By now, it’s possible we’ve seen everything when it comes to Godzilla and King Kong. For decades they’ve been the lead in stories on the big—and even sometimes the small—screen. But the modern incarnation of their franchise is now a decade old and five films deep. Still, the franchise finds ways to surprise and entertain.

The latest entry, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, picks up a few years after the last clash of these titans. Kong is happily living in the Hollow Earth. He’s still looking for his family but is becoming increasingly isolated. Godzilla, meanwhile, is roaming the surface, holding back rogue titans and destroying major cities.

Kong isn’t the only one who feels isolated. While Dr. Andrews (Rebecca Hall) continues her work with Kong and the Hollow Earth as part of Monarch, her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle) feels alone as the last of her tribe. She also starts to feel a pull from the Hollow Earth but doesn’t know why.

Andrews turns to Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) to help her get answers about a mysterious signal that has her team—and daughter—flummoxed. She turns to an old friend, Trapper (Dan Stevens), to render some medical aid to an ailing Kong. Soon, it seems they need to head to Hollow Earth for answers as whatever is calling to Jia is also rankling Godzilla on the surface.

There, they find surprises and even bigger threats to the world. Kong and Godzilla aren’t strong enough to stop what’s coming on their own, but together they just might have a chance. Can the once rivals actually join teams?

That’s what we’re all here for—we want to see these titans come together and battle other titans. These films have actors and human characters, but we’re long past the point of wondering who the stars of the franchise are. The stars are the ones called out in the title.

In this film, Hall, Hottle, and Henry return from the last installment. We’ve had a lot of different actors cycle through these films, but I do enjoy Hall and her dynamic with Hottle. Meanwhile, Henry and Stevens are a bit of fun and comic relief.

The story is sometimes bloated but it’s ultimately fun enough. The film clocks in just under two hours and it moves at a good pace with plenty of action. When Godzilla and Kong come together in the third act, it’s exciting. When they team up to save the world, it will leave you cheering.

The film isn’t deep, and it isn’t concerned with making it all make sense. It’s here to deliver some action and let you have an escape, and it works at that level. Adam Wingard, who directed Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021 brings the same energy here. It’s got a great look, some fun action sequences, and enough human scenes and emotion to keep you invested.

I liked this more than I expected. It’s a kick of a ride, and something worth seeing on the big screen.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is in theaters nationwide Friday.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.