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Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

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Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Old 03-12-17, 12:16 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Sonic
Maybe in the sequel Kong will be more romantic and bring flowers to the lady. As well as play some Barry White and invite her to a dance while later on he fights Godzilla.
I can see it now: THE BRIDGES OF SKULL ISLAND.

(Hey, the girl IS a photographer, right? Not too much of a stretch to make Kong a lonely house-ape.)
Old 03-12-17, 12:46 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

I enjoyed it for the most part. I want to let it sink in a little. Visually it was great but I thought there weren't enough moments that weren't spoiled in the trailers. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked John C. Reilly. I hated him in the trailer but he was easily the best human character. I'll have more thoughts later but I initially felt like I enjoyed Godzilla more.
Old 03-12-17, 01:14 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Let's talk some Easter eggs (besides the after-credit scene):

Samuel L Jackson saying "Hold on to your butts!" as the helicopters take off.

Kong fighting the giant octopus (King Kong vs Godzilla).

The rusted-out tramp freighter the natives use as a shrine to Kong is called SS Wander. Wander can be a synonym for Venture, the ship in the original King Kong.

Kong wrapped in chains (any of the previous Kong films)

What else did you see or hear?
Old 03-12-17, 01:27 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Orbi-Wan Techno
Let's talk some Easter eggs (besides the after-credit scene):

Samuel L Jackson saying "Hold on to your butts!" as the helicopters take off.

Kong fighting the giant octopus (King Kong vs Godzilla).

The rusted-out tramp freighter the natives use as a shrine to Kong is called SS Wander. Wander can be a synonym for Venture, the ship in the original King Kong.

Kong wrapped in chains (any of the previous Kong films)

What else did you see or hear?
Being in the mood last night, I popped in the Toho classic "King Kong Escapes" , and in the final scene when Kong destroys Dr. Who's ship, he rips off the giant propeller of the ship and uses that as a weapon. I think they might have been referencing that.
Old 03-12-17, 02:08 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi
Being in the mood last night, I popped in the Toho classic "King Kong Escapes" , and in the final scene when Kong destroys Dr. Who's ship, he rips off the giant propeller of the ship and uses that as a weapon. I think they might have been referencing that.
Old 03-12-17, 02:19 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Lara Means
People like to shit on Peter Jackson's King Kong, but I can without a doubt say that the TRex vs Kong fight was better than anything shown in Skull Island. Not only that, but Jackson's film had memorable quiet moments as well such as Kong and Ann watching the sunset or Kong enjoying ice for the first time. You don't get close to any sort of connection like that in Skull Island.
Ugh. You just named a couple of the reasons why I hated Jackson's King Kong.

Plus it doesn't take them an hour just to get to the damn island.

This movie blows away the bloated mess that was Jackson's King Kong. I will agree that the T-Rex scene in that movie is awesome but one scene does not an enjoyable movie make.

You want action and some giant monster CG fights? Then this is the movie for you. My son and I really enjoyed it. They don't waste a lot of time getting to the island, as mentioned above, and once they get there, the pace is quick.

Yeah, most of the characters are cardboard cut-outs and I felt the majority of the humor fell flat. At least the flat humor didn't make me groan though like some other recent blockbusters. The CG was well done and the fight scenes are interesting. And, yes, there is a quiet moment with Kong and the girl that wasn't made to be a romantic connection like the silly insipid scenes in Jackson's Kong.

I hadn't read much about the movie so I was surprised by the time frame and liked that it wasn't present day.

Can someone please tell me there were more than the same 5 rock-n-roll songs during the Vietnam War that are played in every movie? I could swear there were whole bunches of songs back then but jeez...White Rabbit...check. Long Cool Woman...check. CCR...check. Same stuff every time though they did at least dig out one CCR song that isn't heard in every movie set in 1973/Vietnam.

Ditch the 3D. We saw it in IMAX 3D and it was pretty pointless. There was a little depth here and there but it looked like flat 2D the majority of the time. I have grown to love 3D but this was a pretty poor conversion in my opinion. Save the money on 3D and go buy the recently released A*P*E instead with the money saved. That 1976 monkey suit movie's 3D blows away this 2017 release. #sad

Looking forward to Godzilla Vs. King Kong. Should be fun and my 12 year old was crazy excited about that. Then he got pissed when I told him it wasn't planned to arrive until 2020.
Old 03-12-17, 02:19 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi
Being in the mood last night, I popped in the Toho classic "King Kong Escapes" , and in the final scene when Kong destroys Dr. Who's ship, he rips off the giant propeller of the ship and uses that as a weapon. I think they might have been referencing that.
I watched that yesterday, too. Such a fun movie.
Old 03-12-17, 02:21 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by islandclaws
I watched that yesterday, too. Such a fun movie.
It really is.
Old 03-12-17, 02:30 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Spiderbite
Ugh. You just named a couple of the reasons why I hated Jackson's King Kong.

Plus it doesn't take them an hour just to get to the damn island.

This movie blows away the bloated mess that was Jackson's King Kong. I will agree that the T-Rex scene in that movie is awesome but one scene does not an enjoyable movie make.

You want action and some giant monster CG fights? Then this is the movie for you. My son and I really enjoyed it. They don't waste a lot of time getting to the island, as mentioned above, and once they get there, the pace is quick.

Yeah, most of the characters are cardboard cut-outs and I felt the majority of the humor fell flat. At least the flat humor didn't make me groan though like some other recent blockbusters. The CG was well done and the fight scenes are interesting. And, yes, there is a quiet moment with Kong and the girl that wasn't made to be a romantic connection like the silly insipid scenes in Jackson's Kong.

I hadn't read much about the movie so I was surprised by the time frame and liked that it wasn't present day.

Can someone please tell me there were more than the same 5 rock-n-roll songs during the Vietnam War that are played in every movie? I could swear there were whole bunches of songs back then but jeez...White Rabbit...check. Long Cool Woman...check. CCR...check. Same stuff every time though they did at least dig out one CCR song that isn't heard in every movie set in 1973/Vietnam.

Ditch the 3D. We saw it in IMAX 3D and it was pretty pointless. There was a little depth here and there but it looked like flat 2D the majority of the time. I have grown to love 3D but this was a pretty poor conversion in my opinion. Save the money on 3D and go buy the recently released A*P*E instead with the money saved. That 1976 monkey suit movie's 3D blows away this 2017 release. #sad

Looking forward to Godzilla Vs. King Kong. Should be fun and my 12 year old was crazy excited about that. Then he got pissed when I told him it wasn't planned to arrive until 2020.
They also threw in Paranoid by Black Sabbath.
Old 03-12-17, 02:34 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

***spoilers within***
I enjoyed it, but one problem that stood out overall was how weak Tom Hiddleston's character was. I can't think of any other action lead character as uninteresting, thin (as someone already mentioned), generic, and almost pointless as his. He is first billed and utterly forgettable.
There are so many characters in the ensemble that I felt like it was too much and they all kinda get lost in it - except maybe for John C. Reilly who sort of ends up as the lead (and I wonder if he had the most screentime). I liked Shea Whigham's character too, though, but didn't care much for the rest.
The music - I felt like they were trying to avoid a Zemeckis soundtrack by using some deeper or lesser known songs, which I appreciated, yet they still managed to fit in two CCR songs (thankfully no Fortunate Son, but I still think that there needs to be a moratorium on CCR songs in Vietnam war and 70s set films at this point).
Also, that part at the end with Reilly returning home would have been okay if it didn't go on... and on... and on...
All that said - I dug it. I saw it in 70mm which added to the cool retro 70s vibe.
Old 03-12-17, 02:50 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

I was telling my kid about King Kong Vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes. I need to get those on BD. I can remember getting lucky and catching them (usually in the middle) on some Saturday or Sunday afternoon on a local television station. Terrible quality but I remembered loving them. Anything with more Kong I was ready for.

I plan to make him watch A*P*E with me soon. He may disown watching those with me after that.
Old 03-12-17, 03:01 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Spiderbite

I plan to make him watch A*P*E with me soon. He may disown watching those with me after that.
And don't forget Shaw Brothers' Mighty Peking Man.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kU_5q43aNo8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Old 03-12-17, 03:42 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

And don't forget:

Old 03-12-17, 03:52 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
And don't forget:

I DID forget that, and I own it! I may have to put that in tonight.
Old 03-12-17, 06:50 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Dr. DVD
My only real gripe is that it seemed to me at times that it was a typical savage island adventure with King Kong dropped into the mix as opposed to an actual Kong movie. Also, Hiddleston didn't really bring much as a leading man. I wish David Harbour had been available when they shot this, he would have been great in that role.
.
Who the frig is David Harbour?

anyway I gave it 4/5. saw it on an Imax screen which was fine except the 3D was more annoying than not.
The theater had a different type of glasses than I've seen before and I sat nearly exactly in the center of the theater but the glasses had a terribly distracting glare and shine coming from the screen that almost ruined the movie.

Tried 2 pairs and both had the same issue.

They should have done the post credit scene during the credits because near the end of the credits it spoiled the surprise.

I also noticed "Muto" written on something during the opening credits.

The photographer who was up for a Life mag cover when that meant something and that was the camera she took with her to the island??

I didn't like the Skullcrawlers.
Old 03-12-17, 08:20 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Another movie connection was the playing of "Run Through the Jungle" by CCR , which was utilized in the "hand off" scene of Big Lebowski that Walter (John Goodman) infamously makes go awry.
Old 03-12-17, 09:57 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

I actually loved this movie and the theater I was in dug it too. I thought for what it was it was just a blast to watch. It was just a fun film. And Goodman is losing weight really fast.
Old 03-12-17, 11:21 PM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Liked it a lot. Some of the deaths were... not gruesome, but... still more violent than I expected
Spoiler:
I'm thinking of the first guy killed by the spider, and the guy torn apart by the birds


Had a great time, though. I had no idea there was a scene after the credits. Oh well.

I went in with incredibly low expectations, and ended up more than satisfied. Not a lot of character depth, but I also wasn't expecting any to begin with. I'll gladly buy it on 4K Blu-ray.

I laughed at, yet totally loved the shot of
Spoiler:
Tom Hiddleston wearing a gas mask and cutting up birds or whatever with a samurai sword.

Reminded me of Kate Mckinnon's big kick-ass shot near the end of the new Ghostbusters.
Old 03-13-17, 01:39 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

I have MoviePass for 6 months so I always watch a movie a week and after seeing the trailers decided why not. I loved it. I'm not big into Kong movies (I'm indifferent towards them, neither love them nor hate them) and I had an awesome time.

It was easy to know who to root for in this movie - Kong!

I really was able to feel what Kong felt, whenever he was attacked I would wince with pain and was cheering him on to win whatever battle he was into at the time.

The end lizard fight was not the only Kong action... there was that little itty bitty fight against helicopters in the beginning.

No one commenting on how as humans we go into others' territory and then appropriate it as our own? I thought it was interesting the difference between the two groups, the Jackson-led group shooting first asking questions later and the Hiddleston-led group interacting with the environment in a peaceful way.

I DID also think Hiddleston was an unmemorable lead. I loved him in the Thor movies. Maybe he's more of a supporting actor?

Logan last week, Kong this week. It's been a good run

OMG didn't realize Brooks was long-haired guy from The Walking Dead. The main scientist bugged me the whole movie until I was able to get home and see that he was Carlos from A Dog's Purpose.

For some reason I keep making comparisons between Brie Larson and Emma Watson. They both got famous because of their first movie. There's reports of Watson being stony and not a good actress. I'm about to go see B&TB when it comes out. I do think Larson is the better actress.

Last edited by GatorDeb; 03-13-17 at 05:42 AM.
Old 03-13-17, 03:45 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by GatorDeb
For some reason I keep making comparisons between Brie Larson and Emma Watson. They both got famous because of their first movie. There's reports of Watson being stony and not a good actress. I'm about to go see B&TB when it comes out. I do think Larson is the better actress.
"Stony" as in stone-faced, cold, distant or "stony" as in being stoned all the time?
Old 03-13-17, 04:04 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by GatorDeb
For some reason I keep making comparisons between Brie Larson and Emma Watson. They both got famous because of their first movie.
I never really noticed Brie until Trainwreck two years ago. Then she hit it big in Room after that. Her first movie was 18 years ago in 1999 and she had been in 25 films by the time she did Room.
Old 03-13-17, 05:34 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

^I haven't seen this yet, and still don't think I've seen her in anything except 21 Jump Street.

In that movie I felt like she wasn't as cute as the character was supposed to be. Her acting in it was fine, but it's not like it's a role that required that much of her.

I want to see this though, and she looks much prettier in the trailers than she did in Jump Street.
Old 03-13-17, 05:40 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
"Stony" as in stone-faced, cold, distant or "stony" as in being stoned all the time?
Stony as in that meme for what's her name used to date Robert Pattinson and was in Twilight, where it shows the same face for mad, happy, angry, excited, etc.
Old 03-13-17, 08:26 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

Originally Posted by Dan
Liked it a lot. Some of the deaths were... not gruesome, but... still more violent than I expected
Spoiler:
I'm thinking of the first guy killed by the spider, and the guy torn apart by the birds

Yeah, this was definitely not a movie for young kids in my opinion.

That first spider kill had a Cannibal Holocaust vibe to it and I was really surprised it made it into a PG-13 movie.

One woman sitting near me looked a little shaken that she brought her young one to see it. I thought she was going to throw up for real when the skull monster puked that guy up.
Old 03-13-17, 08:33 AM
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Re: Kong: Skull Island (Vogt-Roberts, 2017) — The Spoiler Filled Reviews Thread

I was definitely surprised by the amount of violence. It almost felt like they shot an R rated movie and cut it down. Not complaining though. Enjoyable movie for what it was.

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