Kong: Skull Island <<SPOILERS>>

[a-dev]

Saw it tonight. It was OK, not crap but not really offering anything we haven't seen before.

Personally I prefer Peter Jackson's film and his version of Kong. Despite Kong being much more animalistic....or maybe because of that, I dunno, Jackson managed to wring some emotion out of it which I thought was lacking in this new film.

 

[pturtle]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

I agree about the score... It's forgettable. No theme as far as I can tell... It is pretty much like every film score out there today.

Yes I would say it is a JC Reilly film.. His character was very interesting and funny to me and I wanted / needed that end credit scene you are talking about. IMO it worked well since I wanted to know more about what happens with him without adding a run time to the film.

But you nailed it on the head for me... This film is not about Kong... Its what makes it feel a bit incomplete. The story did not really focus in him. I said in my remarks above that it was the story that lost me a bit and I think that is why. But I am glad to say I enjoyed it much more then you



I agree with this guy most of the time (I don't really care for him personality wise) but I thought he missed the mark a bit and was looking for things to complain about... I must have missed the Fx scene he thought was so bad because I thought everything held up well. In fact this was a much more convincing Island then PJ's King Kong...



Never thought the film felt like a comedy.. JC Reilly had some good lines but nobody else really tried to be funny. There may have been a throw away line here or there (Lion/mouse/ thorn story) but most of it was played serious.
Other then John Goodman (in the beginning especially) I thought all the acting was good and serviceable.


Not picking on you pturtle... It's just you are the most vocal about your dislike of the film (which is fine) so I am just standing up for the film in case others want to see it but were put off by what you wrote..

I tend to be right about these things j/k

The end credits scene was really baffling to me because it's in a Kong movie. It almost cements that this was really a movie about John C Reilly's character. The movie pretty much opens with him, and ends with him, he's the only character really with an arc.

I don't need a super intricate plot, but I do love when there's solid lore built into these movies that leave you curious about these monsters origins intention and purpose. Cloverfield did that very well, Godzilla did that well, but I absolutely had no interest in Kong's origins. There was no real mystique there, usually these monster movies do that well leaving something to be explored in the for the sequel.

I didn't mind Samuel Jackson's Moby **** arc, but being on that island really made it seem foolish that he was ignoring all the monsters and imminent threat just to try and take down Kong, it just all seemed ridiculous to me. The only thing I really had any interest in was John C Reilly's character and to me, that's just ridiculous for a King Kong film.

I found Kong's affection for Brie Larson's character forced, she literally seen him kill most of the soldiers she came with, and almost killed her, he knows she was on one of the helicopter's that were bombing the island, but for some reason they have a connection? She just pets him to calm him down. I know I shouldn't think much with these monster movies but this one just seemed really dumb to me because of the tonal shifts. One second it's funny, the next it's trying to be scary, it just didn't do a good job of balancing the action and comedy.

I'm glad you guys enjoyed it, but I did have higher expectations for this based on the trailers, but this was just one of those movies that I felt I never needed to see. Nothing happened at all. It felt really pointless, the only thing at stake were these human lives that I actually wanted to see die.

The island was a major disappointment as well, and the humans felt way too comfortable on that island. Peter Jackson did a much better job in that department, I do prefer Jackson's film by far. There were plenty of scenes I rolled my eyes with this one. Brie Larson petting Kong, Hiddleston gas mask scene, that soldier at the end with the grenade that died for absolutely no reason, and Kong deciding to help the soldiers and human's get off that island for no reason whatsoever.

 

[jrice73]

Just got back from an IMAX 3D showing and I had an absolute blast watching this. It is super, super fun just like Godzilla vs. King Kong and King Kong Escapes. Its as someone said, Showa Toho mixed with Apocalypse Now and for me it totally worked. I LMAO at so many moments, especially the first brutal assault by Kong on the choppers. That was awesome. Plus a lot of the kills were great. Terrific film and I am so looking forward to what they do with Godzilla: King of Monsters and what's to come down the road.

 

[JAWS]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

The end credits scene was really baffling to me because it's in a Kong movie. It almost cements that this was really a movie about John C Reilly's character. The movie pretty much opens with him, and ends with him, he's the only character really with an arc.

I don't need a super intricate plot, but I do love when there's solid lore built into these movies that leave you curious about these monsters origins intention and purpose. Cloverfield did that very well, Godzilla did that well, but I absolutely had no interest in Kong's origins. There was no real mystique there, usually these monster movies do that well leaving something to be explored in the for the sequel.

I didn't mind Samuel Jackson's Moby **** arc, but being on that island really made it seem foolish that he was ignoring all the monsters and imminent threat just to try and take down Kong, it just all seemed ridiculous to me. The only thing I really had any interest in was John C Reilly's character and to me, that's just ridiculous for a King Kong film.

I found Kong's affection for Brie Larson's character forced, she literally seen him kill most of the soldiers she came with, and almost killed her, he knows she was on one of the helicopter's that were bombing the island, but for some reason they have a connection? She just pets him to calm him down. I know I shouldn't think much with these monster movies but this one just seemed really dumb to me because of the tonal shifts. One second it's funny, the next it's trying to be scary, it just didn't do a good job of balancing the action and comedy.

I'm glad you guys enjoyed it, but I did have higher expectations for this based on the trailers, but this was just one of those movies that I felt I never needed to see. Nothing happened at all. It felt really pointless, the only thing at stake were these human lives that I actually wanted to see die.

The island was a major disappointment as well, and the humans felt way too comfortable on that island. Peter Jackson did a much better job in that department, I do prefer Jackson's film by far. There were plenty of scenes I rolled my eyes with this one. Brie Larson petting Kong, Hiddleston gas mask scene, that soldier at the end with the grenade that died for absolutely no reason, and Kong deciding to help the soldiers and human's get off that island for no reason whatsoever.

I assume Kong saw her trying to help that one Buffalo beast trapped under the chopper.

Hiddleson;s Gas mask was corny... I forgot that one... But nothing like the Guy swinging in a vine and shooting bugs in PJ's Kong.

Kong helping them get off the island I viewed as him helping her. He got that they were not all bad. I guess?? LOL...

The guy getting hit the tale was cool to me because of all the other times you have seen the same thing in other movies... I figured the monster was going to eat him and he would blow it up from the inside. Seen it plenty of times.. But then Bam!! Tail kill... Not really an eye roll moment IMO. Eye rolls to me are unrealistic silly moments. Other then Gas mask part (slow mo made it more corny) there really was not any moments like that IMO.

I thought the humor was fine.. Its not like one liners were being said during the action and it really was only JC Reilly saying anything funny... And when he did it was usually funny. Everything dealing with the monsters was taken seriously. So I did not mind the tone... It's not like it turned into Independence day.

 

[a-dev]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

I assume Kong saw her trying to help that one Buffalo beast trapped under the chopper.

If the giant buffalo couldn't lift the helicopter off itself I don't know how Brie thought she'd be able to do it.

 

[JAWS]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

If the giant buffalo couldn't lift the helicopter off itself I don't know how Brie thought she'd be able to do it.

Thought the same thing.. But it's the thought that counts

 

[JAWS]

Saw it tonight. It was OK, not crap but not really offering anything we haven't seen before.

Personally I prefer Peter Jackson's film and his version of Kong. Despite Kong being much more animalistic....or maybe because of that, I dunno, Jackson managed to wring some emotion out of it which I thought was lacking in this new film.

I guess I might be too hard on PJ's Kong.. But I really hate the goofy over the top stuff. It takes me out of the movie. Ann should have been dead in the first min of encountering Kong when he was swinging her in his hand.. Should have broke her neck But that was nothing compared to Vine swinging, bug shooting, Ann surviving T-Rex fight, and Dino stampede. But it was a better emotional film all around.. Though I found JC Reilly's story arch to be much more emotional then anything in PJ's Kong...

Kong was just not the focus enough, story wise. in this one I think.

 

[pturtle]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

I assume Kong saw her trying to help that one Buffalo beast trapped under the chopper.

Hiddleson;s Gas mask was corny... I forgot that one... But nothing like the Guy swinging in a vine and shooting bugs in PJ's Kong.

Kong helping them get off the island I viewed as him helping her. He got that they were not all bad. I guess?? LOL...

The guy getting hit the tale was cool to me because of all the other times you have seen the same thing in other movies... I figured the monster was going to eat him and he would blow it up from the inside. Seen it plenty of times.. But then Bam!! Tail kill... Not really an eye roll moment IMO. Eye rolls to me are unrealistic silly moments. Other then Gas mask part (slow mo made it more corny) there really was not any moments like that IMO.

I thought the humor was fine.. Its not like one liners were being said during the action and it really was only JC Reilly saying anything funny... And when he did it was usually funny. Everything dealing with the monsters was taken seriously. So I did not mind the tone... It's not like it turned into Independence day.

Maybe I need to give it another watch, I just really hated how pointless the movie felt. I just wanted to know something more about Kong than he defends the island just because.

I guess the way you explain it the tail whip scene was a bit unique but still a bit silly in my opinion.

I can't remember but I felt the soldier were saying a ton on jokes and one liners, I could be wrong about that.

If the giant buffalo couldn't lift the helicopter off itself I don't know how Brie thought she'd be able to do it.

Doesn't Kong come out of nowhere and help her? How did she not hear or see him?


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[JAWS]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

Doesn't Kong come out of nowhere and help her? How did she not hear or see him?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You try lifting a chopper and still pay attention to your surroundings

 

[JAWS]

Re: Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

Maybe I need to give it another watch, I just really hated how pointless the movie felt. I just wanted to know something more about Kong than he defends the island just because.

I guess the way you explain it the tail whip scene was a bit unique but still a bit silly in my opinion.

I can't remember but I felt the soldier were saying a ton on jokes and one liners, I could be wrong about that.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't remember that many one liners from the soldiers.. Not during anything "dangerous". Perhaps in the aftermath moments.

I can't argue with the need to know more about Kong.. And there was a pointlessness to it all. But it was well made pointlessness and made for a good popcorn flick for me.

Having said that.. repeat viewings could hurt the films because flaws become more apparent with each viewing.. But Its an easy watch for me so I think it might stand the test of time.

 

[a-dev]

Ann should have been dead in the first min of encountering Kong when he was swinging her in his hand.. Should have broke her neck But that was nothing compared to Vine swinging, bug shooting, Ann surviving T-Rex fight, and Dino stampede.

Absolutely. Not a single human character would have made it off that island alive. But it was still a highly entertaining film with an incredible looking and incredibly well performed Kong which gave it some emotional heft. You felt sorry for Kong when Ann was stolen away from him, you felt really sorry for him when they captured him and of course you felt sorry for him about the inevitability of his death once he got loose in the city.

 

[The Iron Koob]

New podcast episode! Kong Review at the end

 

[JAWS]

Absolutely. Not a single human character would have made it off that island alive. But it was still a highly entertaining film with an incredible looking and incredibly well performed Kong which gave it some emotional heft. You felt sorry for Kong when Ann was stolen away from him, you felt really sorry for him when they captured him and of course you felt sorry for him about the inevitability of his death once he got loose in the city.

Yeah.. But I don't know if I needed to feel sorry for him... The original Kong was not so sympathetic and it is a much better film because of it IMO... Because they did not worry about him being so likable he had no issue being a bit more destructive in NY.

He was still sympathetic as he was only "in love" hell even the 70's film managed that. PJ's Kong hit you over the head with it.

Of course that is what helps set it apart from the original.

I like PJ's Kong... I just find it very hard to watch now. It's so damn long with average at best characters. Kong was the best character for sure... I just really could not get into any of the human characters.

I think it's main issue (other then the goofy stuff) for me is everything is too bloated. The run time, the action, the attempts to make Kong Sympathetic.

The T-Rex fight is a great example. I love when Kong fights the one T-Rex one on one. It's a great scene. But the three on one is a bit much. Perhaps it could have been done well if it was not made more bloated with Ann in his Hand.... Then the whole T-Rex Vine sequence adds to the bloated and goofiness.

But overall I still like it.. It just has not aged well for me... Funny thing is even though I think it's bloated I prefer the longer version

 

[jnmx2000]

Kong: Skull Island &lt;&lt;SPOILERS&gt;&gt;

Just saw it, pretty disappointed. This film was pretty lacking in every department besides the action. Edwards Godzilla is in a different league, his approache to how the scenes unfold and the long takes of people reacting to what's coming or happening really helps to set the mood of the film. This films editing and pacing of the scenes was really distracting for me and left almost every scene feeling flat. Comparing kongs first rampage to Godzilla arriving in Hawaii felt like watching a music video compared to an actual film. The rampage felt like what we wanted to see after Godzilla arrived but that really means nothing if you don't set the mood like Edwards did. I'd rather have the build up as it leaves me feeling much more satisfied, Kong just left me feeling empty. The action looked cool but that's about it from me. 4/10.


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[Captain Clown]

Lol @ Brie Larson saying "I wanna go home" with a pouty face

 

[rjszar]

My wife and I went to see this yesterday along with my mother, my brother and my just turned 18 niece. My niece is the only other true Godzilla/ big monster fan in the group besides me. We all thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was not cinematic excellence, but I thought it had what a big monster movie needed for the most part.

I think movies are best when they have a great storyline, but some movies are fine just being entertaining. When I went to see all those Godzilla and Gamera movies as a kid growing up, I was in awe of what I was seeing. Even then, I knew it was a guy in a suit, but I was entertained. Regardless of the fact that it is now 2017 and expectations are higher, I know what I want from these movies. I don't want Shin and I don't want Final Wars. I don't want serious story that kills the thrill and I don't want silliness that destroys a sense of reality. Give me something in between.

Everybody is comparing this to PJ's Kong, but IMO it's not a proper comparison. This is a KAIJU movie, part of a growing kaijuverse. It's not a stand-alone story about a misunderstood 40 foot ape. I'm not saying that gives you a pass to skimp on story, but how much story are you going to get in successive movies? Oh my gosh, the horror! Yet another big monster attacks New York City. Let's focus on the human calamity! Another young child isn't going to get to see his father because he got stepped on by a giant three-headed dragon. Give me a break! Just give me a story that makes some sense and whole lot of monster mayhem. I think a lot of people are going to be sorely disappointed if they are expecting much more as time goes along.

 

[RIDDICK]

I think movies are best when they have a great storyline, but some movies are fine just being entertaining. When I went to see all those Godzilla and Gamera movies as a kid growing up, I was in awe of what I was seeing. Even then, I knew it was a guy in a suit, but I was entertained. Regardless of the fact that it is now 2017 and expectations are higher, I know what I want from these movies. I don't want Shin and I don't want Final Wars. I don't want serious story that kills the thrill and I don't want silliness that destroys a sense of reality. Give me something in between.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

CGI will never beat guy in a suit in VS monster movies.

The practical effects like scale models are also part of the charm.

New films monster films are missing those elements.

 

[MaulFan]

I actually felt like the animators on Godzilla 2014 captured the feel of a man in suit with a lot of the creature movements. I'm curious to see how I feel about Kong in this regard, I'm actually a little surprised Kong used ILM for CGI instead of MPC who at least were responsible for Godzilla and the MUTOs.

 

[rjszar]

CGI will never beat guy in a suit in VS monster movies.

The practical effects like scale models are also part of the charm.

New films monster films are missing those elements.

You are so right!