King Kong has had quite a history in films; first, he debuted in the 1930s as one of the most revolutionary special effects-driven films ever made. Later on, the giant ape would return to battle Godzilla in the 1960s. King Kong would be remade in the 1970s which resulted in its own sequel.
After The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson would bring back Kong in his massive retelling of the 1933 film. Over a decade later, Legendary Pictures then rebooted Kong completely with their own unique take for the MonsterVerse. It was a drastic difference from the Peter Jackson version but what exactly was different?
Biped VS Quadraped
In the Peter Jackson version, Kong is portrayed as an oversized gorilla. With Andy Serkis behind the motion capture performance, Kong moved and fought like an ape on all four limbs. This more "realistic" take on Kong proved to be effective seeing how he was able to fend off monsters using his hands and feet alike.
Meanwhile, Kong: Skull Island returned to how Kong was in 1933. This Kong, portrayed partially by Toby Kebbell, stood tall on two legs and moved more like a humanoid. This also gives him his own edge as he was given more of a mixed martial arts style of fighting and a tendency to use his environment as weapons.
Kong Does Not Fall In Love
As much as older King Kong movies are thrilling adventures, they also show a tragedy with the character. Peter Jackson's King Kong kept the tradition going and dialed it up to an eleven with King Kong's love for Ann Darrow. Of course, the movie ends with King Kong dying as a result of his love and Ann crying atop the Empire State Building.
Kong: Skull Island takes a different approach by having him mostly being an action-star. He's fighting monsters or he's fighting Samuel L. Jackson's Packard. There is a nod to the classic films by having Brie Larson's Weaver befriend Kong and Kong saves her in the climax but nothing more than that.
The Natives Of Skull Island
A day and night contrast between the two films is the depictions of the Skull Island natives. The natives in the Peter Jackson version are pure nightmare fuel from their grotesque appearances to their disturbing ritual to summon Kong.
Compare that to Kong: Skull Island where the Natives known as the Iwi are more peaceful. They are a silent but kind tribe that gets along with Kong as their protector. They are also portrayed as a more Southern-Asian culture that never progressed past spears and huts. The Iwis' culture is simplistic yet rather beautiful at the same time.
Dinosaurs And Titans
Who doesn't love dinosaurs? Peter Jackson certainly did as he went all out with dinosaur action in his version. From the massive Vastatosaurus Rex, Venatosauruses, and the Brontosaurus stampede, Peter Jackson really turned Skull Island into a prehistoric realm. The massive bugs, bats, and piranhadons also showcased this.
The creatures in Kong: Skull Island are vastly different. Not a single dinosaur in sight but instead, everything is designed to be a giant mix of flora and fauna. The Bamboo Spider and the Spore Mantis for example. But the biggest threat on the island is the reptilian Titans known as Skullcrawlers.
Skull Island's Terrain
Much like the animals, both versions of Skull Island feature very jungles holding monsters. The 2005 movie features a much darker, harsher, and hostile environment that matches the prehistoric theme which Peter Jackson aimed for.
Meanwhile, Jordan Vogt-Roberts stuck to the South-Asian theme for his version of Skull Island. Vogt-Roberts was tributing classic Vietnam War films like Platoon and Apocalypse Now so logically, he filmed most of Skull Island in Vietnam itself with some CGI enhancements. The island has tall grassy fields, more tropical swamps, and rivers, etc.
Drastic Difference In Size
In Kong: Skull Island, it is said that Kong is still a juvenile which is certainly something. During the events of Kong: Skull Island, Kong stands at just over one hundred feet tall. His full-grown size is shown in the upcoming Godzilla VS Kong where he is over three hundred feet tall.
That's quite a difference compared to the Peter Jackson version who was forty to fifty feet tall. That's still a huge monster as shown when he takes on a three V-Rex pack by himself but nowhere compared to his MonsterVerse counterpart.
Why Humans Are There
Each version of the King Kong story gives different reasons for why humans are going to Skull Island. In the 1970s version, it was to find new untapped deposits of oil. Both the 1933 and the Peter Jackson movie are about an overly ambitious filmmaker using the uncharted island as the perfect backdrop for a film.
Kong: Skull Island is more centered around its connections to the shared MonsterVerse. Members of Monarch charter an expedition to the uncharted island to prove that monsters exist. Of course, they prove to be correct when Kong and the fauna of Skull Island unleash hell upon them.
King Kong Is Much Weaker Than Kong
The Kong created for the MonsterVerse is definitely the stronger ape as he must take on protecting his island from the Skullcrawlers. Kong also must face off against the King of the Monsters himself: Godzilla. So some military helicopters are not even going to come close to bring him down.
This is quite the difference from the Peter Jackson King Kong which comes closer to the 1933 version. King Kong is just an oversized animal rather than an alpha predator Titan. So a squadron of fighter pilots is enough to kill the gorilla in the climax.
Kong Is A Watchful Protector
Peter Jackson's King Kong is still very much an animal; intelligent and strong-willed but still just an animal in the end. He isn't a hero or a villain as that all falls upon the many human characters that thrust situations upon Kong.
The MonsterVerse on the other hand depicts Kong and his deceased family as benevolent rulers of Skull Island. They protect the natives from the Skullcrawlers, stick to themselves, and seem more sentient. Even the new Godzilla VS Kong hints at Kong's race being protectors of mankind, even against Godzillas.
No New York City
Everyone knows the classic ending to any King Kong movie: he is brought to the human world where he escapes, does battle with the military, then he falls to his death. Kong: Skull Island takes the idea of Kong leaving his island and saves it for Godzilla VS Kong.
Instead, about ninety percent of the film takes place on Skull Island. It made Kong: Skull Island feel more refreshing; seeing how the Peter Jackson movie not only takes an hour to get to Skull Island and then the last thirty minutes take place in New York City. It felt padded whereas Kong: Skull Island is streamlined and more focused as an adventure that way.