Roberts film transposes the typically 1930s set story to Vietnam in 1973, and it acts as a fresh take on the 80-year-old story; we've had enough of that after the 3 hour Peter Jackson version. This gives way to some lovely cinematography with an orange colour pallet highly reminiscent of Apocalypse Now. The plot sees the shady Monarch company surveying an uncharted island with a US helicopter squadron, SAS tracker James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston) and photojournalist Mason Weaver (Brie Larson). If Roberts is going for a weary environmental message he lays it on thicker than an aging prostitute's make up. As soon as the group reach the island, nature - in the form of Kong - strikes back when provoked.
You've come for Kong and you get him very early on. A bit of enigma and teasing would have been appreciated but ho hum, at least he looks great as he grapples with a helicopters and a plethora of giant monsters. Just don't expect much from the human characters. The main gripe from Godzilla was the bland lead, whereas here it's the overflowing cast of bland characters. Hiddleston and Larson are squandered in the bog-standard roles of morally superior cynics displaying some occasionally 'bad-ass' traits. They end up spending most of their time staring in awe at monsters as if to say "hey be impressed" to the audience. After grappling with Kong, the supporting cast - including but not limited to Corey Hawkins, Toby Kebbel, Jason Mitchell, Thomas Mann and Jiang Tian - are separated into two groups trying to reunite. This spreads our time with the individuals even further, leaving them as nameless pieces along the ride.
Samuel L Jackson and John Goodman are given better material. The former has Captain Ahab-levels of obsession as a Colonel trying to avenge his men killed by the gorilla, and some regret over the loss in Vietnam. Goodman, meanwhile, actually has a backstory, albeit a straightforward 'I'll prove I'm not crazy' one. And then there's John C Reilly as a stranded WW2 veteran/comic relief. Is he anywhere near as funny as he usually is? Not especially. Is the comedy jarring to the overall tone? Yes. Do I like rhetorical questions and use them to create synthetic personalisation? Yes. In addition to this, the editing in places seems oddly trimmed. For example, a group of soldiers are heard off-screen and then cut to them having moved twenty feet in a second. The motivations of characters push logic out of a three-storey window too.
Regardless of major and minor issues, it is entertaining, and even shocking in the order and manner in which people are bumped off. Fortunately the glasses of water masquerading as characters probably won't be returning when King Kong gets the ever-loving shit knocked out of him in Godzilla vs Kong.
THREE STARS. Little bit disappointing but still quite fun.
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