Solid attempt at transcending genre

Rating: 6/10 (29 March 2017)

It isn't often that an action film which tries to defy its genre actually succeeds in doing so. Kong: Skull Island happens to come pretty close to succeeding.
A fascinating prologue rewrites some history and sets up an alternate universe in which the existence of a massive gorilla seems somewhat plausible.
Brie Larson (the Room star who blew audiences away with her performance of a mother forced to raise a child under terrible constraint) gives a wonderful performance which plays a large part in lifting this film out of the trash heap. At first, I was skeptical about her choice to take on the role of Mason Weaver. But after a breathtaking helicopter scene, her presence begins to make sense: Larson clearly sought a fun role after the depressing elements of Room. And she is able to have fun while still bringing a sense of immense presence through a performance that will have audiences laughing out loud. Her co-star, Tom Hiddleston, is equally funny as a witty tracker looking for riches. The final piece of the puzzle is a wonderful performance by Samuel L. Jackson as a vigilante of sorts.
Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts does a good job of pulling this all together. But the real star of the show behind the scenes was the sound technician for giving the film one of the greatest soundtracks since films like Watchmen and games like Mass Effect reignited my belief in the film soundtrack as an art.
The result is an exciting return to Kong's universe that reignites an otherwise wilting franchise. Audiences of most persuasions will appreciate this as a strong entry into the annals of genre-defying action cinema.