Hey Jack, I’m back and with me another Speed-Art, this one of the Monsterverse MechaGodzilla. It’s been a hot minute since I ranked any Kaiju-related movies so I wanted to rank all of the American live-action King Kong and Godzilla movies to see how they would rank among each other. And remember this is just my opinion, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments with your ranking of these films or even your top 3 or favourite ones. So with that said let's go from worst to first and rank these Big-G and Big Monkey movies! Also, stick around until the end because I have a hint as to what the next animation on the main channel is going to be. Now let’s jump into it!
11. Son of Kong (1933)
Coming in last is the way too-rushed sequel to the original Kong, Son of Kong. Not only does this film feel like a tacked-on mission with the lone returning character from the original film, but it does the greatest sin of all movies, and that is that it’s pretty boring. The new Kong in this film is less fierce, the action is less interesting, and the plot is more drawn out. The stop motion is still executed nicely, but overall this film hardly holds a candle to the first film.
10. King Kong Lives (1986)
In a similar vein to the previous film, number 10 goes to King Kong Lives, another sequel to a Kong movie that hardly holds itself together. While it’s nice to see Linda Hamilton in a non-Terminator film, this film’s special effects and acting make this feel like a B-movie, especially in comparison to its more well-crafted predecessor. Although I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for this movie as it was the first Kong film I ever bought on DVD knowing nothing about Kong or any monster movie, so it does have that going for it.
9. Godzilla (1998)
At number 9 is the often ill-thought-of 1998 American Godzilla. This is a fine enough monster movie with pretty good special effects for the time and acting that is for the most part good, although is a little cartoon-y inside of the dreary rainy New York backdrop they filmed in. I feel like if this movie was called something other than Godzilla it would have been more warmly received at the time, but this film offers some Simpson actor cameos and a pretty great soundtrack to boot, probably worth a rewatch if you didn’t like it originally, but it’s not something I’m gonna toss on every year.
8. King Kong (1976)
Number 8 is the 1976 King Kong remake, this film has great special effects, good performances, and of course its story is an all-time classic, but I feel like the pacing and trotting along of its execution does wear thin the more times I’ve seen it. I like the updates to the story with the gas tycoons and Twin Towers and environmental themes, but it feels like a drag, especially in the middle act, but the ending does help to make it a more bearable watch than the lesser entries on this list.
7. Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Number 7 is Kong: Skull Island. It’s a fun stylish action flick with a good cast of characters headed by Tom Hiddleston, Sam Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly. Kong is clearly the star here but Sam Jackson and John Goodman are both great in their roles. There’s not as much substance as the Godzilla 2014, but there is a nice heartwarming ending and the fast pace keeps the film interesting. Also, the soundtrack is a generic ‘70s war film, but it certainly slaps.
6. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
The latest film in the franchise comes in at number 6, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. It’s a whole lotta fun. Some of the more interesting characters from the previous film carry over, and the new Monsters carve a name among the best in the Monsterverse. Also, there’s a return of a fan favorite Kaiju that should please fans and the battles themselves are some of the best in the franchise. Unfortunately, the pacing is a little quick, I wish we got a little bit more breathing room and more scenes with Skar King would have been nice.
5. Godzilla Vs. Kong (2021)
Rounding into the top is Godzilla Vs. Kong is another fun entry that delivers on what works best for the series. The humans lack depth but I don’t think they drag the movie down like the previous films. The fight scenes look great with awesome lighting in the Hong Kong scenes, making for a dynamic and original-looking Kaiju battle. Also, appreciate the jump in technology that allows for more fantastical story elements. The inclusion of MechaGodzilla was a fun surprise when I saw it in theatres.
4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
In 4th is Godzilla: King of the Monsters. A fun film with great spectacle. It certainly lacks the depth of the 2014 entry and isn’t as bright and colourful as Kong: Skull Island, but I’d be lying if I wasn’t pumped to see classic Toho monsters like King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Rodan. All the fight scenes are great, but a little hazy looking because of King Ghidorah’s weather powers. Overall this is a solid entry with a lot of fun to be had, but don’t go expecting anything too much from the humans and you should be able to have a good time.
3. King Kong (1933)
Cracking the top 3 is King Kong (1933), one of the first-ever giant monster movies is also one of the best in the genre. A classic story of greed, adventure, love, and tragedy all rolled into one. The special effects, while of course dated, are still stunning to see, with tricks and plating that are decades ahead of their time. The Kong models are iconic and the score helps to keep the pacing. It doesn’t drag on like the 1970s version, it comes in tells its story and promptly finishes. Well worth the watch for fans of classic films.
2. Godzilla (2014)
The runner-up film is 2014’s Godzilla, a great way to reboot the Godzilla franchise for America. Right off the bat, the film teases more of its action than it should, but it’s effective nonetheless. The opening 40 minutes are about as tense as any Kaiju film could be, and while the middle half does become sluggish without Bryan Cranston in the lead, the film still transcends into near perfection with the stunning final. The main characters are a little cookie-cutter, but Gareth Edwards’ sense of scale helps to ground the film in our reality which makes the film feel all that more real. Overall, I adore this film and find myself happy to rewatch it quite often.
1. King Kong (2005)
But number 1 goes to my favourite monster movie, 2005’s King Kong. Obviously, it’s a great interpretation of the original film but makes the characters interesting. The action is stunning and shot well by a director firing on all cylinders. This is my favourite interpretation of Skull Island, it’s horrific, and the ending is heart-breaking and makes me teary-eyed every time I watch it. Andy Circus is great as Kong and his special effects still hold up to this day, and while Jack Black is sort of a miscast it doesn’t hurt the film enough to affect this ranking, it’s an absolute modern classic and I love it.
And that is every American King Kong and Godzilla film ranked, what do you think of my ranking? Do you agree or do you have your own opinions? Leave your thoughts down below.
Now, let's get to that tasty hint I promised at the start of the video, so the next animation on the main channel will be covering a franchise that started in the 1960s but continues to release entries until this day. I also left a tiny hint for the video in a recent community post on Tell It Animated, so happy guessing!