Around 2013, Peter Jackson was looking for a director to make a sequel to his 2005 remake of King Kong. While Adam Wingard and Guillermo Del Toro were considered, the project fell through after going from Universal to Warner Bros. With Legendary Pictures producing and Warner Bros. distributing, they decided to make a film that would crossover with 2014’s Godzilla. After offering the directing job to Joe Cornish of Attack the Block fame, the job went to Jordan Vogt-Roberts. Working alongside screenwriter Max Borenstein, they decided to set the film after the Vietnam war, taking inspiration from Apocalypse Now. For the creature design, they took inspiration from Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, as well as Evangelion and Pokemon. For Kong’s design, they wanted to harken back to the 1933 original, while also making him unique. After a six-month shoot, Kong: Skull Island was released in March of 2017.
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Synopsis
After the Vietnam War, Bill Randa (John Goodman), head of Monarch, is leading an expedition to Skull Island. For the trip, he hires Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) to lead an army escort onto the island. He also hires professional tracker and former SAS Captain James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston) and anti-war photographer Mason Weaver (Brie Larson). Unfortunately, once they make it to the island, their helicopters are attacked by Kong, a 100-foot tall gorilla. The survivors end up splitting into groups: Conrad, Weaver, and the research team, and Randa, Packard, and his soldiers. While exploring, Conrad’s group meets the island natives and Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly), a pilot who crash-landed in WWII. Marlow explains that Kong is the God of the island and protects the natives from underground creatures called “Skullcrawlers”. Will our heroes make it off the island, or will they fall prey to Kong’s wrath?
Review
While I enjoyed the 2014 Godzilla, I had some issues with it that, though not dealbreakers, definitely hurt it. In many ways, Kong: Skull Island improves on those flaws and makes for a much better film. For one, the 2014 film had a very muted color palette and was shot at night or with little lighting. Here, not only does a majority take place in the daytime, but it’s got a much richer color palette. The vibrant colors help the film stand out, and the 70s inspired style helps give it a unique identity. Vogt-Roberts’ direction is top-notch, taking full advantage of the tropical locations and staging some incredible action sequences. From the helicopter attack to Kong fighting the big Skullcrawler, this is a feast to the eyes. Speaking of, the visual effects are impressive, Kong and the other creatures looking highly detailed and feeling three-dimensional.
Acting-wise, everyone does a solid job with their roles, and each has a moment to shine. Tom Hiddleston makes for a good action hero, while still maintaining that sly wit that made him work as Loki. Brie Larson helps to balance the cast out, and thankfully there’s no forced romance between her and Hiddleston. Like always, Jackson gives a very commanding performance, towering over everyone else with his character’s determination to kill Kong. John Goodman also works as the scientist/government agent determined to prove the existence of giant monsters despite his naysayers. However, John C. Reilly steals the show as Marlow, acting as the comic relief, while having some genuine emotion. Many of the supporting cast also stand out in their own ways, and the writing helps elevate them. Overall, Kong: Skull Island works as a standalone monster movie and a great continuation to what Godzilla started.
Buy Kong: Skull Island from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uNoGi9
