I am fully aware that you’ve probably heard all about this movie but I liked it so much, I had to write about it. Kong Skull Island is a visually stunning creature feature on a giant scale. Featuring amazing special effects, loads of action, and weird creatures, this is a definition of a guilty pleasure movie. And you don’t have to know anything about the King Kong franchise or any of that shit to enjoy it. You can enjoy it as a standalone movie about giant monsters fighting each other to the death. With a couple of humans mostly getting in the way of those fights. However, you should know that this movie is part of the MonsterVerse.
Kong Skull Island is the second movie in the franchise with the first one being Gareth Edwards’s 2014 movie Godzilla. The third one is Godzilla: King of the Monsters, released in 2019, and the fourth one 2021 blockbuster Godzilla vs. Kong. None of them come even close to the glory that is the movie we’re talking about today. I don’t know what it is that I like so much about this movie. It could be the exotic setting as this island looks absolutely gorgeous. It’s full of lush vegetation and all kinds of weird creatures. It reminds me of Madagascar and its indigenous species.
Imagine Charles Darwin stumbling upon Skull Island, now that would make the theory of natural selection much cooler. I also loved the fact that the story is taking place during the seventies. The vibe is just different and it makes the whole thing feel just a tad bit more believable. However, if I had to choose one thing that makes Kong Skull Island such a good movie it’s the sense of adventure. Just imagine Indiana Jones or Jumanji but on a whole nother level. And the story unfolds in such a way that it’s very reminiscent of these adventure movies of old.
You don’t have to think or process anything, just turn off your brain and enjoy the ride. And that ride is going to be a long one as the running time of the movie is two hours. Ambitious and creative, it follows in the footsteps of X-Men: Days of Future Past, another visually alluring and action-packed blockbuster. And with a budget of $185 million, it’s not just a worthy opponent but a winner, in my humble opinion. Although it does feature a certain comic book vibe, especially when it comes to the visuals.
It is the year of our lord Nixon 1973 and the secret organization Monarch is planning an even more secret trip to a recently discovered Skull Island. The team is quickly put together and dispatched to this mysterious and primordial place. One of them is Houston Brooks, a scientist who wants to prove his Hollow Earth theory. And he thinks that this is the perfect place to do it. What he doesn’t know is that he’ll only find trouble on this island. A lot of big, gigantic trouble…
The cast of Kong Skull Island confidently led by Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L. Jackson did a terrific job. John C. Reilly provided much-needed comic relief and even Brie Larson was solid as spunky Mason Weaver. Too bad we didn’t get to chance to see more of Richard Jenkins, I absolutely loved him in The Cabin in The Woods. Almost all of the action happens during the day, in broad daylight showing stunning CGI quality.
Finally, I don’t want to bore you too much, so if you’re looking for movies like Kong Skull Island, check out Love and Monsters, Rampage, and Monster Hunter. All three of these movies feature giant monsters but if it is an adventure you want, ye shall get it with two most recent Jumanji movies, Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level.
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Writers: Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, Derek Connolly
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, Shea Whigham
Fun Facts: The first cut of the movie was over three hours long. So, a fight with a giant snake and a couple of other scenes had to be either cut completely or significantly shortened.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3731562/
