Stunning thrills and chills. A modern Hollywood A film done in the vein of the classic B-movie monster flicks of the past.

Rating: 8/10 (15 August 2017)

I'll start by saying I feel compelled to leave my opinion on this film here because of all the overwhelmingly negative reviews pasted to this site. I genuinely believe the majority of these film-goers did not watch this film with proper expectations. How you can be disappointed with this movie boggles the mind. Perhaps I connected with the film due to my childhood love for monster movies, having grown up on renting Godzilla, Gamera, King Kong, and other VHSes.
At its core Kong:Skull Island is a classic B-movie monster flick. We have a cast of colorful characters marooned on an island of deadly beasts. What follows the brief setup of why they're there is a good- time monster romp full of non-stop action and gorgeous visuals. Its a bloody good time, pg-13 violence aside.
The setup is pretty cool, giving us the origins of a monster-hunting agency out to find Kaiju after reports flood in of mysterious run- ins with legendary beasts. Goodman is as always spot-on, if a bit under-utilized, as the enigmatic leader of Monarch. He syncs up with Samuel L. Jackson, who does a dazzling job as the leader of his ragtag group of Vietnam vets. The group of soldiers all do great in their own right, but their inevitable deaths are never felt by the audience because we all know they're really there to be monster- fodder. Hiddleston and Larson are passable as the dynamic, handsome leading couple (of sorts, they never spark much of an on screen connection and the movie bypasses any stereotypical love plot) but are honestly never given much to do. Larson in particular is used poorly, and isn't given much of a chance to shine in the boy's club of a cast. This aside, the absolute standout of the cast is John C. Reilly. He seems to truly be at home and having a blast playing a WW2 pilot who crash-landed on the island and has been stranded there for 30 years. Reilly is at once comic relief and exposition, giving his experience on the island to other characters and helping explain the environment they are as well stranded in. The jokes are great and never fall flat.
As soon as the cast arrives on the island, things kick into immediate overdrive. Kong shows up very quickly and causes all sorts of hell for the helicopter squadron. From there, it's non-stop thrills and chills as the team is split up and taken out one-by-one.
The visuals are spectacular, from the special effects to the cinematography. A lot of care went into this production and the results absolutely shine. Its a gorgeous film, with endless eye candy.
Now before you think I'm judging this film on just its style over its substance, I believe it handled the concept of Kong in an new and refreshing way. The monsters inhabiting the island are reminiscent of the pre-historic world themes the original classic utilized, but remain fresh in their design. The "Skull Crawlers" are stand-out monster villains and are given a creepy and cool design that puts them above the pack of average CGI monsters.
The background is rife with detail, particularly in the village of the local residents of Skull Island. They live in the burnt out wreckage of ships that have run-aground on the isle and the design of the village is very interesting.
The film also runs with the theme that 2014's Godzilla had (which now is a shared cinematic universe with Kong, call me excited), in that Kong is a great equalizer. He exists to ensure that other creatures like the Skull Crawlers don't take over the habitat of the island. I think this adds a regal nature to his character and elevates him above his "misunderstood beast" persona that has been explored in the three previous renditions of Kong.
That leaves me with my final praise for the film, Kong himself. He's never looked better, and his size adds a formidable power that a smaller Kong lacks. You could argue this removes any subtlety to the character, but if you were paying attention you'd see I enjoy this film for its loud, proud presentation of a classic character.
Kong:Skull Island is a good time that doesn't require a lot of thought, nor does it ever ask that much from you. If you can appreciate b- movie cinema, give this one an absolute look. It's an absolute blast.