Review of Kong: Skull Island (2017) by Cody T — 20 Mar 2017

Yet another "useful" reboot, also promoted as origin story... because movie buffs haven't surely seen enough of those, yeah?

It doesn't even make much sense to create an origin story for Kong because his movies have always explained the origins... but they did it anyway. For the bigger purpose to add the king ape into the newest Godzilla reboot.

You do remember 2014's mediocre "Godzilla", starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe et al? You don't? Hopefully you will still like to see the sequel Godzilla: King of Monsters" coming in 2019 March, where G and Kong will meet finally (again).

Anyway, about the experience at hand. Skull Island" reaches wide cinema release this weekend. It's probably partially an experiment, to see how early in the year the masses are ready to shell out their hard-earned for run-of-the-mill epics usually more suitable for summer season.

The movie cost 190 million dollars and I am glad to report that the producers have put this for good use.

Everything looks amazing and for a big dumb adventure like this, there's unusually big and varied line of actresses/ actors. Casting team has done a fine job indeed.

We have:

* some always super-solid supporting star players (John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson),.

* an acclaimed indie actress offering some feminine beauty (Brie Larson),.

* also always-reliable surprise player who can do both drama and comedy (John C. Reilly),.

* and a bunch of good likable actors that you are sure you know from somewhere, even if you can't recall the names (such as Tom Hiddleston - Loki from Thor", Corey Hawkins, John Ortiz, Toby Kebbell - doubling as a motion capture actor for Kong, Shea Whigham et al).

The only odd choice is to criminally underuse China's rising star actress Tian Jing. She's here but can't do much. She's not used to add beauty, she's not gonna offer some kick-ass action scenes as in The Great Wall" alongside Matt Damon. Why cast her at all if you have no need for her?

What's surprising is that actors are not here just to hold our attention between grand action setpieces. Their performances have heart and persuasiveness which is something of an achievement, considering that much of their acting time was probably spent in front of the empty green canvas.

John C. Reilly is the main man here actually, he has the meatiest character and also the side-mission to act as a comic relief without turning into a joke.

As usual, I love him and what he does with the material. Just the perfect balance between obscure, funny and crazy.

The monsters look awesome as well and meeting them is worth your time and ticket money. I watched Kong: Skull Island" in IMAX and 3D, and both have actually been put to good use here. But I am sure everything looks good in standard" 2D as well.

"Skull Island" sure is a looker, not only monsters and fighting but the locations as well which make everything look truly epic. Filmed in Hawaii, Vietnam and Australia by the way.

The only reason I am not willing to give the result a higher score is the screenplay. It's just a bunch of old tired cliches and, to add insult to the injury, the story has been left to sit uncomfortably between two different chairs in at least two important aspects.

Firstly, the story's is too cliched and unoriginal to really grab any adult viewer BUT there's too much violence to gladly recommend it as a family thing. Secondly, the plot moves constantly between being very serious and just light-hearted which makes it uneven and sometimes hard to take.

In my mind, they should have modernized soldier characters, right now it feels like anachronism - something from old Kong movies.

The army marches in and just tries to destroy everything which feels pretty disgusting in the enlightened" times of 21st century. If it wasn't all so serious, at least it could be taken as social commentary or black comedy or something.

Even Jurassic's and Godzilla's latest outings have fresh-er approach to monster movies which involves more than senseless killing.

So you will get an odd combo where mindless destruction alternates with light-hearted adventure. Is it really proper approach for PG-13 family movie? Am I too sensitive here?