Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Duration: 118 minutes
Kong: Skull Island (Blu-ray) – Movie Review
During the history of movies and entertainment, there are a few recurring subjects that tend to get quite some makeovers. Think about Godzilla for instance or its big brother King Kong. With Kong: Skull Island yet another spin-off sees the light. You might think it’s just the same as its predecessors but less is true. This movie gives another view on the all-known story, which makes it rather interesting.
We’re teleported back to 1944. War was still raging on fiercely and both the Japanese as American soldiers were still in the battle. All of the sudden, an American plane crashes on a beautiful island and although our stranded soldier (Will Brittain) seems to have luck on his side, but less is true. A Japanese soldier (Miyavi) is on his tail and the chase commences. Eventually, things don’t look too bright, but they’re interrupted by a huge force. Almost 28 years later, there are indications of an unknown isle which has gotten the name of Skull Island. There are myths that there is more to this mass than meets the eye and two scientists, Randa (John Goodman) and Brooks (Corey Hawkins), want to go and investigate this island. Eventually, they’re permitted to go as a last act of friendship but they’re in need of some military support. This is where Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) and his squad comes into play.
Randa wants to get someone who knows how to track people and they end up with bad boy Conrad (Tom Hinddleston). He’s happy when he gets his money, although he is rather sceptical about the whole journey. At the day of departure, photographer Mason Weaver (Brie Larson) was tipped off and ready to join the crew on their trip. The question is if this journey was actually even a good choice to begin with, as things go south rather soon.
It’s actually cool to see that the majority of the movie is taking place at the beginning of the seventies. Sometimes it might raise some eyebrows, because you don’t really know if some technologies were already that advanced or even existed yet. The speed of events is rather fast so you don’t have the possibility to catch your breath for a second. Danger lurks around every corner, so even the most tranquil moments can change into a real massacre. Due to these intense parts, the movie tends to keep you grasped. Also, there are quite some surprises or plot twists and it’s good to see that they thought about keeping the core elements but adding some new flavors.
Of course, a movie is as good as its actors and they were able to get some really impressive names. For instance, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly put down great performances as expected. There are also other actors that deserve to shine, like Brie Larson. The co-play of all the actors takes the movie to the next level and makes everything so much more interesting. It’s kind of weird seeing Tom Hiddleston in this role, as he is mostly known as Loki from The Avengers and Thor, but he fits in this tale. If you’re looking for something with a decent cast, be sure to check this film.
One of the fun parts of buying a movie are the extras and Kong: Skull Island doesn’t let you down. First of all you will find out how and why they gave the all-known King Kong story a different twist in ‘Creating a King’, while it was also quite a challenge to picture such a majestic animal. In one of the extras, you’ll be able to see how they tackled this. You can also take a trip in Vietnam, where the majority of the film was tackled, while you can also get some more details from Tom Hiddleston himself and how he felt about the movie. Since there was a photographer in this tale, you can see some behind the scenes shots and experiences from a different point of view. You will also be able to jump into some secret files, giving you more intel about the huge primate. Last but not least, there are also some deleted scenes and commentary for you to enjoy.
Conclusion
Kong: Skull Island might look like another King Kong movie but it actually takes a different take on the all-known story and adds some new elements to the scene. You’ll be transported to the beginning of the seventies and get to know a different side of this primate. The cast takes the quality of the movie to the next level, while the bonuses are a nice extra.
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