Movie Title: Kong: Skull Island
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Writer: Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, and Derek Connolly
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, John Ortiz, Tian Jing, Toby Kebbell, Jason Mitchell, Shea Whigham, Thomas Mann, Eugene Cordero, Marc Evan Jackson
Review: Scientists and soldiers team up to visit an uncharted island in the Pacific. When they discover that it's crawling with hostile inhabitants they have to fight for survival - and the biggest problem they face is the mighty Kong.
After the disappointing Godzilla (2014) reboot we finally get the movie that fans wanted...I think. Kong: Skull Island seems to divide audiences. Some enjoy it's gritty, Apocalypse Now vibe, but are not too keen on the Sci-Fi/Fantasy monster movie that it is. Then some are all about the gloriously go-for-broke creepy creatures and monster mayhem, but think that the Vietnam War stuff doesn't quite work. I think it all works so well together! This movie makes me so happy. Soldiers fighting monsters! Monsters fighting helicopters! Monsters fighting monsters! What more could you ask for? It's a blast!
You get the gritty action adventure stuff, plus you get Kong doing his thing fighting hellish creatures that are menacing, scary, and wholly original - and not to mention an all-star cast. You get Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, John Ortiz and Shea Whigham trying desperately to survive as the battle some of the deadly creatures you've ever seen. The scene stealer in the cast is John C. Reilly. I've heard that some aren't to fond of his character, but I think he sets the tone for exactly what kind of movie you are watching and to have fun with it. And I certainly did! The cinematography is wonderful and really looks like our heroes are trap on a otherworldly place that's home to horrors that have to be seen to be believed. And the costumes, sets, lighting, and editing make this one a visual feast for movie-goers that are looking for a fun adventure with Kong showing all that there's a reason that he's king.
Now, I'll admit that Kong: Skull Island is a little messy. It seems to forget about some of the characters along the way and a few of their motivations, too, but it's just so damn entertaining that it's easy to forgive about it. It feels like a movie that was meant to be much longer, but had to trim down its running time so some elements get lost in the shuffle, but once the monsters start a ruckus on Skull Island all bets are off.
Kong: Skull Island is certainly not for everyone. But if you were bummed out by Godzilla (2014) and are looking to quench your thirst for that classic carnage that only gigantic creatures, bugs, and monsters can bring to the silver screen then it is time for you to visit Kong: Skull Island!
Fun Fact: The outfit worn by Bill Randa (John Goodman) replicates the outfit worn by Robert Armstrong as Carl Denham in King Kong (1933).