This weekend, Kong: Skull Island storms its way into cinemas. Such a big film requires a suitably big cast, so that’s why director Jordan Vogt-Roberts has drafted in Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly and John Goodman.
Set in 1971, the film follows a team of explorers and soldiers who hunt for a mythical island in the Pacific, following rumours that its inhabitants include prehistoric and monstrous creatures. Upon locating the island, it soon becomes clear that they are no longer at the top of the food chain.
To get you in the mood for Kong: Skull Island, we’ve picked our three favourite monsters on Blu-ray.
Godzilla
The Godzilla franchise got a reboot in 2014 when director Gareth Edwards decided to bring the fearsome monster back to life, and also creating the MonsterVerse that Kong also inhabits.
Starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Ken Watanabe, the film tells the tale of the terrible reawakening of one of humanity’s greatest threats. Following a catastrophic nuclear meltdown, a team travel back to the wreckage to ascertain the truth. In doing so, they uncover a monster which could spell the end of the human race. To save the planet, they must turn to an unlikely ally…
Special features include a “vintage” film about the world’s first encounter with Godzilla, a spoof documentary and a look back at the origin of the franchise.
Jurassic World
Set 22 years after the original Jurassic Park, the new attraction – now known as Jurassic World – is open and bigger than ever. Not content with exhibiting dinosaurs which existed thousands of years ago, the scientists at Jurassic World decide to genetically engineer a new breed of dinosaur, one more deadly than ever before. When its containment facility fails, the deadly killer roams loose around the park, silently stalking its prey: humans.
It is down to the park’s Velociraptor trainer Owen Grady, played by Chris Pratt, to protect two young brothers – Zach and Gray – and stop the dinosaur before it’s too late.
The Blu-ray comes loaded with special features, including an in-depth feature examining how Jurassic World was created, a behind-the-scenes look at the special effects, and a tour of the Innovation Centre – which was purpose-built for the movie – led by Chris Pratt.
Cloverfield
Starring Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller and Jessica Lucas, Cloverfield follows a group of friends who are forced to flee into the streets of New York while an unimaginable monster destroys the city. We see the story unfold through their own eyes, in a found-footage style, which gives us glimpses into their backstories through old footage on the tape.
The Blu-ray also comes with a number of special features, including an enhanced viewing mode with GPS tracking, a documentary, and a look at the making of the movie.
If you enjoy Cloverfield, we’d recommend checking out 10 Cloverfield Lane, which follows on from the events of the first film. Or does it..?