Kong: Skull Island

Humans have always been fascinated by animals. We can learn so many things, from the way they behave in nature, how they handle different situations, and how they adjust in different enviroments. I am especially thinking about apes. You can clearly see that humans and apes, have many things in common. Especially chimpanzees, the closest species to humans. Just look how they can communicate, show facial expressions, how they use different tools in different situations. We could of course mention many more examples, but it is clear that apes have so much knowledge within them. Speaking of apes, since the very early days of Hollywood, they have made a huge impact on the audiences worldwide. And it all started back in 1933 with the motion picture King Kong. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, the film about a huge ape, running loose in the city of New York became a cult hit. I have of course seen the film, at least 2 times. And it is a classic, even if it might look silly today for a younger generation, we have to remember that back in those days, special effects did not have the same budget as in present day. The classic scene with King Kong on the Empire State Building is still to this day one of the most iconic cinema scenes of all times. Over the years there have been several films made about King Kong, and the one i remember mostly is the 1976 film simply called King Kong. With a young Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange. I know that this film have been critisized for many reasons, but i remember enjoying this film, especially from a technical perspective. The special effects on King Kong himself, considering it was 1976, did not look so terrible. Looking back, i think the 1976 film King Kong should be seen as a cult classic, even if it is not a really good film. But then we also have a sequel called King Kong Lives, released in 1985 with Linda Hamilton ( Sarah O´ Connor from The Terminator ), and this film can not be seen as a classic. In fact, this is perhaps the worst King Kong films of all time, and you can understand why it bombed at the box office. If you just want to laugh about all the bad acting, and bad special effects, then King Kong Lives is the film to choose. It seemed that King Kong would not return to the big screen, for a long time. Not until Peter Jackson, director of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, decided to make his version of King Kong. It turned out to be the best King Kong film ever, in my opinion. Really well made, really good acting, and a story filled with passion for the classic story of King Kong. And here we are, in 2017, with another sequel of King Kong, this time called Kong: Skull Island. Since i have been a fan of these films for a long time, i had to do a 3D cinema visit, to see if King Kong still delivers. Is this one of the best sequels of this franchise, or is Kong: Skull Island a sequel that will soon be forgotten ?

In 1973, U.S. government agent William "Bill" Randa ( John Goodman ) hires former British Special Air Service Captain James Conrad ( Tom Hiddleston ) to go on an expedition, to a mysterious island out in the South Pacific. The island is known as Skull Island, and they belive that there could be unusual animals out there, never been seen before. With the expedition of James, William, Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard ( Samuel L. Jackson ), Fotographer Mason Weaver ( Brie Larson ), warrant officer Reg Slivko ( Thomas Mann ), all head towards the island in choppers, informed to bomb the island. But as they begin their mission, a big ape strike all the choppers down. Some of the team members die instantly, while some of the survivors manage to surive the crash landings. Stuck on an island, where no one knows what is going on, this expedition needs to find a way to survive. But the big ape is not all they should be worried about, here on Skull Island, there are other problems, unknown to civilization.

I have seen all the films so far, based on King Kong, from the original film, and all the sequels ( or remakes, depending on who you ask ).  Since it has been a pretty long time since we have seen King Kong in action, i was looking forward to the latest film Kong: Skull Island. The trailer looked really nice, and i did like to see the cast, filled with talented people. So things were looking good for this latest Kong film. Now, after seeing it in a theater, i can say i have mixed emotions. Maybe my expectations have been aimed very high, since the 2005 film version. There are some really good looking action scenes here, and i love the fact that the film is taking place in the 70´s. I also enjoy the main character, James Conrad, played by wonderful actor Tom Hiddleston, he is always good in anything he does. I know you should not compare films too much, but in this case it is pretty hard not too. You see, i knew it was going to be hard to make a film about King Kong, as good as the Peter Jackson film. And it becomes very clear that Kong: Skull Island is nowhere near as good as the 2005 film. With that said, i still enjoy this film from an action perspective. Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts have not had an easy task, taking on a project like this. Considering his debut feature independent film The Kings Of Summer was a big surprise, he is clearly trying new grounds with Kong: Skull Island. I think he have managed to make his vision of King Kong look good, and he also have added monsters on the island, that reminds us of Peter Jackson´s version. The acting is both good and bad, depending on what characters we are talking about. I enjoy John C. Reilly as the wacky, but fun Hank Marlow, who have lived on this island for 29 years. John Goodman is of course a solid choice as William "Bill " Randa, the senior official, who is in control of the expedition. As a King Kong movie, i feel that Kong: Skull Island is a fun ride, if you can forgive some small details that could have been improved. After all, if you enjoy big budget action films without complicated twists and turns, and focuses on delivering entertainment, then you should feel right at home. As a popcorn film, this is a good choice for a cinema visit this weekend, especially if you loved Peter Jackson´s King Kong, you will recognize yourselves in here. Kong: Skull Island is not the epic sequel i was hoping for, but still a good time if you love these kinds of films. There is no doubt, King Kong continues being an icon among monkeys. 

Rating: DDD