Kong: Skull Island

Peter Jackson made his King Kong 12 years ago. I now feel old.

Kong: Skull Island is yet another reimagining of King Kong, this time from the people behind 2014’s Godzilla. In the 70s some soldiers and scientist head to Skull Island to find and destroy the monsters there. They get a lot more monster than they bargained for.

Hiddleston gets to be an SAS guy, Larson gets to be a photographer. Is that fair?

This is an out and out monster film and it knows it. I can tell that the filmmakers were aware of the tiredness people feel when every monster film “does a Jaws” and hides the main attraction since they pretty much show Kong, who is bigger than ever before, from the get go.

The movie doesn’t wait around. We came for badass monster stuff and we get it in spades and it’s great. This has some amazing design and creature work with some awesome action, some even paying tribute to Cannibal Holocaust of all things.

Stylistically I like this film too. While the CGI isn’t the best, the film’s colourful 70s aesthetic is really top-notch containing some very clever little visual moments (e.g a transition from an Interior Day scene to an Exterior Night done though a WHITE BALANCE CHANGE! I’ve never seen that before, kudos!).

What let’s the whole thing down though is one specific thing. Tone.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel in this movie. We go between supposedly really tragic death scenes to a moment of badassery to a comedic moment. This isn’t helped by scenes and characters that go nowhere or start in the wrong place in time and space.

Who is the main character in this film? All the billing of the credits points to Tom Hiddleston as a badass ex-SAS guy, but all the drama happens elsewhere. John C. Reilly is this WWII castaway on the island who plays the comic relief guy, the exposition guy and the drama guy. Pick one, buddy!

Like 90% of the flawed movies I review this could be ironed out with some editing.

As is, this is a relatively enjoyable creature flick that I’d gives 3/5 stars to if I did that kind of thing. Which I don’t.

Recommended Scenario: If you want a monster movie that does not waste its time getting to the juicy bits.