Kong: Skull Island

        In all honesty, I did not think that there was an overwhelming outcry to do another Kong movie.  It has been remade over the years and while it is part of the American cultural  filmscape, it is hardly what I would call a revered box office property nor a fan favorite..The whole purpose of this film was that studios are scrambling to launch franchises that mirrors Marvel’s shared universe success (see also Tom Cruise’s reboot of the Mummy coming soon).  Add to that an ensemble  list of A-list actors (who all coincidentally? star in the Marvel movies) and I smelled artistic and box office poison.  If I am going to be completely honest, I have to confess that, try as I wanted to not like this film, I actually enjoyed myself.  ‘Kong: Skull Island’ doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still gives us an action adventure joy ride that is a fresh re-imagining of the iconic character.

The key to  the success of these mega-monster movies is the supporting human cast.  The monsters are just too big and too removed to create an engaging story, so the storyline usually falls on the cast of characters encountering and reacting to the giant beasts.  The movie’s prelude opens during WWII as a Japanese and American pilot who have crash landed on an island battle each other for survival.  The appearance of Kong is revealed and stops the soldier’s death battle.  Flash-forward to the early 70’s where the film does an adept job of using time period music and exotic locales to capture the feel of Vietnam War coming to a close.  Marginalized scientists Randa and Brookes (John Goodman and Corey Hawkins) view the ending of the Vietnam War as their last chance for respect and scramble to find government funding to support a mission to explore a mysterious Bermuda Triangle style island in the South Pacific.  This has been Randa’s lifelong obsession and he finally finds funding approval in addition to a Ranger team on its’ way home from Vietnam to escort them on their mission.  Randa goes to Vietnam to rendezvous with the military team and also recruits the  local ex-pat tracker, James Conrad (a newly buff Tom Hiddleston) and an anti-war photographer, Mason Weaver (Brie Larson) to document the trip.  The leader of the military team is Col Preston Packard (played intensely by Samuel L Jackson).  We sense the seeds of trouble in the beginning as Col Preston is overly eager to volunteer his men for this assignment as the military is what gives his life purpose and he is mourning the end of the war.

The disparate team sets flight for the island and immediately and catastrophically encounter Kong.  The special effects are impressive and made all the more horrifying by how the battle is filmed.  Hats off to Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts for his unique style of shooting these scenes.  The rest of the movie is what remains of the expedition frantically tying to make it to the extraction point while battling through the islands natural horrors.  Along the way they encounter the American WWII pilot Lt Hank Marlow (played comedically by John C Riley) from the opening scene who acts as their guide through the dangerous wilderness.  From a story point of view, Marlow provides explanation and context for Kong's existence and how he came to be.  Just as dangerous as the Islands natural horrors is Col Packard’s obsession to avenge the death of members of his squad by killing Kong.  Samuel L Jackson channels both ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘Moby Dick’ in exploring Col Packard’s almost suicidal obsession with bringing the beast down. 

The highlight of this film for me was just the uniqueness at approaching the tired subject matter.  Clever dialogue, fantastic special effects, and a unique filming vision elevates this film to a very enjoyable popcorn movie and we feel as if it isn’t something we’ve seen before.  There are no “cannon-fodder” deaths.  By that I mean we get to know each of these men on the team as individuals which it makes all the more impactful when they meet their demises. Again, hats off to the Director for great story telling.  I highly recommend and this film for old and new fans alike.  It also demonstrates Tom Hiddleston’s ability to be the lead in a film.  I hope we see much more of him outside his Loki role in years to come.   In grand Marvel tradition (which this film is not), stay until after the credits to see what is coming next for the shared universe concept of Kong.

I give this film *** stars

Kong: Skull Island Trailer

Logan

       It’s been a long journey, over 17 years, since Hugh Jackman helped redefine superheroes’s place in the movie world.  Prior to the X-Men, the superhero genre was considered B-level at best (who remembers Dolph Lungren as The Punisher?).  Hugh Jackman brought one of the most popular comic book characters in history (although oddly unknown to the general public prior to the movies) to the big screen and made it his own.  Interestingly enough, Hugh Jackman wasn’t even director Brian Singer’s first choice for the role (or even desired for it), yet few people can imagine anyone else playing the iconic Wolverine.  However, all good things must come to an end and Director James Mangold and Hugh Jackman create a fitting swan song for one of the most iconic film superheroes ever put on the big screen.

I applaud the courage of both James Mangold and Hugh Jackman (who took a pay cut in order to produce an ‘R’ rated film).  Prior to the success of last year’s ‘Deadpool’, movie studios shied away from, if not outright refused, making an ‘R’ rated superhero movie for fears of alienating the family demographic.  Mangold and the Studios not only took a chance with the ‘R’ rated film, but also made a film that had a decidingly “un-superhero” feel to it.  Even using the name “Logan” instead of his superhero code name “Wolverine”, shows their commitment of not going down the typical superhero genre route.  Again, a big gamble as the superhero genre has proven its’ box office success consistently in the past.  ‘Logan’ is a gritty noir film that pays more homage to Westerns than to its’ source superhero material.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of super heroics to be had, but this was an exploration of character over super powers and it is a welcome direction given the amount of times The Wolverine has graced the big screen.

The film is set 15 years in the future where mutants have mysteriously disappeared and an aging Logan (Hugh Jackman) is caring for a deteriorating Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart)  at a hiding place near the Mexican border.  Logan is making ends meet as a limo driver in the hopes of saving enough money to buy a boat, so he and the Professor can live out their remaining years in peace.  Another reason for seeking a life at sea, although never implicitly stated, is that the Professor’s deteriorating health has caused him to begin to lose control over his powerful mutant mind and his seizures have begun to become catastrophic for those around him.  Helping Logan and the Professor is the albino Caliban, whose mutant ability helps warn them of danger, even as he tends to the Professor’s needs.  All seems going according to plan until the mysterious appearance of a woman begging for Logan’s help followed in close pursuit by the semi-cybernetic mercenary Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) intrudes on Logan’s life.  For once, Logan isn’t the center of the story as Pierce is in pursuit of a child code named X-23 (Dafne Keen) or Laura as the Professor discovers.

Logan tries not to care, but as events draw him into the conflict, his long dormant hero instincts are revived (albeit with nudging from the Professor) and soon they are all on the run from Donald Pierce and his Reavers.  You don’t have to be a comic book fan to enjoy this movie, but if you are there are layers upon layers of meanings to each scene as well as some well planted Easter eggs for the über nerds (or recovering ones like myself). One particular cool one is when Logan finds X-Men comic books in Laura’s pack and the issue he leaves through is issue #132 which is the issue in the comics where Wolverine first encounters Donald Pierce.  Now that’s attention to detail and shows true affection for the comic book fans.  Despite all of these reverential references, the film strives to be accessible to everyone, telling a universal story of redemption in a backdrop reminiscent of an old Western.

This is the final outing for Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, but the beauty of having the story take place 15 years in the future is that the studios can still do anything they want with the characters going forward.  I doubt this is the last we will see of The Wolverine or Professor Xavier.  I recommend this film even if you aren't a fan of the genre. You need only the most rudimentary knowledge of the characters to understand what is going on and you might be surprised by how engaged you become with the characters on their last journey.  My hats off and much respect to James Mangold and Hugh Jackman on not taking the easy and safe way out on their last outing.

I give this film *** 1/2 stars

Logan Trailer