This was not a bad monster movie. On a recent flight down to Houston Texas, I watched Kong: Skull Island (2017). Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts (a guy I’ve never heard of), I was struck by it was somewhat an homage to Francis Ford Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now (1979). In fact, the film takes place in 1973 immediately after the U.S. announces its withdrawal from South Vietnam.
The film stars:
- Tom Hiddleston
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Brie Larson
- John C. Reilly
- John Goodman
- Toby Kebbell
Researchers / “company men” from Monarch (played by Goodman and Kebbell) make a successful request to the U.S. government to make an expedition with a U.S. Army escort to Skull Island for the purposes of a mapping exercise. Keep in mind that Monarch was the name of the same mysterious organization that knew all about Godzilla in Legendary Picture’s 2014 film Godzilla.
A “mapping exercise” on a place called Skull Island? (“Sure, Jan.”)
Monarch also picks up a British explorer / jungle guide (Hiddleston) and a war photographer (Larson) to join the expedition. Soon enough, they run into Kong. At 104 feet (31.6992 meters), this incarnation of Kong is the biggest out of all the American versions (and possibly the 1962 version licensed to Toho Films for King Kong vs Godzilla.) I assume that he’s so much larger in this film so that he’ll have a fighting chance to take on Godzilla again in the 2020 version Godzilla vs Kong.
Having been shot down, the expedition explores the island in separate groups, in hopes of reaching the rendezvous point on the northeastern shore in three days. Unfortunately, Kong is not the only living thing that resides on Skull Island. Plenty of other strange and dangerous fauna make the island their home. In addition, Lieutenant Colonel Packard (Jackson) is hell-bent on revenge against Kong.
There’s more but that’s basically the film. It’s an interesting film to pass the time, but I thought it was ultimately a popcorn film. I would like to ask how this island is able to sustain all of these ginormous animals – there’s simply not enough food for them to eat.
