Move Over MCU And DC - The Real Titans Are Coming...

Did you know you Skull Island on Google Maps? Okay, that's only half true. Skull Island is nothing more than the fictional setting for the infamous King Kong movies - but it really is on there, courtesy of Google's sense of humour, of course. That said though, parts of the new film Kong: Skull Island were shot in Bangkok and Hawaii - real locations that I'll be visiting on my upcoming round-the-world trip (aka "Greedy Honeymoon"). But for now, let's look at the film itself.

While the title might trigger the word "reboot" in your head, especially considering it's the fourth official incarnation of the silver-screen's most famous silver-back, this version comes with a new agenda, abandoning the 84-year-old premise of "ape-literally-falls-for-woman" and instead serving as both sequel to 2014's (underwhelming) Godzilla reboot and prequel to 2020's Godzilla V Kong, forming part of a new "cinematic universe", a huge trend otherwise dominated by film studios Marvel and DC. 

In a monkey-nutshell, the film wastes no time getting its giant feet off the ground and introducing us to the hundred-foot Kong (a blatant yet welcome response to audience's complaints against 2014's almost monster-less Godzilla), with action sequences back-to-back as the heroes and villains of the piece (an all-star cast including Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson and a hilarious, scene-stealing John C. Reilly) fight tooth and claw to survive Skull Island's rather terrible welcoming committee.

Peter Jackson's epic 2005 version might remain somewhat superior, wielding more charm and with Kong more present in the narrative, but Skull Island offers a fresh take and isn't without countless references to its predecessors. Ultimately, this fun flick saves the series from its dull start, breathing atomic fire into the new monster movie franchise and likely leaving a massive footprint in the box office.

Be sure to check out my upcoming posts where I'll talk about iconic locations made famous by Hollywood, including Middle-Earth itself (now known as "New Zealand"), abandoned dinosaur theme parks in Hawaii, and all the local haunts from the Ghostbusters films in New York, all of which I'll be visiting and more on my upcoming trip...