A Wasted Opportunity That Offers Nothing New In Its Retelling Of The Legend of Kong

Rating: Null/10 (24 March 2017)

After bringing the "King of Monsters" back to cinematic life in 2014, Legendary Pictures turns its attention to another behemoth to further solidify its own cinematic universe of super-species but all of it doesn't amount to much in the end, for Kong: Skull Island offers nothing new in its retelling of the legend of the giant ape.
Kong: Skull Island follows a team of scientists & soldiers who, just before the end of Vietnam War, secure the U.S. government funding for the expedition of an uncharted island in the South Pacific but when they reach there, they encounter a 100-foot tall bipedal ape who destroys their choppers and leaves them dispersed & stranded in the unmapped territory, thus turning the survey job into a survival race.
Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, the first act of Kong: Skull Island is its strongest, for the premise is expertly set up and the efficient handling of its ominous vibe & sense of foreboding evokes keen interest. But once all our characters are on the island and the main plot is set into motion, it loses momentum as Vogt-Roberts fails to juggle multiple subplots properly and is unsure whether to go for a lighthearted, fun-filled extravaganza or a serious & dark monster flick.
Production design team imbues a sense of mystery & danger to the exotic place with its set pieces. Cinematography attempts to duplicate the haunting aura of Apocalypse Now with its radiant colour palette, skillful use of lighting & shadows but succeeds only in bits n pieces. Slow-mo camera-work is finely utilised during the first encounter with Kong but is ultimately overdone in the end. Editing is a mixed bag, VFX has its share of strengths & flaws while Henry Jackman's score is serviceable.
Coming to the performances, Kong: Skull Island features a talented ensemble in Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman & John C. Reilly, with Terry Notary providing the motion capture work for the eponymous ape. Hiddleston is alright as the mercenary, Larson does nothing but take photographs & act surprised, Goodman is completely wasted in his role, Jackson plays himself while Reilly is mostly annoying, plus the excessive focus on his character was totally unwarranted.
On an overall scale, Kong: Skull Island is just as mediocre an entry in Legendary's MonsterVerse as Godzilla but it does feature more monster mayhem, even if those brief battles never manage to be engrossing or emotionally fulfilling. Characterisation takes a backseat, its lame attempts at humour fall flat, most creative choices don't work out in the film's favour and, in addition to all that, there is pretty much nothing in it that we haven't seen before. Falling short on all scales, Kong: Skull Island is a wasted opportunity that neither understood its true potential nor looked up to see what was up for grabs.