The King Returns

Rating: 8/10 (10 March 2017)

What a trip! The movie takes place in the early 70′s and the entire movie has that vibe. As the movie starts the soundtrack of classic 70′s rock lit up the theater and really blended well with the whole island vibe. This is a great movie that seemed more concerned with a good story than focusing on the big monkey himself and that is a good thing.
A crew of military and scientific people head to an island never before seen until recent satellite images discover it for the first time. From the beginning the crew realizes the man heading the expedition, John Goodman, knows more than he is letting on. Everyone still goes along with it all for their own reasons that are fleshed out as the movie progresses. Samuel Jackson plays a army general not quite done with the battlefield. Tom Hiddleston is a tracker who is searching for something more. Brie Larson is a photographer looking to snap the next big thing. If this sounds like a Marvel reunion then this is the movie for you. Everyone plays their part in this film and while there are plenty of different characters they are all fleshed out just enough to make you want to know more. As with giant cast movies the filmmakers could have dropped the ball like a certain Star Wars movie but that didn't happen here. All the characters have their own quirks especially the incredible John C Reilly.
Kong himself is a technical marvel. At this point in the game CGI really is make or brake and him along with all the other creatures on the island are beautifully rendered. The island itself is also stunning. The whole filming process really had me ooing and awing at everything. This was a very colorful movie fill with very vibrant scenes. Along with that it was really well shot with a lot of thought put into making the movie feel like an art piece. It is hard to describe exact shots but it's the sort of thing that you will know when you see the film.
As I stated earlier, the soundtrack really added to the movie. There were many songs that were perfect for the film along with a really great score. This was a really great telling of Kong and a perfect entry into the monster franchise that started with Godzilla. Speaking of which, there is an after credits scene that fleshes more of that world out so I would recommend staying until the final credits roll.
Overall this was a fantastic movie. Perfect for the whole family. Perfect for fans of Steve Brule. This is a great movie to go to after having a personal pan pizza that you might have waited too long in line for. It is also is the type of movie for a fan of big screen monsters but also cinephiles who love a little art in their movies. Go feast your eyes on this flick.