GODZILLA X KONG Splits Critics, Monsters Box Office

The dearth of content at the movies must have led to some pent-up demand, as early box-office predictions for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire have been blown away. They were looking at a decent $55 million at the top end for its domestic debut this weekend.

On Friday alone it took $31 million, meaning estimates are being hastily revised upwards toward $67 million or more.

Critics have given mixed feedback in their reviews, but audiences seem to be really digging it, as it has a 5* score on PostTrak taken from audiences leaving the theater after their viewings.

Professional critics score it lowest out of all of Legendary’s MonsterVerse with a score hovering around 62%. Here is a sample:

“If the series is to continue, and there seems little doubt that it will, the human characters are going to have to be treated with the same loving attention as the monsters.”

Frank Scheck, THR

“A welcome reminder that there’s nothing wrong with being fun and ridiculous… It’s no small compliment to say that Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is expertly crafted drivel.”

William Bibbiani, The Wrap

“Returning director Adam Wingard and his writers really lean into the cartoonish style of the Showa-era Godzilla films from 1954 to ’75. This includes abandoning all pretence of logic or plausibility, never a huge concern in this franchise.”

Peter Howell, Toronto Star

“Godzilla X Kong makes up for its own deficiencies with oddball flourishes. Wingard and the writers work like rogue chefs at an Olive Garden, tossing everything they can at any number of walls to see what sticks.” –

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

“It’s a still fun yet far sloppier outing, a second round that’s less of a win for us and more of a draw.”

Benjamin Lee, The Guardian

“There is very little emotion or inspiration underneath the orgiastic violence and, especially in the wake of last year’s ingenious Japanese-produced Godzilla Minus One, The New Empire feels old hat.”

Tim Grierson, Screen

“The movie can make your head hurt. But not because it’s too convoluted to follow. It’s because the real convolution is: Why are we supposed to care? About any of this?”

Owen Gleiberman, Variety

“The kaiju of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire don’t stand for anything but themselves. They’re just giant monsters that occasionally fight one another, which would be forgivable if the fighting in the movie weren’t so torpid.”

Alison Willmore, Vulture