"Godzilla vs. Kong," Reviewed: A Monster Mush of Two Venerable Franchises

The enduring appeal of both Kong and Godzilla has to do with their simplicity. "King Kong," made in Hollywood, débuted in 1933; "Godzilla," produced in Japan, came out in 1954. Both films relied on a stark and clarified premise: fantastic monsters let loose in ordinary human reality, which, in the light of their presence, is revealed to be even more hideous than the monsters themselves. That symbolic power, rather than their physical power, is the source of their enduring appeal, and it's the fundamental element that "Godzilla vs. Kong," the new mashup, directed by Adam Wingard, stomps into oblivion. The film is garishly overloaded with splices and grafts from other movies, other genres, and other premises, including a mythical setting and an evil corporation.