Kong: Skull Island movie review

I grew up watching the 70’s King Kong with Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange. I only heard of the original King Kong in Black & White which was revived in full color but with modern film making by Peter Jackson. It was also one of the subjects of arguments when I was a kid. Who’s stronger? Godzilla or King Kong.

 

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

I later found out that Toho Productions, the creators of Godzilla made a movie Godzilla vs. King Kong in 1962. Japan’s Toho is a pioneer in Kaiju movies and they were able to pull it off despite the limitation of the movie technology of that time.

The Kong in this movie is different from the classic King Kong. They removed the conflict which when there was a thorn in Kong’s affection over a beautiful woman. I like this Kong better because it was more action packed and explored more on the mysterious Skull Island.

In addition to that, it also opens a new universe in Kaiju after the Godzilla movie of Legendary Productions. If you are familiar with the organization Monarch in the previous Godzilla movie (not the recent Japanese movie), you will understand why.

Watching it in IMAX 3D was also an asset. It made a wide screen effect on how towering Kong was and the 3D was calibrated in some action scenes. It also compliments Skull Island the mystery that it conceals. The time period where it took place is also ideal before Godzilla revealed himself in the last movie. It just so happen that it is also the same time period where the 1976 remake took place.

Kong is not the same as the classic King Kong. It belonged to another universe. Be sure to finish the end of the credits in for the last scene of the movie. Kong: Skull Island opens in Philippine cinemas on March 9 and is distributed and released by Warner Bros. Feel free to share my review with the hashtag #KongIsKing. The Philippine premiere was held at IMAX Cinema SM Megamall last March 6. For more quality movie reviews from a movie fan like me, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.