I think most people come to these films first and foremost for monster action, not deep and serious commentary on the environment, colonialism, etc. That said, I actually think it does touch on these topics, but not in a preachy, Oscar bait-ish way. It's a bit more satirical, although not particularly deep.

I absolutely loved Skull Island. For me, it was an absolutely bonkers cross between Apocalypse Now and The Land Before Time, sending up both to highly amusing effect, whilst not forgetting a decent quota of Ray Harryhausen style monster action. The set piece in the bone graveyard in particular is simultaneously thrilling and insanely ridiculous (rather than make me facepalm, it made me chortle with glee).

If you didn't like the film, that's completely fair enough. However, I feel obliged to point out that I know several women who loved it (including my wife), so I don't think calling it a "boy's movie" is entirely fair. I understand what you are getting at, in the stereotypical sense, of course.

Also, whilst fully acknowledging an unrepentant carnivore like me is going to see things differently, these are CGI monsters really, rather than animals, to be fair. So I slightly struggle to understand the depicting violence against animals thing, in a film about monsters fighting each other. But each to their own. :)