'Kong: Skull Island': A fun return to the land of the large
While we’ve already had 572 presentations of a massive, controversial ape and still not even one “Attack of the Giant Squirrel,” all you have to do is remember that the last big-screen “King Kong” starred Jack Black and Adrien Brody to know that it kinda has been a while.
The wait, if you were waiting, was worth it. Arriving 12 years after Peter Jackson's loooooong 2005 version and 84 years after the 1933 original, “Kong: Skull Island” has a bunch of “holy crap” moments, essential in movies like this. Maybe I’m just very averse to enormous spiders. Maybe I’m just in awe of 200-foot gorillas that do not look like special effects. But this sequel/reboot/doesitevenmatteranymore preaches about a world in which monsters are real and, crucially, has the visual boom to back it up.
Speaking of monsters, the movie’s first post-prologue scene begins with scientist Bill Randa (John Goodman) pulling up near the White House and declaring, “Mark my words; there will never be a more screwed-up time in Washington.” It’s 1973, and amid Vietnam War protests Randa wants to gather a team and investigate Skull Island, a notorious place “where myth and science meet” and countless planes and boats have gone missing. He and his partner, Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins of “Straight Outta Compton” and “24: Legacy”), also tell a Senator (Richard Jenkins) it’s important that they beat the Russians there, ‘cause this is set at a time when, you know, we weren’t so cozy with them.
Needless to say, turns out this isn’t just an innocent exploration of uncharted land, and ex-British Special Forces operative James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston), his name a wink to the journey of “Heart of Darkness,” was spot-on when telling Randa and Brooks, “Let me list all the ways you’re going to die” shortly before signing onto the dangerous expedition. Unlike a lot of forgettable stuff like this, “Skull Island” isn't a bunch of obnoxious villains and bland saints trying to outrun humongous creatures. Rather, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts pulls off something not at all foretold by the irritating “The Kings of Summer” and prevents the often-inevitable sensation of both action overkill and the redundancy of talk-scream-talk-scream-repeat.
There is a good deal of screaming, though, particularly from the various beasts. I get that that’s a way for animals to show power and defend themselves. But when it’s the default outburst of every onscreen demon/ghost/etc. these days, an otherwise terrifying and hideous, alien-looking lizard thing barking feels tiresome, not intimidating.
Regardless: Plenty of mileage in the scenes connecting the chaos stems from the script (by a trio of writers separately responsible for the great “Nightcrawler,” solid 2014 “Godzilla” remake and under-appreciated “Safety Not Guaranteed”) and the cast, particularly an excellent use of Brie Larson’s natural curiosity, integrity and generosity as photojournalist Mason Weaver. (Five hundred bonus points that she is never objectified, and there's no romantic subplot.) As Lieutenant Colonel Packard, Samuel L. Jackson thankfully isn’t demanding to get this motherf***in’ ape off this motherf***in’ island despite really wanting revenge for how Kong greeted the team’s helicopters when they barreled into his residence unannounced. Though Packard does say “Hold on to your butts” because god forbid an island adventure doesn’t recall “Jurassic Park.”
“Skull Island” overplays its anti-war message a little, particularly when Weaver notes, “I’ve taken enough photos of mass graves to recognize one.” Yeah, you’re all standing in front of an open area filled with huge animal bones, that’s kind of the only thing it could be. And the movie doesn’t escalate to its ending so much as walk dutifully in its direction; something with this many entertaining bits should lead to more cumulative giddiness.
But where the 2005 effort took itself pretty seriously, “Skull Island” has the benefit of playfulness that never feels like compromise. At one point Vogt-Roberts creates the visual analogy of monster: human:: human: sandwich, and there are several laughs courtesy of a character who arrives maybe halfway through.
Ah, hell, it’s this guy: “You are more beautiful than a hot dog and a beer at Wrigley Field on Opening Day,” says Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly), similarly named for “Heart of Darkness” and – spoiler alert – a World War II pilot who’s very happy to see this crew after waiting 29 years for rescue. That Chicago-native Reilly’s a lifelong Sox fan matters a lot less than the total conviction he gives his character’s Cubs fandom, and the blast he clearly has in the role.
Also, Jason Mitchell of “Straight Outta Compton” plays another soldier, so if you ever bet on the existence of "Dr. Dre and Eazy-E Battle King Kong," next round’s on you.
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Order “Zack Morris Lied 329 Times! Reassessing every ridiculous episode of ‘Saved by the Bell’ … with stats” (featuring interviews with 22 cast members, plus the co-founder of Saved by the Max and the creator of “Zack Morris is Trash”)