7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.3 |
Scientists, soldiers and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean. Cut off from everything they know, they venture into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery soon becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape from a primal world where humanity does not belong.
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, John GoodmanAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 80% |
Adventure | 80% |
Fantasy | 57% |
Period | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English DD=narrative descriptive
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
With 2014's reinvention of Godzilla and this year's Kong: Skull Island (or "K:SI"), Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures have achieved a studio executive's fondest dream, melding cutting edge technology with venerable name brands to create a successful new franchise. Dubbed "the MonsterVerse", the series is now plunging ahead with its third installment, which will reportedly pit the titular heroes of the first two episodes against each other, thereby updating King Kong vs. Godzilla for the 21st Century. For anyone who remembers the giddy sensation of sitting in a theater watching Toho's original 1962 monster smackdown, the prospect of seeing it revived and reinvigorated should inspire giggly anticipation. Meanwhile, one can enjoy director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (The Kings of Summer) imaginative take on cinema's most beloved ape in this superior Blu-ray presentation.
Kong: Skull Island was photographed digitally by Larry Fong (on the Alexa XT Plus, according
to IMDb), who has shot most of Zack Snyder's effects extravaganzas and obviously knows how
to create fertile raw material for effects wizards and digital colorists. Warner's 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray presents one of the finest digitally
originated images I have seen to date, with
exceptional sharpness and detail in both the realistic and CG-dominated sequences. K:SI has
many dark passages, all of them featuring excellent blacks and shadow detail. Director Vogt-Roberts and his team aren't afraid to cloud the image
with smoke or fog or to wash over the
entire frame with tinted light (e.g., the intense red of Weaver's dark room), but they always
maintain a level of visibility appropriate to the needs of the narrative. Fong and the digital
colorists have aptly re-created the dull look of early Seventies film for the opening scenes in
Washington, D.C., but the colors perk up as soon as the action shifts to Southeast Asia, achieving
a green and golden richness when the expedition reaches the island. The opening scenes in 1945
have an almost storybook brightness and intensity, while a concluding sequence set in the U.S.,
which can't be further described without spoilers, accurately simulates the appearance of a home
movie shot on 16mm.
One of K:SI's most impressive visual accomplishments is the seamless integration of spectacular
location photography with meticulously detailed digital creations. The Blu-ray reproduces these
effects flawlessly, allowing the viewer to slip into the action without distraction. Warner has
mastered K:SI at an average bitrate of 24.09 Mbps. The theatrical group continues its stubborn
refusal to use all available space on the disc, but the compression appears to have been capably
performed.
K:SI arrives with what is fast becoming a standard choice on Warner's A-list titles between
Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. I don't know why anyone would select the latter,
since even for those without Atmos decoding, the Atmos track offers a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD core,
making the lossless DTS track a lesser option and a waste of space. Still, Warner insists on including
it, and in what is fast becoming a familiar slap in the face to 3D fans, the 3D Blu-ray of K:SI omits the Atmos track altogether.
The Atmos track is superb, and the dizzying effects begin even before the first frame appears on
screen after the company logos. K:SI opens with an off-screen dogfight between a pair of World War II
fighter planes, which swoop, dive, evade and fire their weapons back and forth and up and down
throughout the listening space. The helicopter squadron's approach to the island through the
surrounding storms is an organized cacophony of roaring winds, struggling engines and thunderous lightning
strikes. Scenes on the island are accompanied by a symphony of jungle rustles, insect buzzing and animal noises,
routinely punctuated by the thunderous roar of Kong and Skull Island's other mighty beasts. The
precision of the Atmos placement of sound "objects" is matched by the track's broad dynamic
range, with deep bass extension that will challenge your subwoofer.
Dialogue is clearly rendered and appropriately localized. The stirring adventure score is by Henry
Jackman, the British composer of Kick-Ass, Kingsman and numerous films from the
Marvel
Cinematic Universe. The soundtrack is enhanced by a well-selected medley of period-specific
tunes from familiar artists like the Hollies, Jefferson Airplane, Credence Clearwater Revival and
David Bowie.
K:SI is yet another example of an overworked franchise being effectively revived by an enthusiastic
filmmaker who melds contemporary flair with a respectful appreciation of what
initially made the property a success. Ryan Coogler's Creed
resuscitated the Rocky saga by imagining a modern-day version of Sylvester Stallone's original underdog, and now Vogt-Roberts has revitalized
King Kong by successfully re-creating the same cocktail of danger,
surprise and wonderment that made the 1933 film a landmark. K:SI provides a convincing
demonstration that the endless internet complaining about reboots and remakes misses the point
entirely. With talent, taste and imagination, even the oldest story becomes new again. Highly
recommended.
2017
2017
2017
with Ready Player One Movie Money
2017
2017
2017
with Godzilla: King of the Monsters Movie Money
2017
2017
2017
Lenticular Packaging & Bonus Content
2017
2017
2014
2019
2018
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2009
2018
2024
2021
2017
2013
2019
2011
2018
2018
2009
2013
2015
15th Anniversary Edition
2004
The Rogue Cut
2014
2014
Cinematic Universe Edition
2014