Author: AFPFri, 2017-03-10ID: 1489089732540372400LOS ANGELES: Eight decades since furry wrecking machine King Kong first stomped into theaters, the giant ape with a predilection for bottle-blonde damsels in distress makes his cinematic comeback this weekend.“Kong: Skull Island” is expected to be a huge worldwide hit, leveraging a global fan base built up through a series of sequels, reboots and spin-offs that has turned the character into a cinematic icon.“Going back to the classic 1933 ‘King Kong’ starring Fay Wray, this beauty and the beast tale has held a particular fascination for audiences and has continued to inspire filmmakers over the decades,” Paul Dergarabedian, of media analytics firm comScore, told AFP.“Though superheroes seem to rule the earth, monster movies will always have a place in the hearts of audiences, and this latest version should benefit from that interest.”Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, a newcomer to big studio properties, the latest Kong monster mash features a stratospherically famous cast led by Samuel L Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and a svelte John Goodman.Set in 1973, with US involvement in the Vietnam War ending, explorer Bill Randa (Goodman) persuades a senator to let him gather a team to explore the seismology of a mysterious Pacific island isolated by storms.“Jurassic World” meets “Apocalypse Now” as Randa’s military escort — a motley band of brothers led by the brooding Lt Col. Preston Packard (Jackson) — give the big guy and an array of other scary monsters plenty to chew on.Along for the ride is Captain James Conrad, an SAS tracker turned mercenary (Hiddleston), and plucky anti-war photojournalist Mason Weaver — Brie Larson in her first role since her Oscar-winning performance in “Room.”
Main category: Offbeat
July 26, 2024
