Legends collide in “Godzilla vs. Kong” as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans— instigated by unseen forces—is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.
For in-depth thoughts on Godzilla vs. Kong, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Godzilla vs. Kong offers a lovely uptick in quality over the already incredible accompanying Blu-Ray, making it a strong contender for new release of the year. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores. The increased range of the color spectrum is stunning to behold. The Dolby Vision and HDR enriches the colors from already impressive to out of this world when it comes to vibrancy. This film explodes with color and visits new and exciting locations more than any other entry into this series. Don’t get me started on the intense colorfulness of Godzilla’s nuclear breath and the stunning Hong Kong setting that is overflowing with eye-popping hues.
The highlights in the film are more defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Elements in the the film taking place in the cover of darkness are more vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including strong gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is great, but Warner Bros. has delivered another demo-worthy transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a dynamite Dolby Atmos presentation that feels like it just might bring your house down. This is a title that is made to be played loud and provide complete immersion, and the addition of the height channels aids in accomplishing that goal. Various overhead elements provide a special touch that will have you vibrating. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic action scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. Ambient details are plentiful and quite satisfying in the rear and overhead channels. The momentous score from Junkie XL envelopes the room with a ferociousness that you will not soon forget. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The heavy gunfire and tumbling of buildings provides an all-encompassing soundscape that kicks in throughout all the speakers. The low end is pushed to the limits here in a way that will have your neighbors complaining. The mix will be a fun one to put on to demo your sound system.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Adam Wingard provides a commentary track in which he discusses the alternate versions of the film that he created during production, the importance of music in the film, what he wishes he could have changed about the character design of Godzilla, CGI vs practical effects and more. This is a solid addition to the package if you want to know more of the thought process behind the film.
- The God
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- Godzilla Attacks: A six-minute piece which takes a look at the opening attack sequence, the evolution of the big guy from King of the Monsters, the returning characters and more.
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- The Phenomenon of Gojira, King of the Monsters: A ten-minute piece in which cast and crew members discuss the legacy of the character, the deeper meaning behind the narrative, bringing the character to our modern times and more.
- The King
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- Kong Leaves Home: An eight-minute piece which explores where Kong is after all these years post-Skull Island and how that impacts the narrative, new characters in his world and more.
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- Kong Discovers Hollow Earth: An eight-minute piece which takes a closer look at why the creative team wanted to explore the concept of Hollow Earth and what it brought to the narrative.
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- Behold Kong’s Temple: A six-minute piece which takes a look at Kong’s exploration of his past through this special new setting.
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- The Evolution of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World: An eight-minute piece in which the cast and crew discuss the history of the character, how he has changed over the years, their personal relationship to him and more.
- The Rise of Mechagodzilla: A seven-minute look at bringing this new character into the story and its history in the franchise.
- The Battles
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- Round One – Battle at Sea: A five-minute look at how the cast and crew pulled off one of the biggest set pieces in the film.
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- Round Two – One Will Fall: A six-minute look at the big downtown showdown between the two monsters.
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- Titan Tag Team – The God and The King: An eight-minute look at what the creative team wanted to accomplish with the epic team up.
Final Thoughts
Godzilla vs. Kong is everything you want out of your giant monster battle film and more. Not only do you get more of the large-scale action that you crave, the story expands to new and unexpected places to keep you invested even when things are not being destroyed. The human elements are not the most important elements of the story, as per the usual, but the performers do a decent job of making an impression when the film asks them to step up. Director Adam Wingard harnesses the fun that these films have at times lacked in previous installments, which allows it to be one of the strongest entries yet. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that knocks it out of the park with its A+ technical presentation and a nice assortment of special features. Highly Recommended
Godzilla vs. Kong will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD on June 15, 2021. The film is currently available to own on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.