Kong - Skull Island is the newest attempt at a Kong movie, and it's an attempt to tie into the 2014 reboot of Godzilla, setting the path for more monster movies in a cinematic universe following the model that has been so successful for Marvel.
Skull Island is a notable improvement on the 2005 film with Jack Black, but it's still a big ape movie. Set at the end of the Vietnam War, the movie follows a team of Soldiers and scientists who venture to a heretofore undiscovered island in the Pacific, ostensibly to conduct geological and mapping research. Shortly after they arrive, the team discovers that the island is inhabited by an entire ecosystem of horrific creatures, mostly out to kill them. First among those creatures is Kong, the giant ape, who the local tribes consider to be a god. Predictably, the team is split between those who want to kill Kong and those who want to leave him alone and get off the island.
I saw the movie in 3D IMAX (which I don't normally do) because I had a gift certificate. I thought it was pretty good in the larger format, because the size of the creatures is a big part of the film. In general, the effects were good, and Kong was impressive. There is a part in the movie where on character says that Kong is still young and growing, which sets him up to be bigger in subsequent films like a Kong v Godzilla showdown. Of course there's lots of action, and some of it is fairly grey as various nasty creatures kill off the team in grisly ways. I wouldn't take a young kid to the movie, but I saw plenty in the theater. I was a bit surprised it's only PG-13.
The acting in the movie is fair, but of course, nothing Oscar worthy. Samuel L. Jackson plays an off-kilter Army LtCol who leads the effort to destroy Kong, and does so in typical Jackson style, although somewhat more subdued than he could have been. John Goodman plays the lead researcher who sets things in motion, and has some pretty hokey lines that just can't be delivered seriously. Likewise, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and other cast members play somewhat stereotypical monster movie characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the film. There's some humor (led by John C. Reilly) and lots of action. I don't think the movie revolutionizes the monster movie genre, but it's a decent add-in to the new universe they are trying to set up. After the credits, there's a short scene that sets up this universe and makes reference to a variety of classic monsters such as Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, and others. I think the next film is already set to be another Godzilla movie.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
Skull Island is a notable improvement on the 2005 film with Jack Black, but it's still a big ape movie. Set at the end of the Vietnam War, the movie follows a team of Soldiers and scientists who venture to a heretofore undiscovered island in the Pacific, ostensibly to conduct geological and mapping research. Shortly after they arrive, the team discovers that the island is inhabited by an entire ecosystem of horrific creatures, mostly out to kill them. First among those creatures is Kong, the giant ape, who the local tribes consider to be a god. Predictably, the team is split between those who want to kill Kong and those who want to leave him alone and get off the island.
I saw the movie in 3D IMAX (which I don't normally do) because I had a gift certificate. I thought it was pretty good in the larger format, because the size of the creatures is a big part of the film. In general, the effects were good, and Kong was impressive. There is a part in the movie where on character says that Kong is still young and growing, which sets him up to be bigger in subsequent films like a Kong v Godzilla showdown. Of course there's lots of action, and some of it is fairly grey as various nasty creatures kill off the team in grisly ways. I wouldn't take a young kid to the movie, but I saw plenty in the theater. I was a bit surprised it's only PG-13.
The acting in the movie is fair, but of course, nothing Oscar worthy. Samuel L. Jackson plays an off-kilter Army LtCol who leads the effort to destroy Kong, and does so in typical Jackson style, although somewhat more subdued than he could have been. John Goodman plays the lead researcher who sets things in motion, and has some pretty hokey lines that just can't be delivered seriously. Likewise, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and other cast members play somewhat stereotypical monster movie characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the film. There's some humor (led by John C. Reilly) and lots of action. I don't think the movie revolutionizes the monster movie genre, but it's a decent add-in to the new universe they are trying to set up. After the credits, there's a short scene that sets up this universe and makes reference to a variety of classic monsters such as Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, and others. I think the next film is already set to be another Godzilla movie.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)