Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Genre Action | Adventure | Fantasy
Cast Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson
Rating PG-13
Release Date March 10th, 2017
“A team of explorers and soldiers travel to an uncharted island in the Pacific, unaware that they are crossing into the domain of monsters, including the mythic Kong.”
Kong: Skull Island is the most recent film to put the giant gorilla on the big-screen- the last being 2005’s King Kong. The latest version is brought to life by talented director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who also directed one of my favorite coming-of-age films, The Kings of Summer. It is also rumored that he will be directing Metal Gear Solid, which is based on the popular videogames, but that is not yet official. Kong: Skull Island has a fantastic cast including Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly.
Kong: Skull Island is an exhilarating pre-summer blockbuster that begs to be experienced in IMAX 3D. I went in to the theater expecting an abundance of eye candy and groundbreaking CGI, and I certainly got my money's worth, but what I didn't expect was a story that included a level of emotional depth. That really came out of left field for me. I mean I didn’t tear up or anything (I’m a grown man guys, come on!), but the backstory actually manages to hold some weight. Now in no way shape or form should you expect an emotional drama, I'm not saying that at all, but you have to give credit where credit is due. Kong: Skull Island hammers home unprecedented eye popping visuals with ease, but thanks to solid writing and a great cast, the impact of the film goes well beyond that. I am a big fan of war films, one of my favorites is The Hurt Locker, and I enjoyed that aspect of Kong: Skull Island as well. It had that war film feel to it with the military escorts heading into unfamiliar territory. I have to tip my hat to director Jordan Vogt-Roberts because the camera work was amazing, with so many cool shots that will surely leave an impression. One of the scenes shown in the trailer that has helicopters circling Kong with the camera panning around is simply glorious. I'm not going to say this is a groundbreaking film that should be talked about come Oscar season, but it is a very entertaining trip to the movie theater that will put a big smile on your face. To be honest, I may go see it again and I will definitely be adding it to my 3D Blu-ray collection. Just in terms of visuals alone, Kong: Skull Island is the most fun I’ve had at the IMAX 3D theater since the live-action version of The Jungle Book.
Kong: Skull Island offers a damn good cast. Oscar winner Brie Larson takes on one of the lead roles, and man is she beautiful. Don't get me wrong I'm a big Margot Robbie guy when it comes to some of my favorite actresses, but Larson has that undeniable girl next door cuteness that is just infectious. When I watched her in Room last year I knew she was going places, I guess I just have an eye for talent (I'm kidding of course, kinda). It's crazy to think she was the girl in 21 Jump Street that had a thing for Jonah Hill's character- that feels like an eternity ago. Just look at her now. Tom Hiddleston was great, and I felt like he developed solid chemistry with Larson as the plot unfolded. Samuel L. Jackson was amazing as usual, playing the controversial role that has become second nature to him. John C. Reilly is unquestionably the unsung hero of this film in my opinion. Once he was introduced, the dynamic changed for the better. Initially I wasn't sure what to expect from him, mainly because the trailers made it seem like he might be little more than a goofy prop character to grab a few cheap laughs, but he is much more than that and I really enjoyed what he brought to the table. Jason Mitchell was also a nice addition to the dynamic of the cast, bringing with him his knack for quick laughs and a universally likable on-screen presence. You might recognize him as he played Eazy-E in Straight Outta Compton. I could go on and on because this cast simply delivered from top to bottom.
Kong: Skull Island is a pleasure to experience, and if you have an IMAX 3D theater near you, make the effort to see it there if possible. It's worth it, trust me. I have read some of the criticism from people who outright refuse to see the movie even considering the very favorable reviews and I can’t help but feel a little annoyed. Now whether or not critics enjoyed the film shouldn’t be the determining factor because as they say, to each his own, but my issue is when people refer to something as crap without even giving it a chance. That is simply lazy and ignorant. I get the frustration with constant remakes, but they still have the potential to be good. When it comes to planning a trip to the movie theater we generally have a variety of movies to choose from, but for my money, good old fashioned entertainment value will always be a key component, and Kong: Skull Island has that in spades. When the screen went black the majority of the theater clapped, and rightfully so. Highly recommended.
