10 Reasons Kong: Skull Island Might Be 2017's Most Surprising Success

Even though I've spent a bunch of time establishing how Skull Island is rejecting grit and po-faced realism for a more cartoonish aesthetic, that doesn't mean that the film won't still be terrifying. Because for all its humour, the film is clearly treating its monsters seriously.

Witnessing the brutal strength of Kong as he smashes two helicopters full of people into the ground with little thought ups his threat considerably, and I defy anyone to deny the shot of Kong's enormous face emerging from the clouds of flame isn't eerie as hell.

Then there are the other creatures which look wholly less human than Kong, therefore having the potential to be seriously squirm-inducing. And what about the graveyard of massive bones? Skull Island looks to be a dexterous blend of tone and tangible threat.