Kong: Skull Island (2017)

McCarthy finds the film highly entertaining, brisk, and unusually well-balanced for a franchise blockbuster. He especially praises John C. Reilly’s warmly funny, multidimensional performance and the inventive monster-action sequences.

Gleiberman finds the film a rousing, smartly crafted creature-feature and a welcome improvement on earlier remakes. He especially praises its imaginative array of island creatures and John C. Reilly’s dry, sly performance.

The four-star rating indicates a positive verdict on this adventure. The review highlights Kong and the island’s other creatures as the source of its life-threatening thrills.

Turner finds the film a monstrously entertaining and thrilling creature feature. He praises its spectacular creature effects and imaginatively staged monster battles, while noting that the human characters are underdeveloped.

Dowd finds the film an entertaining monster mash, though its Vietnam-war parallels are heavy-handed and its tonal shifts can be jarring. He praises the inventive creature action and the striking helicopter encounter with Kong.

Newman finds the film a fast, playful pulp adventure that holds its own without matching the depth of earlier King Kong films. He especially praises Kong’s opening helicopter battle and the imaginative monster designs.

The review finds the monster adventure entertaining, though not especially frightening. It praises the spectacle while finding the human characters less compelling.

Pile finds the adventure uneven but entertaining, with its spectacular monsters compensating for weak human characters. He especially praises Kong’s convincing presence and personality.

The available standfirst presents the film as a chest-thumping commercial spectacle, but gives no clear verdict. It singles out the film’s role in the MonsterVerse franchise rather than a specific creative strength or flaw.

O'Sullivan finds the reboot spectacularly OK, with its strongest moments coming from Kong and the action. She praises John C. Reilly's comic supporting performance while faulting Tom Hiddleston's vacant presence for draining the film's profundity.

Ide finds the film enjoyable but overblown, with characters that lack nuance. She praises the thrilling first encounter between Kong and the helicopters, while noting Brie Larson seems ill at ease in the effects-driven adventure.

Lane finds the film entertaining and visually inventive, but says it loses momentum in its second half. He especially praises its comic set pieces and striking visual flourishes.

The review finds the film enjoyably spectacular but overblown and lacking subtlety. It singles out the spectacle as a strength, while noting the film’s excess and lack of restraint.

Farley finds the film derivative and somewhat silly, but consistently entertaining. He praises its energetic direction, kinetic action, and tactile effects.

The review is sharply negative about the film’s derivative, muddled blockbuster approach. It singles out John C. Reilly as a bright spot amid the missteps.

Sragow gives the film a negative verdict. He faults it for stripping Kong of his appealing, simple-minded charm.

Turan finds the film lively at first but ultimately overfocused on monsters, leaving Kong and the story diminished. He praises Kong’s visual design and the period soundtrack, while criticizing the tedious creature encounters and Brie Larson’s underused role.

The critic finds the film clumsy and uninspired, with monsters that rely on size and gore rather than imagination. John C. Reilly is singled out as the film’s only consistently pleasurable element.

Edelstein finds the film lavish but stupefyingly predictable, with hack storytelling that squanders its political message. He praises Kong’s convincing sensitivity and the rousing moments in its final battle, but says the monsters rarely stick in the mind.

The critic calls it a thrilling, refreshing monster adventure that never loses steam. They praise its striking visuals and action, and single out John C. Reilly’s performance for bringing heart and humor.

The critic finds it a savagely enjoyable, visually distinctive monster movie with effective political themes. The vivid creature designs and John C. Reilly’s performance as Hank Marlow stand out for praise.

Lambie calls it a hugely enjoyable, satisfying monster movie, despite some overly explicit messaging. He praises the exciting, inventive action and Vogt-Roberts’s assured direction.

Fletcher calls it a thrilling, efficient monster-movie romp, despite flaws in its human characters. She especially praises the creatures, eye-popping action, and John C. Reilly’s standout performance.

Hammond finds it a fun, energetic monster movie that embraces its B-movie roots. He particularly praises the inventive creatures and state-of-the-art visual effects, while noting that Brie Larson’s role is largely decorative.

The critic finds the film an entertaining source of supersized thrills, despite some silly moments. They praise its refreshing simplicity and period details, while objecting to the dialogue and the limited backstory for most characters.

Vorel finds the film an uneven but entertaining monster-action spectacle, with its over-the-top fights delivering the main appeal. He especially praises John C. Reilly, whose comic timing and pathos make him the standout among the human characters.

The critic finds the film polished and entertaining, but predictable and quickly forgettable. The effective, expressive CGI Kong and tactile monster action stand out, while the characters and ideas feel underdeveloped.

The critic finds the film entertaining in places but ultimately held back by a weak screenplay and underdeveloped characters. John C. Reilly is singled out for bringing humor and pathos to the film.

The critic finds the film unconvincing and uninteresting, with its plot stalling after the characters reach the island. He complains that the oversized creatures and action feel excessive, contrasting them unfavorably with the more compelling world of Avatar.

Collins finds the film a lame, expensive imitation of B-movie magic, with spectacle that cannot make up for weak writing. He praises Vogt-Roberts’s handling of the actors and Kong’s imposing presence in the action scenes.