Impossibly beating all odds, destroying every bad memory about the 1976 remake, and setting a new standard for creature features, King Kong is a remarkable film. It's intense, brutal, and draining. You're actually tired after leaving the cinema. Peter Jackson's remake is a $207 million gift for every Kong fan in the world. Except for a few ugly spots, it's hard to imagine a better way to resurrect one of cinema's all time greats.
Jackson's direction follows a straight path that doesn't stray far in pacing. Once the initial set up is taken care of, there's hardly a scene in the movie that doesn't feature Kong or one of his island co-inhabitants, just like the '33 Kong. If you felt the opening exposition was dull, you'll forget those dialogue scenes were even included once the sure-to-be-nominated special effects from WETA take over.
Turning the large ape into a believable creature (as opposed to a typical rampaging beast) works on countless levels. The film's finale is easily the best of the three takes on this story. The emotional pull is unbearable as the agonizing sequence continues to bombard the viewer from one cringe-inducing moment to the next. There's a reason Kong is made out to be the victim, and the ending proves it.
Jack Black is a sore spot here, playing a completely different character than Robert Armstrong did back in 1933. Instead of being overly zealous and ambitious, his character has a reason for his actions: insanity. His slow descent into madness doesn't really work, mostly because Black is out of his element and his unnatural style doesn't mesh with the rest of the cast.
Some of the action is also over the top. The spider pit sequence pays homage to a forever-lost sequence from the original, and the action here (along with the rather pitiful rescue) stretches things a bit far. The stampede does the same, with far too many close calls that are contrived and convenient. The same thing can be said for the Skull Island natives, shot with a rather aggravating slow motion and blur effect. It takes away from the horror of the sequence.
When Kong is on though, it's one unforgettable moment followed by another. The sign this is a sure classic comes from the dramatic sequences. The brutal three-way T-Rex fight has plenty of merit, yet when you leave the theater, it's the touching scenes between Ann and Kong that stick out. The playful romp in Central Park, the sunset on a ledge, or the final shot of the beast staring at her as his life slips away are the shots we pay to see.
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Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Gift set?! Gift set?! Arrgghh, I didn't know.
Really good write-up, especially the technical stuff, although with all the issues you raise I'm surprised you gave the video quality five stars.
I thought the subplot with the kid could have been lost altogether, and when he starts shooting at the insects, it's rather disappointingly unbeliavable.
Can't wait to see what Jackson has next on his plate. I hope thye get The Hobbit issues resolved.
2 - Matt Paprocki
The problems with the video aren't neccesarily with the DVD. The odd change in color tone in the deleted scenes is a directors choice. It's simply a jarring change, especially during the swamp attack. The disc itself shows it perfectly.
I've come to accept the pit sequence shooting. Everything in this Kong is over the top, big, and fun. No one would have survived the stampede, but it's damn fun to watch. The way Ann is tossed around should tell you this isn't going to be the height of realism.
As for the subplots, he was going for an emotional connection when Hayes dies (which is done better in this cut). The same goes for Lumpy and Choi. In the original, and even in '76, you simply didn't care if half the people died. That may hold true here as well, but at least they tried to give it some character.