Kong Skull Island | Review
Going into this film, expectations were already low — the aftertaste of King Kong (2005) still lingering. Sadly, this new entry does little to wash it away. On the surface, the film looks promising: a talented ensemble cast and a stylish direction should have set the stage for a thrilling monster spectacle. With names like Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and Brie Larson attached, you’d expect a dynamic and engaging story. But what follows is a frustrating exercise in wasted potential.
The cast is drastically underutilized. John Goodman, who initially appears to be positioned as a central figure—perhaps even the film’s antagonist—is given shockingly little screen time and an underdeveloped backstory before being unceremoniously killed off. Hiddleston and Larson show a spark of chemistry that could have deepened the film’s emotional core, but their characters are sidelined and offer little impact beyond a few key moments involving Kong. Even Jackson, who essentially plays a familiar variation of his “tough soldier” archetype, is reduced to a one-note character driven by blind vengeance.
Kong makes his first appearance within the opening minutes, setting up what seems like a bold, fast-paced monster movie. His second big moment—a spectacular sequence in which he demolishes several helicopters—hints at what the film could have been: thrilling, kinetic, and visually striking. Unfortunately, that proves to be the high point. From there, the story bogs down as the characters wander through the island, encountering creatures that are more concept than character, with little sense of escalating tension or stakes.
The backstory of Kong is thinly sketched. We learn that he protects the island from creatures called Skullcrawlers, the same beasts responsible for killing his parents. It’s meant to make him sympathetic, but it lands more like a superficial attempt at depth than genuine character development. Meanwhile, the human characters splinter into two camps: the military contingent that wants to destroy Kong, and the rest who just want to make it to the island’s northern shore to be rescued. Predictably, their choices lead to more meaningless deaths.
The finale, a fully CGI-heavy brawl between Kong and the largest Skullcrawler, delivers some spectacle but little else. The remaining humans barely factor into the climax, offering weak, inconsequential attempts to help. Kong, of course, emerges victorious, and the survivors are airlifted to safety. And that’s it.
When the credits roll, what’s left is a film that feels hollow. There are no standout moments, no emotional weight, and no meaningful story to cling to. The action, while occasionally entertaining, is front-loaded and fails to sustain momentum. If you’re simply looking for background noise—something with explosions, gunfire, and a big CGI ape—this film might do the trick. But if you’re hoping for a compelling narrative or memorable experience, it falls flat. It’s not a disaster, but it’s far from the monster movie it should have been.
