“Kong: Skull Island” (Action/Adventure: 1 hour, 58 minutes)

Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reilly, Brie Larson and John Goodman

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, profanity and strong language)

 

Movie Review: Kong, the giant gorilla, has been a movie staple since 1933, “King Kong” (Directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack). 

Kong’s last major outing was the 2005 remake of the classic movie directed by Peter Jackson. 

“Kong: Skull Island” is a nice adventure filled with grand views of a fictional island.

In 1973, a team of scientists under the leadership Bill Randa (Goodman), led by an elite military team commanded by Lt. Col. Preston Packard (Jackson) and British Special Air Service Capt. James Conrad (Hiddleston), explore an uncharted Pacific island. 

The expedition team quickly encounters a massive gorilla-type creature that attacks after the team drops explosives on the uncharted primitive island.

As World War II soldier Lt. Hank Marlow, a character played by John C. Reilly (“Chicago,” 2002), says, “Kong’s a pretty good king. Keeps to himself, mostly. But you don’t go into someone’s house and start dropping bombs, unless you’re picking a fight.”

Humans pick a fight with Kong, and the result is not good. Kong is a mighty destroyer when angered.

Kong has a right to be angry. Humans attack him for no reason than he is protecting his domain. “Skull Island” shows humanity’s often lack of respect for life. 

Humans react then find understanding. People should understand and then react. The humans depicted here plan to kill a large living being merely because it exists. 

However, hotheaded humans are the reason the story exists. A plan to reveal a monster set forth an adventurous story. The players confront Kong, giant spiders and monsters called Skullcrawlers. 

Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“The Kings of Summer”) directs a film with all the pomp and circumstance of a monster movie from yesteryears. The visual effects fill scenes with eye candy, moments of entertaining grandeur. The visuals make this adventure engaging, even if the scenes are fast-paced too regularly.

Also, some comical elements make this movie enjoyable. John C. Reilly is the scene-stealer of the movie. His comical bits work as a man stranded on a foreign island for nearly 30 years. Reilly’s entrance is a welcome one.

Minus Riley, some of the comedy is forced material and appears out of place. These moments appear unwarranted material and slacking bits to obtain laughs. Such parts detract from the serious that should exist occasionally.

Otherwise, “Skull Island” is pleasing entertainment. Thrills fill the screen constantly. The imagery, although perhaps too intense for some younger audiences, is grand. The adventure is enough to justify a ticket to the main attractions, King Kong and Riley’s Hank Marlow. 

Grade: B- (Kong still reigns as a monster great.)

 

“A United Kingdom” (Biography/Drama: 1 hour, 51 minutes)

Starring: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton and Jack Davenport

Director: Amma Asante

Rated: PG-13 (Violence and thematic elements)

 

Movie Review: Amma Asante is a talented director and beautiful person. 

She is also an actress. Asante last dazzled audiences as a director with “Belle” (2013) which was about an interracial couple, too. Here, she delivers relatively formulaic, but well-done biographical screenplay about a part of history not known to many.

In the late 1940s, Prince Seretse Khama (Oyelowo) of the Bechuanaland Protectorate marries Ruth Williams (Pike), a Caucasian woman from London. The marriage causes a major international predicament involving multiple countries. 

Despite disapproving people in the United Kingdom and Bechuanal, the couple remains committed to each other. 

Bechuanaland became the Republic of Botswana in 1966, when the country gained its independence. Botswana was an already independent country in spirit, but it took until 1966 to regain its sovereignty. 

As much as this movie is about a couple’s love. It is also about a country’s fight to end British colonialism. These two things clash. The British use the interracial, royal relationship to gain more control of Bechuanaland. Mr. and Mrs. Khama use their relationship as a means to strengthen their country. 

Director Asante moves the story along at a quick pace, but all remains consistent. 

Oyelowo and Pike are good. Oyelowo played Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma” (2014). Therefore, this role appears familiar for the actor. “A United Kingdom” is about race relations, too. 

Pike has a certain kindness to her face that makes her believable in any role. She is moving as Ruth Williams. Together, Oyelowo and Pike are nice pairing. 

Based on Susan Williams’ book, “A United Kingdom,” tells an important, lesser-known historical moment. The story is worthy, although it is told in a mechanical manner. 

Grade: B (Producers deliver a united movie.)