Kong: Skull Island is not the traditional King Kong. But if you accept that, this is a really fun time.

Rating: 7/10 (22 May 2017)

I say that this is not the traditional King Kong for many reasons. This is not the same story that you all know and love. This is barely even the same monster; this one is much taller. The whole movie really only exists to set up 2020's Godzilla vs Kong. That being said, this is a fun, action packed movie, that rarely feels like a cheap setup to another movie.
The story revolves around a group of scientists and soldiers in the nineteen-seventies who conduct experiments on Skull Island, unaware of the monsters that inhabit it.
The concept is not taken as seriously as many previous renditions of Kong. It focuses mostly on intense action, and features comic relief, mostly via John C Reilly's character. But it is still suspenseful, with many characters dying unexpectedly. It also has some pretty good cinematography, and many scenes reminiscent of Apocalypse Now.
This new version probably won't appeal to all King Kong fans. A lot of people will probably hate the lighter tone and the liberties taken with the monster. But it does what it set out to do: deliver a fun action movie. It is nowhere near as good as the original, or even the Peter Jackson remake, but I was thoroughly entertained by it. I'd also say I'd prefer it to the recent Godzilla movie it's set to crossover with. This is a good movie if you know what you're getting into.
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