Godzilla vs. Kong is a love letter to classic action films and the kaiju classics that came before it. Being that this was Kong's second outing in the MonsterVerse, he ended up getting a hefty amount of screentime to help flesh out the character. Not only did this help him in regards to developing a personality that was distinct from Godzilla, but it also mirrored many of the classic moments and lessons that came from his early film roots.
Since its release, the 1933 classic King Kong has been told and retold, always keeping Kong's tragic story intact. When Godzilla vs. Kong released, many of these moments were also honored, but sized up considerably. One of these elements is seen early on in Godzilla vs. Kong with Kong being relocated from Skull Island.
In the classic film, Kong was the king of his domain and was feared and/or respected by any who crossed him. However, the moment he stepped foot into New York, the world was a lot bigger than him, and the humans' fear led them to gun the creature down on top of the Empire State Building. The immediate danger of the modern world was also shown in Godzilla vs. Kong. But rather than humans and biplanes, the threat came from Godzilla's first attack. The two battled it out on aircraft carriers in the middle of the ocean, and Kong barely survived. It became Kong's harsh wake-up call that the rest of the world was more dangerous than his home.
Once Kong reached Hong Kong, the parallels to his original film take full effect. As Kong battled Godzilla, he withstood powerful bites and scratches from the King of the Monsters. In the end, Kong was defeated by the Titan and nearly lost his life. His defeat and slowed heart rate, paralleling the ending to the 1976 King Kong film, were felt by his young friend Jia (Kaylee Hottle). Thankfully, Kong's heart was restarted and he was able to aid Godzilla in his battle with Mechagodzilla.
Kong managed to land the final strike on Mechagodzilla, and he and Godzilla parted ways with mutual respect for one another. The film closed with Kong now king of a new home, Hollow Earth. The long theorized location in the MonsterVerse is hidden within the Earth's core and is home to a jungle setting with massive creatures. With Kong remaining in Hollow Earth, Godzilla vs. Kong proved the original King Kong film's most important lesson: Nature and civilization do not mix.
For almost 100 years, audiences have seen Kong start as a king in his home and end as another casualty of humanity's fear of the unknown. Godzilla vs. Kong decided to break the mold, though. Rather than having Kong's death be the ending to the lesson, the film showed that Kong belonged in his own world with a shot of him thriving in Hollow Earth, away from not only Godzilla but also the dangers of the modern world.
Directed by Adam Wingard and written by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein, Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry. The film is now playing in theaters and on HBO Max.