King Kong (2005)

Movies don't come any bigger than Peter Jackson's King Kong, a three-hour remake of the 1933 classic that marries breathtaking visual prowess with a surprising emotional depth. Expanding on the original story of the blonde beauty and the beast who falls for her, Jackson creates a movie spectacle that matches his Lord of the Rings films and even at times evokes their fantasy world while celebrating the glory of '30s Hollywood. Naomi Watts stars as Ann Darrow, a vaudeville actress down on her luck in Depression-era New York until manic filmmaker Carl Denham (a game but miscast Jack Black) entices her with a lead role. Dazzled by the genius of screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Ann boards the tramp steamer S.S. Venture, which she--and most of the wary crew--believes is headed for Singapore. Denham, however, is in search of the mythic Skull Island, hoping to capture its wonders on film and make a fortune. What he didn't count on were some scary natives who find that the comely Darrow looks like prime sacrifice material for a mysterious giant creature....

There's no point in rehashing the entire plot, as every movie aficionado is more than familiar with the trajectory of King Kong; the challenge facing Jackson, his screenwriters, and the phenomenal visual-effects team was to breathe new life into an old, familiar story. To that degree, they achieve what could be best called a qualified success. Though they've assembled a crackerjack supporting cast, including Thomas Kretschmann as the Venture's hard-bitten captain and young Jamie Bell as a plucky crewman, the first third of the movie is rather labored, with too much minute detail given over to sumptuous re-creations of '30s New York and the unexciting initial leg of the Venture's sea voyage. However, once the film finds its way to Skull Island (which bears more than a passing resemblance to LOTR's Mordor), Kong turns into a dazzling movie triumph, by turns terrifying and awe-inspiring. The choreography and execution of the action set pieces--including one involving Kong and a trio of Tyrannosaurus Rexes, as well as another that could be charitably described as a bug-phobic's nightmare--is nothing short of landmark filmmaking, and a certain Mr. Spielberg should watch his back, as Kong trumps most anything that has come before it.

Despite the visual challenges of King Kong, the movie's most difficult hurdle is the budding romance between Ann and her simian soulmate. Happily, this is where Jackson unqualifiedly triumphs, as this unorthodox love story is tenderly and humorously drawn, by turns sympathetic and wondrous. Watts, whose accessibility balances out her almost otherworldly loveliness, works wonders with mere glances, and Andy Serkis, who digitally embodies Kong here much as he did Gollum in the LOTR films, breathes vibrant life into the giant star of the film without ever overplaying any emotions. The final, tragic act of the film, set mostly atop the Empire State Building, is where Kong earns its place in movie history as a work that celebrates both the technical and emotional heights that film can reach. --Mark Englehart

Amazon.com

Could've been so much better

Leave it up to Peter Jackson to screw up a remake this bad (well, Peter Jackson and Tim Burton...). The only two movies I ever considered walking out of were this one and "Lord of the Rings." Dull, dull, dull. And ... an extended cut? You've got to be kidding me! November 10, 2008

king

reason i point 1 cause it didnt play i dont know why it didnt. but if u get beprepared November 9, 2008

Good Movie

King Kong is a very entertaining movie with a lot of emotion, its epic, funny and very disturbing when those over grown bugs start swarming in on the humans,haha. Overall though, it is a must see and the computer graphics on King Kong are amazing. Not as good as the graphics in Transformers, but definitely good November 8, 2008

A Chest Thumping, Rope Swinging Good Time

Given the fact that practically everyone knows the big ape dies after falling from the empire state building (it's on the DVD cover for crying out loud) one wonders why Hollywood decided to remake King Kong.

The answer is Peter 'Lord of Ticket Sales' Jackson, and his enviable grasp of story telling and spectacular FX. Unlike Michael Bay, who is content with blowing up multi-million dollar sets and selling it as cinema, Jackson actually drops a few nuggets of character development and plot into the mix.

The result is a spectacular action film with enough heart and brains to keep you engaged even when Kong isn't smashing T-Rex heads together. If action and story don't do it for you then you'll still have the pleasure of seeing Naomi Watts run around in the jungle for 45 minutes wearing nothing but a silk nighty.

Speaking of Naomi, she's the only one here who really has to act. Everyone else gets outdone by the monkey, including oscar winner Adrien Brody. It's not his fault though, he just doesn't get much screen time.

A truly action packed film that makes the most of the limited material gleaned from the original. At almost three hours it can start to drag near the end, but that's what the remote is for. DVD includes no extras - but a two disc special edition is available for the fans of featurettes. October 27, 2008

Fantasic!

First of all I want to say is that King Kong is visually stunning through out the whole movie, from the 1920s New York to Skull Island and to the monsters on the island and especially Kong who looks stunning on the screen. One question that bothers me is that how the Academy Award Winner Peter Jackson came up with this brillant movie and managed to finnish it I don't know.

Yes, there have been previous King Kong movies but this one is pure movie greatness and delivers where the others have failed. But where they fail is where Peter Jackson's take shines. There is an actual relationship between Kong and Ann, we actually understand why Ann cares so much for him. While Kong would try to impress her with roars and beating his chest, Ann would perform her vaudeville antics (to Kong's.. and ultimately the audience's delight). It is their shared moments of joy that solidify an unusual bond of friendship between Ann and Kong. Ann perhaps realizes that she is Kong's only friend, and hence his entire world.

The cast was superb, with Jack Black (probably his only serious role ever) as Carl, Adrien Brody and the beautiful Nioami Watts, followed by an excellent supporting cast which delivered by making the movie believable.

King Kong in my opinion is one the most beautiful movies ever made, where Jackson takes you to another world and puts you on a sometimes frightning adventure that is also heart warming at the same time. This shows just how great Peter Jackson is at being a director.
October 25, 2008

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