Overview
An expedition to a mysterious island reveals a world of breathtaking beauty and terrifying monsters.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- spectacular
- pulp adventure
- tense
- blockbuster movie night
- monster movie marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an entertaining, visually impressive monster adventure with strong period atmosphere, despite a thin and uneven story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kong is presented as the dominant protector of Skull Island amid competing giant creatures and human intrusion.
The expedition unfolds during the waning days of the Vietnam War and follows a military detachment shaped by that conflict.
The expedition enters Skull Island, where unfamiliar landscapes and deadly wildlife repeatedly reshape its mission.
The film emphasizes Kong, giant spiders, other monsters, and broad South Pacific vistas through blockbuster-scale imagery.
Films like Kong: Skull Island, and why
Godzilla
shared giant-monster spectacle, military expedition, jungle setting, and pulpy adventure tone
Apocalypse Now
shared Vietnam War backdrop, hallucinated jungle atmosphere, military commentary, and Apocalypse Now influence
Jurassic Park
shared expedition narrative, lost-island setting, giant creatures, and high-energy adventure spectacle
King Kong
shared classic monster mythology, exotic island exploration, romance-adjacent adventure, and visual scale
Movie Details
- Director
- Jordan Vogt-Roberts
- Release Date
- 2017-03-08
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (11365)
Cast
- Tom Hiddleston
- Samuel L. Jackson
- John Goodman
- Brie Larson
- Jing Tian
- Toby Kebbell
- John Ortiz
- Corey Hawkins
- Jason Mitchell
- Shea Whigham
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Kong: Skull Island about?
- A Vietnam-era expedition becomes a spectacular struggle for survival when a giant ape and an ecosystem of colossal creatures reveal the true danger of Skull Island.
- What is Kong: Skull Island like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Kong: Skull Island as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Kong: Skull Island violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Kong: Skull Island as moderate.
- What did critics think of Kong: Skull Island?
- Critics generally found the film an entertaining, visually impressive monster adventure with strong period atmosphere, despite a thin and uneven story.
- Which films are like Kong: Skull Island?
- Films with a similar feel include Godzilla, Apocalypse Now, Jurassic Park, and King Kong.
- How long is Kong: Skull Island?
- Kong: Skull Island runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Kong: Skull Island?
- In United States, Kong: Skull Island streams on YouTube TV.
