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Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Finally got around to seeing this and I loved it. No surprise there as I'm a giant monster fan, in fact an "any kind of monster" fan, so this was a must for me. I went in with that attitude and "Kong" didn't disappoint. It's not far from most Kong movies with the story of there being a mysterious island that has been located that a main protagonist wants to get to. Although this time it's for a different reason, and one that I thought worked well. The movie is set in 1973 as our involvement in Vietnam is closing down, yet it still has a war-time feel to it. In fact, the greater bulk of the movie was filmed in Vietnam (also Hawaii and Australia) and the vistas are beautiful and add far more than if it had been filmed in a studio setup.
Of course King Kong is the main attraction and I'll get to him, but there are humans here also!
John Goodman is the "researcher" who talks the government into financing a trek to the hidden island, with added military muscle in the form of Samuel L. Jackson and his platoon of soldiers who were just hours from going back stateside. But Jackson leaps at the chance for "one last mission." Also along are Tom Hiddleston as a tracker of sorts and Brie Larson as an "anti-war" photographer. A ship ferries in dozens of helicopters which carry the company through a storm wall into a peaceful-looking, beautiful island, which they immediately find out is anything but as Kong
The actors are all fine, but it's Jackson and John C. Reilly who carry the performance honors. Reilly is
Not saying that it's better than the others but is very good and the filmmakers found a reason to not just copy the previous films but to strike out on their own.
Hiddleston is basically the he-man of the movie and Larson is the beautiful lady (there is another beautiful lady on Goodman's team). But Larson is not Kong's love interest thank goodness. Kong is more interested in
The special effects are top notch, mixing monsters and people together seamlessly, against the beauty of the jungle and the surrounding mountains. Everything is expertly done and it shows. Be sure and wait for an extra scene before the credits really get rolling. It's essential for the future of the franchise and other films.
Finally got around to seeing this and I loved it. No surprise there as I'm a giant monster fan, in fact an "any kind of monster" fan, so this was a must for me. I went in with that attitude and "Kong" didn't disappoint. It's not far from most Kong movies with the story of there being a mysterious island that has been located that a main protagonist wants to get to. Although this time it's for a different reason, and one that I thought worked well. The movie is set in 1973 as our involvement in Vietnam is closing down, yet it still has a war-time feel to it. In fact, the greater bulk of the movie was filmed in Vietnam (also Hawaii and Australia) and the vistas are beautiful and add far more than if it had been filmed in a studio setup.
Of course King Kong is the main attraction and I'll get to him, but there are humans here also!
John Goodman is the "researcher" who talks the government into financing a trek to the hidden island, with added military muscle in the form of Samuel L. Jackson and his platoon of soldiers who were just hours from going back stateside. But Jackson leaps at the chance for "one last mission." Also along are Tom Hiddleston as a tracker of sorts and Brie Larson as an "anti-war" photographer. A ship ferries in dozens of helicopters which carry the company through a storm wall into a peaceful-looking, beautiful island, which they immediately find out is anything but as Kong
WARNING: spoilers below
attacks every helicopter, killing dozens of men and leaving the rest stranded until they can get back to their scheduled extraction point. But things are not as clear as they seem, as other, evil creatures come forth and try to kill everyone.
The actors are all fine, but it's Jackson and John C. Reilly who carry the performance honors. Reilly is
WARNING: spoilers below
found on the island, having lived there since WWII, where he and a Japanese enemy crashed after fighting each other. They became friendly and found a tribe of people who are not native to the island unlike most Kong movies, but as Reilly says, "keep showing up over time." It's this fresh take on the story of Skull Island that helps make the movie seem newer than other Kong movies.
Hiddleston is basically the he-man of the movie and Larson is the beautiful lady (there is another beautiful lady on Goodman's team). But Larson is not Kong's love interest thank goodness. Kong is more interested in
WARNING: spoilers below
preserving life and acts as the island's guardian. His reason for attacking the helicopters was because of explosive seismic tracking charges set off, ostensibly, by Goodman's crew to measure the geological value of the island. But Goodman has other motives and Jackson is pissed when he finds out. Soon, it's Jackson going after Kong if you can imagine that.
The special effects are top notch, mixing monsters and people together seamlessly, against the beauty of the jungle and the surrounding mountains. Everything is expertly done and it shows. Be sure and wait for an extra scene before the credits really get rolling. It's essential for the future of the franchise and other films.