Review of Kong: Skull Island (2017) by Axet — 12 Mar 2017

As advertised this is pure 100% B movie, whereas the previous two remakes were A class pictures. It is a huge production of course like the other two, but much smaller in scope. However this is not a pure remake but a fusion reboot not only of the original classic but more so of the schlocky spinoff sequel Kongs. And as expected it is scenario by committee no doubt. What is a surprise is how much it apes (just can't help the pun) both the enormously under-valued 1976 and over-rated bloated 2005 film cherry picking aspects from each, not to mention a strong influence from "Apocalypse Now", which it throws all together into a big convoluted mess of a story with too many characters and one of the weakest most underused lead protagonists ever in a formula Hollywood blockbuster. As if the thinly scripted character wasn't problem enough, the actor Tom Hiddleston is awful. He's a non-personality no presence disaster of a leading man. All he has going for him is a stalwart stance and prissy Brit accent, actually a big minus in his case! (If the rumors are true he's on the short list to play Bond then that franchise is in alarming trouble.) The rest of the cast is fine with the exception of the couple token minority scientist characters.

The director (or whoever) here infuses the picture with a bold audacious comic book style with some stunning visuals (especially in IMAX 3D and the best use of I've seen in quite a while) and a forward propelled story that holds your attention initially, but only for a short time before the usual Act II bottoming out. The science fiction conceit concocted is only glossed over which is too bad. More exposition on that would have been good. They seem more interested in cramming overplayed to death retro pop rock songs into the soundtrack than in creating a mood and telling a good story all the way through.

What this fusion entry is most noticeably missing is the Kong (now about 100 feet tall instead of around 25 or 48 which is purely for one reason...) we not only fear (and maybe Sam Jackson is the more frightening one in this), but root and cry for which the original 1933 classic gave us in a beautiful original enduring tale for the screen. Zero tragedy here. No the tragedy here is how reduced the storytelling and genuine emotion has become in today's blockbusters in favor of pure calculated beat by beat formulaic non-stop action. It's boring. Once upon a time Hollywood had balance and could deliver it like no other.

The best part of the presentation by far was the special custom 3D IMAX snipe designed just for Kong playing before the feature. By far, oh but that wasn't part of the actual feature.