“Kong: Skull Island” captivates audiences with its revolutionary cinematography and action-packed scenes

By Blake Laurita

Staff Writer

“Kong: Skull Island” follows the epic journey of a stranded exploration to get off of an unknown island shrouded in secrecy.

“Kong: Skull Island” has revolutionary cinematography, adrenaline inducing fight sequences, and a balanced sense of comedy throughout and takes place in an extremely immersive environment but fails to develop characters.

The film stars Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson and was directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and written by Dan Gilroy. Filming began in October  2015, in Hawaii and various locations around Vietnam and has grossed $142.6 million worldwide.

“Kong: Skull Island” follows an exploration party as they journey to uncover the secrecy surrounding Skull Island. They soon come face to face with Kong, a colossal ape whose origins date back to prehistoric time and witness the awe inspiring monsters that thrive on the undiscovered island.

Photos: Tom Hiddleston stars in Kong: Skull Island film.

A highlight of the movie is the dynamic cinematography found in the film. The revolutionary perspectives given by the unique method of filming adds another dimension of realism and enthrallment to the film. An example of this is when they film from the perspective of a person aiming a gun, immersing the audience in the place of the main characters.

The film’s main attraction is it’s heart pounding battle scenes. Serving as reference points for all other action movies, these enrapturing fight sequences capture the audience’s attention through massive scale fights and don’t let go until the the fight ends in a satisfying manner.

Video: Tom Hiddleston stars in Kong: Skull Island which was released March 10, 2017. The trailer contains the immersive action depicted in the movie.

A subtle, positive aspect of the film is the well placed humor used as comedic relief. Taking cues from past King Kong movies, comedy is omnipresent throughout the film and provides laughter in the tensest of situations in the film, making the most dire parts of the film seem less grim.

“Kong: Skull Island” undeniably takes place in an incredibly realistic setting. The film’s environment takes place on a fictitious Skull Island and is the product of ground breaking CGI and the use of multiple different locations around the world for filming. This innovative environment adds immeasurable value to the film and raises the bar for all other action movies.

Visit Rotten Tomatoes for more insightful reviews on the movie. 

Underdeveloped characters are the film’s single downfall. Throughout the film, characters stay stagnant due to poor writing. Although the film prides itself on its action sequences, and not its dynamic characters, it feels as though the film missed an opportunity in this regard.

“Kong: Skull Island” is an entertaining action movie, and gives new life to an abandoned franchise through its cinematography, fight scenes, intelligent humor and an ultra realistic setting overcoming its single flaw of underdeveloped characters.

Click here for more information on Kong: Skull Island. 

“Kong: Skull Island,” released March 10, is rated PG-13, and is playing in theaters across the nation.