The MonsterVerse was reborn in 2014 with the release of Godzilla, and if all goes according to plan, the giant reptile will be duking it out with King Kong in a few years. However, a showdown of such magnitude first requires an origin story of the mountainous primate. Hence Kong: Skull Island.
Traveling across the South Pacific, a group of soldiers, scientists, filmmakers and photographers explore an uncharted island. Led by acclaimed tracker James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston) and Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson), they quickly learn the island is dominated by super-sized creatures. King of them all is the colossal ape named Kong.
Separating itself from its predecessors, this incarnation focuses less on the romantic relationship of Kong and the beautiful blonde (Brie Larson) and more on the mutual understanding between him and the humans. Unlike Godzilla, it has multiple scenes with its main monster, each of which are jam-packed with action.
Other monster films––such as Jaws and Jurassic Park––are memorable because of the monsters and characters. Kong: Skull Island, on the other hand, will only be remembered for its monsters. Although the cast is made up of great actors, every character is boring, lacks development and feels like their only purpose is to be thrown around by Kong. Additionally, characters’ motivations are hard to believe and their stale humor exhausts itself quickly. In spite of the film’s shortcomings, it does find a hidden gem in actor Corey Hawkins, known for his role as Heath in The Walking Dead. Though young in his acting profession, his performance as seismologist Houston Brooks shows promise for his upcoming career.
The film is ripe with impressive visuals. Skull Island itself is breathtaking, full of looming trees, crystal lakes and glimmering waterfalls. But it’s the behemoths amidst Skull Island that—despite heavy use of computer graphic imaging—are especially astonishing. Together the two create a fantastical Eden that leave viewers’ jaws on the floor.
The 1970s are known for rock and roll and since the film takes place in 1973, it isn’t a surprise that rock music is squeezed into every possible scene. However, in nearly all instances, it feels out of place and consequently diminishes from the desperately needed characterization. Even when hard chords aren’t being strummed, the score playing in the background is like a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit the larger picture.
Kong: Skull Island earns a C. The plot has potential and the image of Skull Island is stunning, but the characters are underdeveloped and the music is misguided. Even though it’s entertaining every time Kong is on screen, the other elements of the film hold it back from excellence; it’s enjoyable, but more of a guilty-pleasure movie. Fellow movie critic Jake Hampton perfectly summarizes the film in the few short words: “It’s a fun time, but not much more.”
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