First Wave of Reviews for Kong: Skull Island
Today, 84 years ago (March 1933), The Eighth Wonder of the World made his cinematic debut in King [...]
The Wrap
"Filmmaking doesn't get more corporate than 'Kong: Skull Island,' which scratches your monster-movie itch without ever once providing an injection of unpredictability or eccentricity that might confuse a single half-attentive moviegoer. It lacks neither fun nor polish, but it has the square tidiness of a compartmentalized fast-food meal." - Alonso Duralde
prevnextNerdist
"It's certainly not a perfect movie, and a lot of the characters feel like sketches more than full fledged people, but it roars along enjoyably from start to finish." - Kyle Anderson
prevnextVariety
"In many ways, 'Kong: Skull Island' is a 'Jurassic Park' movie — and if viewed that way, it's the best since the first. The characters may be a touch minimal, but that doesn't mean they're boring; the actors fill them in." - Owen Gleiberman
prevnextEmpire
"Two films in to the MonsterVerse and it's been a mixed start — both Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island fumbling the human characters, but nailing the kaiju. There's potential, it's just yet to be fully realised." - Jonathan Pile
prevnextThe Hollywood Reporter
"Leagues better than Peter Jackson's bloated, three-hour Kong of 2005, this one looks poised for strong returns and potential sequels co-starring hinted-at monsters from movie lore." - Todd McCarthy
prevnextCollider
"So even though Skull Island features some truly breathtaking moments that incorporate the elements that everyone loved in Godzilla—the tense, still and smoky seconds where an unseen monster lurks (cinematographer Larry Fong deserves a shout-out; as does a particular ingenious use of a malfunctioning camera flash)—it feels like a movie that was made in a focus group chemist lab and never solidies its own thing." - Brian Formo
prevnextIndieWire
"Kong is a fascinating character because despite his menacing appearance, he just wants to be left alone. If only his franchise were treated that way." - Eric Kohn
prevnextIGN
"While the aesthetic of this new adventure may be very different, it ends up evoking the same feeling that made King Kong such an icon in the first place." - Alex Welch
prevnextThe Playlist
"Vogt-Roberts knows that a stylistic elevation and attempt at politicization are keys to the character's success, and he houses those in a fantastic, monster-strewn adventure. These days, getting out of the muck of the real world and into a fully realized, escapist romp, feels positively essential." - Drew Taylor
prevnextWe Got This Covered
"It might be jokier than Edwards' grim Godzilla, but Kong: Skull Island is equally cinematic in its Saigon haze. Hyper-realized locales, agriculture and violent jungle boogies all pop, as one mighty mammal pounds his pecs with a boastful bravado. Thanks to Mr. Vogt-Roberts, Kong is King once again." - Matt Donato
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