Kong Movie Review: Well Done and Action Packed

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(joblo.com)

“This is going to be the biggest Kong there’s ever been, not 10 foot or 30 foot, but a 100-foot ape,” says director Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Kyle Parker, Writer

Kong: Skull Island that is out in theaters is a reboot of the Kong franchise and will serve as the second film in the series, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. The movie, out since March 10th has since grossed 60 million in the United States.                             

This story takes place in 1973 when Bill Randa (John Goodman), hired by Captain James travels to Skull Island to explore a remote jungle. Randa’s team travels deep into the mysterious and dangerous home of the king of the apes. Randa recruits the local helicopter squadron led by Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) to escort them later joined by anti-war photojournalist Mason Weaver (Brie Larson).

The movie is doing well for a variety of reasons, according to movie critic Gary Susman. To begin, Kong has a following of supporters and tends to draw newbies to the screen, willing to see what the hype is all about. Secondly, March seems to be the new month to launch summer blockbusters as the competition is less than May or June. There are smaller reasons for success, the types of other movies being launched, the target audience’s willingness to pay the money for the ticket and if the “monsterverse” genre has been recently explored in other series, and Wolverine doesn’t count.

The movie is amazing, for what it is. It’s Kong and you can’t keep a money-making monster down for long. If you can accept and appreciate that Kong can be a thing, then you’re good to enjoy this film. If you’re going to the film to be convinced that Kong is a thing, then you may struggle.

The film has an interesting past and this past is still dragged into the future, like this film. It has hints of themes that seem to never go away and are, annoyingly at times, considered to be plot lines recognized and accepted, meaning we pay money to go see them. Themes in this film include colonization, technology over the undeveloped, colonized vs native, and beauty and the beast.

Another consideration beyond the success and the tropes that define this kind of film is the nod that the film has glitz and power. It is well done. Basically this is a cut and dry mysterious action packed movie. It’s got everything from a giant 50ft ape swinging his arms at helicopters in the 70’s. If you can appreciate what it is, you’ll appreciate this movie. Now, how long will it take for Godzilla to reappear?