"Is that a monkey?"

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2017)

Big, dumb, fun. If you went into Kong: Skull Island expecting much more than that, you were in the wrong theater. Big, dumb, fun was all I was expecting and Kong delivered. I've seen numerous reviews criticizing the movie for being little more than big, dumb, fun. Well, entertainment is the primary reason I watch movies. Character development, a deep philosophical meaning, or gigantic plot holes hardly matter if I'm having a good time watching a movie. And I had a great time watching Kong.
There's just so much about Kong: Skull Island that appealed to me. First, it's a total action movie. The film gets off to a fast start and rarely slows down. I can't imagine Kong's final fight scene being any more thrilling. Second, I got a real kick out of the special effects. Kong never looked better. And the skull crawlers were amazing. I don't think I've been as impressed with special effects in a movie since I saw Jurassic Park back during its initial release. Third, John C Reilly – what a great actor. Very funny stuff. Fourth, Brie Larson's tank- top. Not sure I need to say more. And finally, the interesting island natives. I do wish the movie had slowed down just a bit to explore these people. Their story would make a terrific movie where Kong is in the background and not the central character. Overall, there's so much eye candy on display, presented often at breakneck speeds – that's what I like about Kong: Skull Island.
My biggest complaint is with Samuel L Jackson. I know I'm tempting fate and the wrath of fanboys everywhere, but Jackson's character really annoyed me. It's the same character he plays in just about every single movie he appears. He's turning into a one-note actor. I know people enjoy the character Jackson plays (and I did the first half-dozen time I saw it), but how about something a little different?