Kong: Skull Island: Review

Kong: Skull Island is directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and stars Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L Jackson, Brie Larson and John Goodman. Set during the Vietnam War in 1973, a group of scientists visit an uncharted island only to be stranded as they try to escape the wrath of mighty Kong, along with various other mysterious creatures. 

Marvel have done it, Star wars has done it, DC are trying and now Warner Brothers are the latest to create a movie universe. After the highly enjoyable 2014 Godzilla remake they decided it was a good idea to develop another shared world, however Kong: Skull island really is as ridiculous as it sounds. To those of you cinema goers who salivate over the thought of giant creatures beating the sense not only out of each other but the audience too, I highly recommend this film.

Undoubtedly enjoyable, Kong: Skull Island is certainly one to watch on the big screen. Bucking the current trend today of films being very slow, the relentlessness of short scenes throughout the Kong: Skull Island is completely exhausting. It is very much like a theme park ride, ups and downs with exhilarating and energetic moments throughout, but at the cost of the characters which ironically feel like the one dimensional animatronics we see along the way.

Literally every leading actor in this movie felt like they were trying not to make something of their role. Tom Hiddleston played Tom Hiddleston throughout the entire movie down to the now compulsory end credit scene -  King Kong v Godzilla anyone? Larson carries around a camera - all she does - whilst Jackson plays some stereotype hard done-to, hard bitten army general. The one good character was Goodman, as always, however with such short screen time he had no real impact at all. 

Though its visual effects make for something sweet the continuity was lacking, suggesting lots of material left on the cutting room floor. This was very much a film that can be both loved and hated at the same time. A mix between Jurassic Park, Apocalypse Now and Indiana Jones, Kong: Skull Island is never really sure what it wants to be. The scenes featuring Kong were phenomenal, but the film is less about King Kong himself, being more 'Skull Island'- including Kong. 

In the end Kong: Skull Island served as a stunningly shot monster movie that lost all originality from the word go, but can be enjoyed for its borderline 15 certificate violence. A truly terrifying cinema experience to scare audiences in more ways than one.

I am going to give Kong: Skull Island:

5.4/10