Kong: Skull Island Movie Review

By: Lynn Barker

The star of Kong: Skull Island is a 100-foot-tall ape just minding his own business and protecting the human villagers on an uncharted island when Mankind’s bombs and wars awaken subterranean monsters as big as he is. They kill his family. Now more humans are on his turf. Who does he trust?

Kong looks back on the few humans who careCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Gather on Skull Island

In a prequel scene, it’s World War II and American and Japanese pilots crash land on an uncharted island in the South Pacific. They are about to kill each other when a humungous gorilla appears!

Kong vs the helicoptersCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Cut to 1973 and former British Special Air Service Captain James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston) is hired by explorer Bill Randa (John Goodman) to guide an expedition to map out the same island. Also on the mission are the Sky Devils helicopter squadron fresh from the Vietnam war and led by Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) to take them to the island and offer protection. Pacifist photojournalist Mason Weaver (Brie Larson) joins them thinking there is more of a story here than most know.

With the skeletons of Kong's family

The Odd Squad

Many on this mission are at odds. Packard's men start dropping explosives developed by seismologist Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) to determine if the ground below the island is hollow, despite Conrad's objections. The ‘copters are attacked by the ape known as “Kong” and many crash. The remaining group is split up. Randa reveals to Packard that he is really with a secret government organization called Monarch whose mission is to get proof of the existence of monstrous creatures that have been forgotten by humanity. Packard is determined to kill the ape who killed his men.

Randa with scientist Brooks (Corey Hawkins)Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Crazy Critters Galore!

The adventurers have three days to trek to the opposite side of the island to be picked up. If they miss the date, they’ll be stranded! While trekking through the jungle, the divided groups encounter a giant spider, huge water buffalo and weird flying dinosaur-like creatures. Conrad, Weaver, Brooks, biologist San Lin (Jing Tian) and a few others find the local natives and Marlow (John C Reilly), who crashed on the island in WW II 28 years ago. He reveals that Kong is the island's guardian and is worshiped as a god by the natives for protecting them from reptilian monsters that live underground and have slaughtered Kong's ancestors, leaving him as the last of his kind. He is a good guy!

Kong's major enemy on the islandCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Reunited

The two groups finally reunite but by now, Weaver has had a gentle exchange with Kong, witnessed by Conrad and Kong keeps protecting her. Both Conrad and Weaver want to do anything to save the big ape from Packard’s wrath. Then there are those giant reptile/din- like creatures. Who will win? Will anybody make it off this crazy island alive?

Packard confronts Conrad with Marlow looking onCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Can we get off this island?Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Wrapping Up

Kong: Skull Island is fast-paced, has great battle action, wonderful critter on critter choreography, good acting and an interesting story that champions Mother Nature over Mankind’s destructive nature. The movie is a popcorn-munching good time with a heart.  There are whispers from all the other Kong films over the years; the damsel that Kong loves (although in this film, she kicks butt), the evil humans who want to destroy him, those who feel sorry for him, the local natives who have built a big wall, etc.  It’s all there but this time Kong’s history is quite different and makes some kind of weird scientific sense. As in all the Kong films, you feel sorry for the big ape and start to root for him. This time, the many battles have a different result.

Hiding from an angry reptile creatureCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Tom Hiddleston is buffed-up, blond-ish and hot….no strange, emotionally-warped Norse God Loki in this film and Brie Larson is convincing as a professional woman with a soft spot for critters large and small. No time for mushy romance between the two which is more believable but you get the idea that time might be made in future. There is just enough comic relief provided by John C. Reilly and others to break the tension.

Conrad and group wait for the next challengeCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Stay after the credits for a wrap-up scene that definitely offers the possibility of sequels involving Brie and Tom as the mysterious Monarch Corporation, it seems, has discovered other giant creatures that need documentation like Rodan, Mothra, etc.

We had a good time and go 4 stars on this one. 

Kong: Skull Island Movie Rating:

Kong: Skull Island PosterCourtesy of Warner Bros.

Kong: Skull Island is in theaters now!

Have Your Say

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