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davidahallnum5
Aug 12, 20228 min read

Kong: Skull Island 3D Blu-ray Review

Updated: Apr 8, 2023

Kong: Skull Island is a 2017 action adventure movie about a group of soldiers sent to explore an unknown island in the Pacific Ocean. But upon coming in, they soon discover just how dangerous the island is, mainly due the enormous surreal creatures that inhabit it. But the biggest of them all is King Kong, a 100 foot tall primate that will attack anything that threatens it. After the group has a run-in with this monster, resulting in the death of most of their team, their exploration mission soon becomes one of survival under strange but none the less incredibly dangerous circumstances. But as they try to make their way off the island, maybe they'll discover there's something about Kong that they have yet to learn. And maybe he's not even the biggest threat they have to face.

Kong: Skull Island is a straightforward action monster movie with lots of action and even a few good surprises. If that's your cup of tea, you'll certainly like you get here. Does that make it a good movie overall? Well, that depends on what you look out of a film like this. Just by looking at the title and poster, you can tell this is one of those movies that's all about spectacle. If Kong: Skull Island doesn't deliver enough big monsters, surreal creatures, plenty of peril, and epic action, than what is Kong: Skull Island? Luckily, on all those fronts, this movie heartily delivers. I'll get into the meat of how all those thing work in the 3D review below. But if you're looking for action and danger, just know this movie certainly enough of those things to spare.

Usually, when it comes to films like this, the humans themselves are often known to be the weakest aspect of the plot as the characters are often uninteresting and don't really do much besides slow down the plot. And while we're certainly here for the action, the characters in the film were actually handled pretty well. Sure, for the first 15 minutes or so, we dip into most of the same type of slightly clumsy character exposition we've seen in other monster movies. But because most of it is still plot driven, it isn't really boring. And most of the characters we see here actually play an important role into the story later, leading to some interesting dynamics and plot twists that keep the story moving and entertaining. Do I remember the characters' names? Not really. But the actors playing them bring the certain type of charm that only they bring to their roles. Samuel L. Jackson was plenty fun to watch as always, John Goodman was great, and Brie Larson was surprisingly bearable. There's even a story with one of the characters we meet near the midpoint of the film which I won't spoil for you, but it introduces a sub-plot for the character that is actually interesting and somewhat emotional. All in all, the human stuff isn't going to invoke Pacific Rim levels of character investment, but for a movie where King Kong and huge creatures are still the center of attention, the humans are actually handled surprisingly well and aren't really an issue with the story.

Usually, I would add another paragraph here describing another aspect of the movie. But being how Kong: Skull Island is a film with action and a brain, everything I just mentioned is really all there is to it. Now, I won't go as far to call Kong: Skull Island a great movie, mostly as its scope isn't designed to handle much more be much more than a big monster movie while also carrying along the whole Godzilla and Kong franchise forward to Godzilla vs. Kong (also in 3D, but that's a review for another day). Nothing is really done to deviate from the formula of disposable human characters serving the plot to make way for gigantic action sequences with monster-who's-name-is-in-the-title-of-the-movie. But as far as that type of movie goes, Kong: Skull Island checks all the boxes and does them grandiosely. Once again, this movie's strongest point is in the visuals, and that's best talked about in the 3D review. But still, if you're looking for a film that's more of an entertaining diversion than a Oscar-leading masterclass of filmmaking, look no further than Kong: Skull Island to give you what you're looking for. Would I watch the film again? Hopefully I will. Will I watch it again in 2D? Hopefully not. But if you're interested, I believe you'll find something to like about Kong: Skull Island.


OVERALL FILM REVIEW: 3.5/5



I was nothing less than blown away by the 3D presentation with Kong: Skull Island. This films setting in the jungle with gigantic creatures sets the movie up squarely for 3D and the filmmakers behind the camera how to take advantage of it at every turn.

Let's first talk about how King Kong and all the action sequences he's in look in 3D. After all, his name is in the film's title. King Kong may have looked big before in 2D. But in 3D, you absolutely feel it. With top notch 3D conversion given to this film, courtesy of Prime Focus World, King Kong has depth and dimension showing off how big this monster is compared to the surrounding environment (which is also pretty big in 3D) making his presence much more intimidating onscreen. You are about as apt to run for safety as the characters in the movie are. And when he's in action, you better. There's a scene at the beginning of the movie when two opposing soldiers are fighting and get interrupted when King Kong sticks his hands out and grabs the top of the cliff, allowing for dirt and dust to fly in your face, and he sticks his head over the edge of the cliff, scaring both of them. That sets the tone for just how frightening Kong's going to look in 3D.

And the action sequences come up, you better duck for cover. When Kong is knocking helicopters out of the sky or tearing them apart, helicopters, helicopter remains, dust, fire, and guns all come out of the screen, making you just as much a part of the action as the characters are. And when Kong is fighting the enormous creatures on Skull Island, you have even more pop outs. That doesn't means we also don't great depth inside the screen during action, as sometimes that can be even more impressive than the pop outs. There's one scene when Kong grabs a man and hovers him over his mouth before dropping him in. The grand distance between Kong's mouth and his hand is staggering, letting you know that 3D is certainly the way to watch this movie. The many ways this movie uses depth in its action sequences to make the experience more engaging are too much to fully explain without a visual aid. But that is one very good example. Even without Kong, the encounters with the other giant creatures are pretty intense, giving scale and size to them while they try to attack our main characters. We get ginormous spiders that look like bamboo trees, we get jump scared by log-like creature, and of course, the Skullcrawlers are absolutely frightening. I'm sure the action and the scope these creatures would still translate well in 2D. But in 3D, the experience is wholly immersive and certainly not for the squeamish.

And even in between the action, the depth present in each and every scene is still top notch. Even at the beginning when the characters are being introduced to one another and trying to get the exposition over with, every room looks like it has proper and realistic 3D space. Making it mesmerizing to look into. But when we get to the jungle, that's when things get more surreal. We start the mission out on a giant ship that look giant and move out into helicopters that go into an enormous storm. And the depth here is still stunning to look at inside the screen. With lightning and helicopters moving in their own 3D space, and sometimes even coming out at you. It reminds me somewhat of that storm sequence in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (another 3D movie. But once again, that's a review for another day). But it none the less looks excellent. And there's a pretty interesting use of 3D that is best shown with a visual aid. But it involves putting a bobblehead on the dash of a helicopter right on the screen while putting the helicopter windshield in the background. And this gives the transition from the helicopter coming out of the storm and into the big lush jungle an interesting, and somewhat funny, look.

Once we enter the jungle, the 3D is absolutely mesmerizing. The mountains look far away and properly separated from one another. The shots on the ground put the foliage and creatures behind and in front of the camera in careful and beautiful 3D composition. And once again, the sheer amount of depth on display gives you the impression that you're right there with the main characters. There is even a scene where we meet a tribe of people that live on the island holding spears out of the screen. And when we come to their home, the size and scale of their fortress is made even more evident by the 3D. There is even a pretty interesting usage of 3D depth involving stone pillars with seemingly random drawings on them that when viewed from a certain angle, reveal a complete drawing. While this shot is probably best viewed in 2D, the 3D makes it all the more interesting to look at. And there are plenty of other fantastic uses of depth throughout the movie that just like with the action sequences, are too many to put into this review. This movie is just a 3D wonder that needs to be seen to be believed.

I could go on and on about the many ways this movie utilizes 3D depth and why you need to see it. But I think at this point, you get the idea. Kong: Skull Island is a grand, immersive, action packed 3D experience. And it's one of the best you're probably going to find. And just like In the Heart of the Sea, this is a film I wish I saw in IMAX 3D as the scope of the film is just simply too big for your screen at home. Kong: Skull Island is such a great film in the third dimension that I will give it a rating of 3D Dinosaur Certified Excellent. It completely deserves it.


3D RATING: EXCELLENT


Other sources that review this movie's 3D (some of the reviews here might not thoroughly match up with mine. But if you want a second opinion on the film's 3D before buying it, here are some sources I recommend checking out):







FINAL THOUGHTS:


Kong: Skull Island is enjoyable popcorn flick that might not leave a lasting impression on you, but will certainly entertain you. It's not by any means perfect, it doesn't have to be. It's meant to be an adventure movie with a plenty of big fat monster action. And it delivers that completely. So if that's your cup of tea, than Kong: Skull Island is for you. But if you have a 3D system, then this film isn't just recommended, it's a must-buy. Kong looks bigger and grander than ever in the third dimension, the action is much more engrossing, and everything else in between has so much depth that you can't help but be drawn into what's onscreen. In 3D, you not only watch the film, you're part of it. While most 3D films can be enjoyed pretty much to the same extent in 2D as in 3D, the 3D here is crucial to the experience. So if you're looking for good 3D flick for the weekend, for sure pick up Kong: Skull Island. (I also highly recommend picking up Godzilla (2014) 3D if you enjoy films from this universe, but like I said before, that's a review for another day)




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