Film Review – Kong: Skull Island

With the release of 2014’s “Godzilla,” Legendary Entertainment kicked off the “MonsterVerse,” their answer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only instead of costumed superheroes, the company’s features will tie together building-sized creatures unsure if they want to tolerate or decimate humankind. From a moneymaking standpoint, it’s a tired idea, with seemingly everything open for franchise material these days, but Legendary has enthusiasm for their monsters, building on a best parts of “Godzilla” to inspire “Kong: Skull Island,” which turns the tragic super-ape into a ferocious defender of his jungle territory. Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts keeps up the pace, but also spends time on his “Apocalypse Now” and “Jurassic Park” fandom, pouring his energy into a lively picture that brings out a fresh side of the titular menace, making the effort less about broken hearts and stunning beauty, and more about pummeling puny invaders. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com