Short Attention Span Review: Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Short Attention Span Review: Kong: Skull Island (2017)

When I was a chap, Pop took me to see Godzilla 1985 and I had an absolute blast.  Last week, I got to take a couple of my wee ones to see Kong: Skull Island, and we had a blast with what is certainly a vastly superior film.  In fact, as a lifelong fan of both Godzilla and King Kong (and pretty much any other giant monster I've seen on-screen), I think it's safe to say that I don't know if there's any such venture that packs as much excitement into its run time as this 2017 thrill ride.  Now, it does suffer a little from a lack of originality (it does represent a fresh take on the material, but in many ways this is the still the Kong we all know and love) and it may not have the heart and soul that some of the more moving takes on this property have benefited from, but it is jam-packed with exhilaration and creativity.  The effects are stupendous, and a fine cast led by Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and Samuel L. Jackson work very hard at not being upstaged by John C. Reilly at every turn.  Hiddleston proves to be a quality leading man, Larson's presence gives all the mayhem unfolding on screen some depth, and Jackson flirts with the Jon Voight in Anaconda approach.  It is Reilly who really steals the show, however, and while his humor is evident throughout, he also brings a lot of energy and emotion to Kong: Skull Island.  This slick motion picture is very much in the summer blockbuster mold, and those who get their kicks from creature features and 70s rock may not have a better time at the theater in 2017.  It's not a great movie, but it's a great time at the movies, and as someone who treasures this sort of material, I can't recommend Kong: Skull Island enough.

Final Grade: B+

Kong: Skull Island is an action-packed thrill ride that should delight monster movie fans across the globe.