie reminiscent of old blockbuster cinema; it may not stun you, but it’s without a doubt a really solid effort all around. Where the previous two efforts wane on occasion, Skull Island is a raucous, colorful blast the whole way through, and may even be the most consistent movie on this list. But it isn’t the best.
Godzilla vs. Kong
We’re getting close. Godzilla vs. Kong (GvK) legitimately saved the MonsterVerse. After the disappointing performance of KOTM, Adam Wingard swooped in with a new vision for the universe and recovered it swiftly, not only putting it back on track, but totally reinventing it and the expectations that surrounded it. GvK is at the core of that transition. The stakes are at a natural high; it doesn’t get more intense than Godzilla vs. King Kong in a fight to brutal submission. It feels like a televised boxing match, until the giant robot shows up and the two have to team up to take it down. It’s just an awesome movie, and one of the big reasons this franchise still exists today.
Godzilla
It’s no knock to the rest of this franchise that the first entry is still the best; Gareth Edwards Godzilla is just that good. The film employs the most serious tone of the bunch, but it works well as a stark introduction to a subject that is treated with full respect and empathy. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are fantastic leads, and the build-up to Godzilla’s climactic reveal remains unbeaten today. The MonsterVerse could not have jumped out to a better start, and we’re glad to give Godzilla the gold medal in our ranking of the franchise.
The way this franchise has grown so widely and rapidly means that you’re bound to have experienced it in a different way than we did, so make sure you tap into the comments, or over on social media, and share your own ranking with us! Who knows how long it’ll be until we can add another release to the list, but for now, we’ll be rewatching Godzilla x Kong as many times as we can before it leaves theaters. That suplex slam is just as shocking every single time.
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