Kong As Island Defender

Rating: 7/10 (23 March 2017)

Exciting new version of the King Kong story stars John Goodman as a secret government representative from the Monarch group that is organizing a team of fellow scientists and soldiers(led by Samuel L. Jackson) to explore the mythical Skull Island which is inhabited by a variety of monsters, with Kong being the apparent King of, though he is often in battle with an aggressive species of giant iguana-like lizards that threaten all their lives. Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson also star as a tracker and photographer to aid the mission, though John C. Reilly also shines as a stranded WWII soldier who attempts to lead the survivors off the island to an approaching rescue ship.
Excellent F/X bring Kong to vivid life like never before, portraying him in a sympathetic light, (despite the carnage) though of course the original 1933 version is still best. Also contains an apparent subtext and awareness to "Apocalypse Now" and "Moby Dick"
Second in a series of updated Toho "monsterverse" films, in which Kong, Godzilla(2014) and other Japanese monster stars will appear.