Today’s quick review: Kong: Skull Island. At the close of the Vietnam War, the United States launches a military expedition to the uncharted Skull Island in search of the monsters rumored to live there. The expedition goes south when it provokes the wrath of Kong, the island’s massive ape guardian. Stranded on a hostile island filled with monsters, the survivors are forced to cross the island on foot to have any hope of escaping the island alive.
Kong: Skull Island is a monster movie and a reboot of the King Kong franchise. Set in the 1970s and sporting loose ties to the 2014 Godzilla reboot, Kong: Skull Island features a larger, more savage Kong in his massive natural habitat. His encounter with the military expedition ends disastrously for them, but he is only the first of the dangers Skull Island has to offer. Monster combat and a tense survival scenario give the film plenty of material to work with.
Kong: Skull Island boasts a cast of familiar faces. Samuel L. Jackson plays Preston Packard, a decorated soldier who lives for war. John Goodman co-stars as Bill Randa, the mastermind of the expedition who has spent his life trying to prove the existence of monsters. Tom Hiddleston plays James Conrad, a hardened tracker, while Brie Larson plays Mason Weaver, a war photographer who suspects that the mission has an ulterior motive.
Kong: Skull Island does a good job of handling its characters. None of the characters receive too much in the way of development, but a talented cast, enjoyable banter, and realistic flaws contribute a lot to the human side of the movie. All the characters are fallible, a fact that the movie takes full advantage of, yet no one character or decision shoulders too much of the blame. As such, Kong has an unusually relatable cast for a disaster movie.
One of the film’s other successes is its treatment of its monsters. Kong is not the only monster on Skull Island, and the sheer number and diversity of the monsters encountered are breathtaking. Skull Island comes across as a savage, alien where survival is a struggle. The expedition’s skirmishes with the monsters and the monsters’ fights with each other give the movie plenty of action, and its impressive CGI does justice to the creative monster designs.
Beyond these central draws, Kong: Skull Island has strong fundamentals that make it a satisfying watch. The pacing is spot-on, the plot logic is unusually sound, and the high bodycount and variety of monsters make the film unpredictable. The war aspects of the film give it some thematic depth, while the tone has the proper blend of action, humor, and horror. Even the presentation is well-considered, from its period soundtrack to its crisp camerawork.
Watch Kong: Skull Island when you are looking for a monster movie with plenty of action and solid execution. Those who dislike monster fights will find that Kong offers little for them, but action fans with even a passing interest in the film will find find something to enjoy.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for rock-solid action, pacing, and characters.