Kong: Skull Island

Name: Kong: Skull Island
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Released: March 10, 2017
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Brie Larson, Corey Hawkins, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, John Ortiz

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 49 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 671 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 671 Ratings

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Kong: Skull Island

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: March 10, 2017

Starring: Brie Larson, Corey Hawkins, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, John Ortiz, Samuel L. Jackson, Tian Jing, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hiddleston

Summary: When a scientific expedition to an uncharted island awakens titanic forces of nature, a mission of discovery becomes an explosive war between monster and man.

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 118 min

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Awards & Rankings

20	#20 Most Discussed Movie of 2017
24	#24 Most Shared Movie of 2017

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Critic Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Michael Phillips

Mar 8, 2017

Any movie with the sense, the wit and the visual instincts to introduce Kong the way this one does is fine with me. Read full review

The Telegraph - Robbie Collin

Mar 2, 2017

A large part of the enjoyment comes down to the sheer earth-shaking lunacy of Kong’s daily grind, even before the human intruders are factored in. Read full review

St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Calvin Wilson

Mar 9, 2017

If you’re looking for a film that offers pure escapism, Kong: Skull Island should definitely meet expectations. Read full review

TheWrap - Alonso Duralde

Mar 2, 2017

It lacks neither fun nor polish, but it has the square tidiness of a compartmentalized fast-food meal. Read full review

New Orleans Times-Picayune - Mike Scott

Mar 8, 2017

It's a heck of a cast, although the hands-down scene-stealer is John C. Reilly, in a gem of a comic-relief role that, in the interest of remaining spoiler-free, is probably best undescribed here. Read full review

ScreenCrush - Matt Singer

Mar 2, 2017

This is a creature feature, plain and simple — and, at least on a visceral level, a satisfying one. Read full review

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw

Mar 2, 2017

This fantastically muddled and exasperatingly dull quasi-update of the King Kong story looks like a zestless mashup of Jurassic Park, Apocalypse Now and a few exotic visual borrowings from Miss Saigon. It gets nowhere near the elemental power of the original King Kong or indeed Peter Jackson’s game remake; it’s something Ed Wood Jr might have made with a trillion dollars to do what he liked if he’d been given a trillion dollars – but minus the fun. Read full review

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User Reviews

EdwardGerry

Mar 12, 2017

This is one of the most immersive and captivating movies ever made! Its literally insane and theres something you would never expect every five minutes I was totally loving it. It's a two hour movie but I was ready for another hour of these gigantic monsters! not a fan of samuel jackson though

4 of 21 users found this helpful417

GinaK

Mar 13, 2017

An enjoyable film but the feeling of fragmentation is very noticeable. I also didn’t think we needed to bring up Vietnam and World War II, although I can see why the (what can I call them?) newbies on the island had to be separated to contrast the militaristic and the humanistic to drive theAn enjoyable film but the feeling of fragmentation is very noticeable. I also didn’t think we needed to bring up Vietnam and World War II, although I can see why the (what can I call them?) newbies on the island had to be separated to contrast the militaristic and the humanistic to drive the plot along and provide some “drama.” Sadly Samuel L. Jackson was much too over-the-top and not believable. On the other hand, Tom Hiddleston gave an excellent performance as did Brie Larson. Although the previous two versions of Kong have their virtues, I liked this new version for its many excellent cast members and its attempt to do something different, faults and all. The monsters get a 9 but the cast average for me is a 7.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Agent314

Mar 10, 2017

At times muddled and a bit awkward, K:SI truly shines when it matters. Some, but not all, the characters are a bit thin; however, this isn't a character driven drama. It's a MONSTER MOVIE! And let me tell, boy does it have monsters. And when they fight you'd better hold on to yourAt times muddled and a bit awkward, K:SI truly shines when it matters. Some, but not all, the characters are a bit thin; however, this isn't a character driven drama. It's a MONSTER MOVIE! And let me tell, boy does it have monsters. And when they fight you'd better hold on to your popcorn. This is why the film succeeds. Of course, the brilliant visuals and surprisingly good cinematography don't hurt. The true stand-out is certainly Kong himself. Both pensive and angry, he is oft times bewildered by the human cast and royally pissed off by them. But he is Lord Protector of Skull Island, and there's a lot more for him to be concerned with than human mosquitoes.

Expect to laugh. Expect to cheer, and be prepared to be amazed. But most of all, expect to have fun.… Expand

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

DirigiblePulp

Apr 22, 2017

A strange movie. It is kind of all over the place with its themes and influences but it has a distinct enough personality and some solid setpieces.

This is a straight adventure story with giant monsters, and the way it's shot and the hammy dialogue are mostly B-movie and comic book derivedA strange movie. It is kind of all over the place with its themes and influences but it has a distinct enough personality and some solid setpieces.

This is a straight adventure story with giant monsters, and the way it's shot and the hammy dialogue are mostly B-movie and comic book derived (check out those Dutch angles and blistering colors and 10 times too big sun, moon, aurora...).

But there's also a clunky Vietnam metaphor that's a straight-up over the top "homage" to Apocalypse Now, et al. The song choices even more so. It makes sense in theory (VietKong anyone?) but I don't think it ever really works and it's just an excuse to make Sam Jackson a bad guy to counterpoint Kong's "human" side.

Characters are fine for the most part. They serve their cardboard purposes and that's what's expected. Hiddleston and Larson in particular feel vastly underdeveloped. Everything they say and do fall instantly from memory and their disappearance from the movie all together wouldn't have changed it that much.

But what we want are monsters and we get them. Most of them are wonders to behold (the water buffalo, spider legs, and octo tentacles yum) except the generic Skullcrawers (the scene where Reilly names them is embarrassing - I don't think Larson or Hiddleston had any idea what to do the dialogue is so ferociously dumb. Reilly almost saves it however).

This Kong feels like a very different movie than the new Godzilla. This is very much an entertaining B-movie with strong comic book influences worn loud and proud. It will be interesting to see how these two worlds collide. If any franchises deserve an extended universe, it's these! That's what they're all about.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

d0vla11

Jul 31, 2018

Even though the movie has impressive action scenes and song choices, it lacks fine storytelling and has lame-developed characters.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattBrady99

Dec 12, 2017

"Kong: Skull Island" has it's moments of fun and being epic, but can somehow feel so small. Peter Jackson's "King Kong" was far superior than this and felt more grand in it's scale. The whole experience was kinda hollow.

Besides the characters being really one note; John C. Reilly was the"Kong: Skull Island" has it's moments of fun and being epic, but can somehow feel so small. Peter Jackson's "King Kong" was far superior than this and felt more grand in it's scale. The whole experience was kinda hollow.

Besides the characters being really one note; John C. Reilly was the best part of this movie. A real show stealer. I rather see a movie with Reilly's character being stuck on the island with Kong. I mean, nothing against the other actors, as they did the best for what's been written for them. I just couldn't care less when characters bite the dust.

The influences of "Apocalypse Now" and Spielberg movies, mostly "Jurassic Park", is an interesting mix. The director, Jordan Vogt-Roberts has a vision and when you hear him talk in interviews, he knows what he's talking about. To be fair, he handle the action scenes very well. The visual queues of classic cinema are there and can be harsh when it comes to criticism of his own work. Everything else was more of a miss than a hit.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Bitash

Jul 23, 2017

it starts bad and it stays bad, unreal... I was looking forward to cool CG..nope ..even that was bad....the storm scene in the beginning was so poorly made.....feel like I need to save people's lives from being wasted for two hours by leaving my review. The movie was horrific...who ever gaveit starts bad and it stays bad, unreal... I was looking forward to cool CG..nope ..even that was bad....the storm scene in the beginning was so poorly made.....feel like I need to save people's lives from being wasted for two hours by leaving my review. The movie was horrific...who ever gave it a good review must be paid or they juveniles being entertained by poor acting and CG......my 17 year old nephew would have written a version of King Kong like this, the writing is horrific and childish and the director..horrible directing, using music where music was not needed,many many scenes that are not believable, lots of incontinuity in the movie and the plot is predictable. Even the known actors in the movie were surprisingly bad, it's because the writing and directing was bad.
Lots of scenes that didn't make sense, were not believable at all. There absolutely NO character development so when people randomly died, you felt nothing!!!
The focus of the movie SHOULD have been King Kong however the audience is not connected with him, you don't feel bad or sad for him, you feel nothing. And let's talk about the EDITING, looks like I did the editing, rushes...glued together and no one bothered to review it. Yup, horrible editing.
It's just bad bad, guess you have to see it to believe me. The ONLY good thing about the movie is that it ended ! It was embaressingly BAD… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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