The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Following Godzilla’s big-screen outing back in 2014, Kong: Skull Island is the second entry into the newly-founded cinematic franchise known as Monster-Verse –like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with classic movie monsters. Despite some expected storytelling clichés, the latest of the many reboots and remakes of the Kong franchise is a straight-up actioner, delivering a roaring onscreen spectacle.

After a brief prologue set during WWII, the story fast-forwards to 1973 as the American military begin withdrawing its troops from Vietnam. After coming across a series of satellite photos revealing an uncharted territory known as Skull Island, conspiracy theorist and scientist, William Randa (Goodman), and partner Houston Brooks (Mitchell) of struggling government organization, Monarch, assemble a team of explorers to go and see what undiscovered treasures – and creatures – the island may hold.

They form a team that includes former SAS Captain, James Conrad (Hiddleston), photo-journalist, Mason Weaver (Larson), and helicopter pilot, Lt. Col Preston Packard (Jackson in his element). However, as soon as they get there, they are met by Kong, who isn’t really keen on having strangers trespassing onto his territory. After a death-defying air battle with the monster, the crew is soon forced to enter the territory by foot where more unwelcoming creatures await.

It would have been easy to dismiss Kong as yet another unnecessary remake of a story that has been revisited, revamped and redone a too many times before. Skull Island is not a smart or even a ground-breaking film by any means, bit director Jordan Vogt-Roberts – along with the help of his special-effects team – has managed to turn its many obvious faults – clichéd dialogue and a relatively silly premise – into a something rather entertaining. Brimming with loud and infectious energy, most of the story takes place on the island, which is built as an enchanting but rigorous terrain filled with an uncountable number of over-sized species and the experience of watching it all unfold on screen – especially in 3D – is spectacular.

The entire cast is pretty solid in their roles, but they don’t all get their chance to shine, with the exception of John C. Reilly who plays a lost WWII pilot who has been abandoned on the island for thirty years. On the other hand, the most important character of them all – Kong himself – manages to find his well-deserved spotlight as a magnificent, threatening and a protective beast fighting for survival and the preservation of his habitat.

It might be silly, but Skull Island is a fast-paced and entertaining ball of fun; a visually-impressive and exhilarating blockbuster adventure which promises a strong continuation for the MonsterVerse franchise that is looking to return for another monster-run in 2019 with Godzilla: King of Monsters.