Kong: Skull Island

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson

Duration: 118min

Strength: Battle scenes

Weakness: Superficial screenplay

Rating:  7.5/10

PLOT: In the year 1973, twenty-nine years after World War II, a secret government association known as Monarch mounts an expedition to Skull Island, a wondrous domain in the Pacific, covered in secret; full of mysterious new super species unknown and unfamiliar to our world. To discover the mysterious activity of the uncharted land, led by an explorer (John Goodman) and a lieutenant colonel (Samuel L. Jackson), the group recruit an experienced soldier (Tom Hiddleston) and a photojournalist (Brie Larson). They soon learn that the Skull Island is home to King Kong, the mythical gigantic gorilla. The story eventually reveals how Kong, driven by vengeance, rises to take his throne of the most powerful creature on the island. 

REVIEW: An unusual blend of super-creature movie and dirty-war film, "Kong: Skull Island" is a crisp take on a near 85-year-old classic. This is the latest version of the King Kong story, and is action packed with a lot of gigantic, roaring and crashing beasts. Expect these monsters to be grabbing attention most of the time. The lieutenant colonel's obsession with killing the mighty Kong and his compassion towards the photojournalist were vague in the movie but Jordan Vogt-Roberts' intense direction essentially compensates for the significantly sketchy screenplay. Even with the question of whether Hiddleston and Larson have the chemistry to carry us through the unavoidable sequel, this spectacular piece of entertainment is definitely worth a watch. Besides, it's always fun watching a giant gorilla perform astonishing feats of strength. Who doesn't love King Kong?

Reviewed by Shamma Shawki Arpita