‘Blu-ray or Bust’ - KONG: SKULL ISLAND

‘Blu-ray or Bust’

KONG: SKULL ISLAND (2017, PG-13, 118 minutes, WARNER BROS./TENCENT PICTURES)

Occasionally, Hollywood gets a little full of itself.  It likes to dig up freshly marked graves and fiddle with things, like Herbert West trying to reanimate something which might have been better left in its grave.

The recent reboot of SPIDER-MAN is one such example; not five years following the final installment of Sam Raimi’s groundbreaking (although ultimately unsatisfying) treatment of the iconic character, Sony Pictures found it necessary to try again.  Then, two years ago, they decided to give it another go by re-casting the part, giving him a guest spot in what was really an Avengers film, and released a new iteration this year.

Now, we get another KING KONG.  I’m one of the few that still believes that Peter Jackson’s remake in 2005 was the ultimate in that iconic character’s history; it was a love letter to the films of old, and tugged at the heart-strings with a performance by Andy Serkis that finally made the “big, hairy ape” a relatable and sympathetic character.  KONG: SKULL ISLAND is an utter and complete set-up, but don’t let that dissuade you.  By totally ignoring Jackson’s vision, this is yet another Hollywood reboot, but done with a nod to at least four other film genres.  It is at times exhilarating, frustrating, and basically just one action sequence after another.

You get your typical stereotypes: the hardened soldier with nothing left for him after his tours in Vietnam (Samuel L. Jackson, whose motivation is almost convincing), the quiet and knowledgeable hired gun/expert tracker (Tom Hiddleston, doing his best to make you forget about Loki for a while), the independent and quirky female lead (Brie Larson, who isn’t given enough to do yet still is a formidable acting presence), and the comic relief—John C. Reilly (who brightens nearly every film he is in).  And then there is Kong himself—battle-scarred, intelligent, and badass.  To add to the mix, we get a team of scientists (amongst them a familiar company from another film) wanting to investigate this never-before mapped mystery island and interesting monsters to feed on these intrusive ‘snacks’.  The glimmer of hope lies with a military escort led by Jackson, a platoon of helicopter pilots and soldiers, all fresh out of the Vietnam conflict.  What transpires once they break through the storm clouds is gunfire, explosions, people getting eaten, and Kong getting angry.

Despite some questionable dialogue, and the sense that the filmmakers were trying desperately to not imitate Peter Jackson too much, there is fun to be had—mostly at the expense of Reilly, whose character has been stranded on the island since 1944.  The effects are perfect and the landscape marvelously captured by cinematographer Larry Fong (SUPER 8, BATMAN VS SUPERMAN), a genre veteran that knows how to capture some rather unique images.  Even if Hiddleston flying through poisonous gas with a sword seems a wee bit funny when it is meant to be impressive.

This is a must on Blu-ray—really, if you are going to watch a giant monster spectacle, don’t do it in regular format.  There are several special features to peruse, including one detailing how long it took to get Kong’s hair juuuusst right. And of course, the soundtrack—regurgitated from every Vietnam War film ever made—sounds great despite the familiarity of every single song.

Make sure you watch through the credits—there is a final scene which will confirm that setup that is not-so-subtly hinted at during the film.  Like it or not, there’s more coming, kids.  And, it will be interesting to see who the king of the Hollywood beasts really is.

Grade: B      

Special Features: B- (because everyone dances around Jackson’s KONG without ever naming it specifically, and that irritates me)

Blu-ray Necessary: Most Definitely

-- T.S. Kummelman