Enigmatic take on the subject, done with some style

Rating: 8/10 (21 October 2017)

As with the recent "Mummy"-genre reboots, Jordan Vogt-Roberts's "Kong: Skull Island" obviously has a number of "King Kong" predecessors (even extending to the rival "Mighty Joe Young" - also out in two versions).
In each of these, the theme of the monumental, potentially-aggressive simian possessed of a conscience, capable of love (even lust) for human females and attacked by an actually-even-more-merciless human species looms large. The 2017 work is no exception, but here the (really) great ape takes more of a back seat than we've ever seen before. Somewhat surprising, given that this is theoretically the hero of the movie!
Ultimately, those electing to watch a "Kong" movie do so to imagine an unknown world of wonder still present on our own planet (a la "Lost World" or even "Jurassic Park"), so atmosphere is everything. The idea that Kong is lord of all he surveys, lives alongside somewhat cowed - indeed often terrified (but also at times terrifying) - people who worship him and enjoy his protection are further aspects.
In this instalment (which juggles with all of the above staples, but modifies the balance between them), we have (I think cleverly) moved forward from the early part of the 20th century to the 70s - and hence to the end of the Vietnam War and to the beginning of remote sensing by satellite. Any more-recent reference to lost worlds on our planet would stretch credibility too far, but the 1970s idea works well.
The film has a very strong 'Nam vibe, but also one connected with World War II and the parallels and differences between the two. This is a great success, and indeed the film from the opening sequences (cleverly including speeches from successive US Presidents) through to the arrival at the titular "Skull Island" are to my mind exceptionally atmospheric and good. The build-up of tension is palpable, but the military and military-civilian authenticity also wins the viewer over. The same could be said of the moving closing sequence (leaving aside the final, post-film sequence leading us on to the "thrilling" next film).
The island itself looks breathtaking, and really and truly filmed in Vietnam, which is a beautiful aspect of the film in and of itself. The wider-ecosystem portrayal here has a touch of class (not least in a sequence that sees helicopter and dragonfly nicely juxtaposed). But dragonflies are the least of our worries as the fauna here is an eclectic mix of giant beasts from past, present and the wilder imagination of the makers. Ecology and animal-behaviour considerations are not absent, though, as there's competition, camouflage and new imagined ecological niches on show. It's quite creepy at times (though cannot top the Jack Black/Adrien Brody film of 2005), and, needless to say, all of these living things are after our interloper-Americans from both the military and big business and the American state (as played, inter alia, by a gorgeous and sympathy-inducing Brie Larson, a sadly-somewhat-absent John Goodman, and a slightly-crazed Samuel L. Jackson - doing his thing as well as ever). There's also a token Brit (actually in many ways the star of the piece) in the shape of SAS-man Captain James Conrad (well-enough portrayed by Tom Hiddleston).
When animal fights human it's impressive (and at times very fast-moving indeed), and there's ultimately also a rather convincing-looking Kong-versus-reptile scene in the arena of a valley surrounded by hills that harks right back to the original "King Kong". Kong is again a man in a gorilla suit, and there's no getting away from that fact - hence perhaps the desire to keep Kong a bit in the background for much of the movie?
Overall, the somewhat-untidy effect is for several themes and aims of the movie to be slightly cobbled together. Occasionally it seems underwhelming or over-familiar, but I say this as someone who has 5 decades behind him. Those coming to this kind of thing for the first time will have far added value.
In any case, there are at least some things about "Skull Island" that are really praiseworthy, while the rest of the movie more-or-less does the job as intended. An interesting-looking sequel seems to be in the offing as well.