Kong: Skull Island

2017 • 118 minutes

About this movie

When a scientific expedition to an uncharted island awakens titanic forces of nature, a mission of discovery becomes an explosive war between monster and man. Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly star in a thrilling and original new adventure that reveals the untold story of how Kong became King.

Ratings and reviews

The film strays far from the familiar storyline with a glaring omission: no urban warfare! King Kong plays a humanized anti-hero forest ranger protecting a wild tribe and all the beasts in his kingdom except one notable exception, while Samuel Jackson is the alien arch-villain who turns vengeful beast. Everybody else seems to be keeping dark secrets. All this against a backdrop of great 60s-70s music. One disappointment: in an age of Wonder Woman, I was waiting expectantly to see who carries the torch of the screeching Fay Wray and vulnerable Naomi Watts. Instead, we’re left with a seemingly disengaged and underutilized Brie Larson, whose role doesn’t exploit the flower power, 60s peace generation potential all that well - certainly she hasn’t come a long way, baby. The film just misses the mark because of the confusing mix of 60s cues and symbolisms, but also because I do mind having no Kong stomping and being buzzed around a cityscape! Perhaps that’s reserved for Part 2.

Kong Skull Island beautifully blends the Vietnam War aesthetic with a beautiful color pallet and giant monsters. The action with Kong and the arc of Samuel L Jackson is done just so well. I can only imagine what beauty King of the Monsters will behold with something like this coming prior. Now I'm no film reviewer or anything so I don't know what to say other than you're missing out by not watching this movie.

5 Stars for the idea of buying it on BD: If you haven't seen it so far you can wait a couple of days and enjoy the movie in at least 3 - 10 times better quality (based on compression rate = better video and audio quality) regardless of your streaming quality at home. BD ist still much better and they steal from us with streaming! Streaming is so lame, even after more than a decade. Streaming price much too high for an old movie that is quite limited.