As the finale rolls around, Underwood has created enough of a bond between ape and audience that the emotions run high. You’re certainly rooting for Joe in his quest for redemption, and an extended false ending is a fine choice. Getting to that point is an over bloated affair, lacking even half the charm or carefully planned effects of the 1949 version. 
Disney has chosen to release the film on DVD without an anamorphic transfer, and it has remained this way since its initial debut on the format. Regardless, this is a fine transfer that struggles during certain jungle sequences. Aliasing and compression creep up, making the sharpness level seem lower than it is. Out into the city, this looks wonderful. Black levels are superb, and detail is high enough that you can pick out individual furs on Joe’s coat. Compression is still a small culprit, though not as noticeable as it is early on.
On the other hand, this is a loud, active, and simply superb 5.1 audio presentation. Every step Joe takes, you’ll feel it. Separation in the surround channels is clear, and the brief city rampage makes for a perfect example. People begin fleeing on foot to escape, and they fill the room with screams. Other action sequences are equally engrossing in terms of audio.
Even with the countless special effects scenes, the only extra is a worthless three minute feature that barely rises above a trailer. This is a film crying out for a special edition, and given the lackluster box office performance, Disney should be looking for ways to fill in that financial hole.
Out of the three Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack classic giant ape films, only one remains without a remake. 1933’s Son of Kong, while not a particularly great film, could certainly lead to some fun matinee family fare. Rumors were that Dino De Laurentiis had plans after his 1976 Kong to turn that into a franchise, but it led nowhere until 1986’s mess, King Kong Lives. Peter Jackson made an April Fool's joke about a remake during the creation of his Kong remake, and that’s the last we may ever hear of the Kong offspring.
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