Mar 10 2017

Kong: Skull Island

At the tail end of the Vietnam war a team of scientists, explorers, and soldiers make the pilgrimage to the last uncharted island on the planet– Skull Island, a mysterious land shrouded by clouds and thunderstorms. Once on the island, the crew will get more than they ever bargained for with the discovery of the mythic giant ape, Kong; but that’s just the beginning, strangers in a strange and deadly land, extricating from the situation will take a modern miracle, will any survive? Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and based loosely on the many renditions of King Kong that have come before, this action adventure romp is a throwback to the lazy Saturday matinee pulpy popcorn chompers of yesteryear but done up bigger, bolder, louder, and this time with more emphasis…Mildly schizophrenic in tonality, torn between serious action and comedic adventure, this straight down the fairway casting leaves all of it’s players in unsurprising but still satisfying roles, the ensemble includes Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, and John Goodman doing exactly what you’d expect them to do in a King Kong movie. Solid visual effects also keep the film intense and interesting to watch, but as for new material to explore, we’re not given much to be surprised with including the setup for further installments…hint, stay through all the credits ala Marvel Films. Fun for entertainment, perhaps not as rich in subtext as the original King Kong from 1933, there’s still plenty to appreciate. Kong: Skull Island is rated PG-13.