Kong~ Monster or Friend? #Movie_Review

I went to see Tom Hiddleston but the giant ape steals the show… I give Kong: Skull Island an A.
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The war in Vietnam is ending as the Cold War is heating up. A hidden island is found by a group of scientists with a hidden agenda. Convincing the military to support their expedition, they also enlist a former British agent and war photographer to go along. But the mission is doomed when they find giant monsters on the island.

​John Goodman is the head of Monarch, a research company but he’s hiding a secret and willing to do anything to find the answers and prove he was right. Samuel L. Jackson plays the head of the military unit. He’s not ready to go back to civilian life and holds Kong responsible for the death of his men. The mission breaks something inside him. Tom Hiddleston’s role as the former MI Agent is a departure from his previous roles. There’s no snarky comments like with Loki and none of the smoldering sexiness of The Night Manager. He’s all-military. 

​John C. Reilly is a wonderful surprise as a World War II pilot who crashed on Skull Island during the war and has found a home among the indigenous people. Being alone among people who hardly speak, he’s a few marbles short and says exactly what he thinks. Each scene with him is a delight. 

​Filled with action and some amazing giant animals, Kong commands the screen. With a nod to the original Kong movie as Kong saves the girl after connecting with her. The expressive face portrays him as more human than ape. As a total reboot of the franchise, the after credit, sneak peek shows how Kong fits into Godzilla and hints at future movies in this series. Of course, having Tom speak out in the dark got me grinning. As a fan of the old Japanese Godzilla movies, the future hint speaks to some of my favorite creatures.

​With non-stop action and amazing special effects, Kong kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s a movie, I would watch again, just to catch all the nuances I missed. And then there’s Tom Hiddleston… can’t go wrong there.