Review 140: King Kong (2005)
King Kong is an incredible remake and a rare example of a remake that really works.In 1933 during the Great Depression, daring but troubled filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black) and his crew journey from New York City to the ominous Skull Island under Carl's pretence that it will be sailing to Singapore to film a new movie. Accompanying him are playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) and actress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), who is captured by the natives who offer up as a sacrifice to King Kong (Andy Serkis), a 25 foot gorilla when they reach the island. As the crew embark on a dangerous mission to rescue Ann, they encounter many dinosaurs and other creatures all the while, Ann forms a bond with her simian captor.
The basic plot is the same as the 1933 film, hell the film even takes place 1933, but some of the characters are slightly changed a little bit.
It keeps the sense of wonder, discovery and originality of the original King Kong all the while updating it for the 21st century-and keeps it modern and fresh.
Like the original film it's essentially a Beauty and the Beast story which leads to some great character development and moments for Ann in the original, she is scared of Kong and is constantly trying to avoid Kong, she grows to like him which and becomes very passionate towards him which helps the audience to care about Kong, we learn that he's misunderstood, feared by the natives on Skull Island
Peter Jackson's direction is unobtrusive, the cinematography is exquisite and captures the poverty and shabbiness as well as the glitz and glam of 1930's New York as well as the lonliness and the vastness of Skull Island. The production design (recreating 1930's New York as well as Skull Island) is excellent. Both locations feel vibrant, distinct, tangible and immersive.
The costumes are fantastic, the score by James Newton Howard is stupendous, the special effects are Amazing, the make up is rich and the ending has a well earned and appropriate amount of poignancy and tragedy.
With a running time of just over 3 hours, King Kong does feel
When it comes to the acting department Peter Jackson shows us once again that he has a great eye for casting. The characters in this film are not action heroes they feel like real people. People of that particular time. In particular; Jack Black, Adrian Brody and Naomi Watts are fabulous playing Carl Denham, Jack Driscoll and Ann Darrow respectively.
Jack Black, in a role that casts him against type, is excellent as Carl Denham. An inspiration behind his interpretation of Denham was apparently Orsen Wells and it shows. Carl Denham, in this film, is the definition of a lovable asshole. A determined and driven filmmaker who is in debt to his studio execs and willing to lie, cheat and steal to get his film made. He's very persuasive even if he is unscrupulous and ambitious, there's just something about him you can't help but be entranced by.
Due to his debts, Carl starts to lose his moral compass and obsesses over his film to the point that he disrgards safety.
Adrian Brody also impressed playing Jack Driscoll
Naomi Watts is luminous and lovely as Ann Darrow. Darrow in the version has a strength. An internal strength that makes her very courageous in front of Kong. Throughout the film she has to work for her survival, using her theatre skills to impress him.
Thomas Kretschmann
Jamie Bell
Kyle Chandler
However the star of the film is Andy Serkis as the titular monster. Performing him through Motion Capture no less, just as he did Gollum in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Kong is, at his core, a misunderstood creature and Serkis
Peter Jackson's Kong is most definately the Eighth Wonder of the World, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
Peter Jackson's direction is unobtrusive, the cinematography is exquisite and captures the poverty and shabbiness as well as the glitz and glam of 1930's New York as well as the lonliness and the vastness of Skull Island. The production design (recreating 1930's New York as well as Skull Island) is excellent. Both locations feel vibrant, distinct, tangible and immersive.
The costumes are fantastic, the score by James Newton Howard is stupendous, the special effects are Amazing, the make up is rich and the ending has a well earned and appropriate amount of poignancy and tragedy.
With a running time of just over 3 hours, King Kong does feel
When it comes to the acting department Peter Jackson shows us once again that he has a great eye for casting. The characters in this film are not action heroes they feel like real people. People of that particular time. In particular; Jack Black, Adrian Brody and Naomi Watts are fabulous playing Carl Denham, Jack Driscoll and Ann Darrow respectively.
Jack Black, in a role that casts him against type, is excellent as Carl Denham. An inspiration behind his interpretation of Denham was apparently Orsen Wells and it shows. Carl Denham, in this film, is the definition of a lovable asshole. A determined and driven filmmaker who is in debt to his studio execs and willing to lie, cheat and steal to get his film made. He's very persuasive even if he is unscrupulous and ambitious, there's just something about him you can't help but be entranced by.
Due to his debts, Carl starts to lose his moral compass and obsesses over his film to the point that he disrgards safety.
Adrian Brody also impressed playing Jack Driscoll
Naomi Watts is luminous and lovely as Ann Darrow. Darrow in the version has a strength. An internal strength that makes her very courageous in front of Kong. Throughout the film she has to work for her survival, using her theatre skills to impress him.
Thomas Kretschmann
Jamie Bell
Kyle Chandler
However the star of the film is Andy Serkis as the titular monster. Performing him through Motion Capture no less, just as he did Gollum in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Kong is, at his core, a misunderstood creature and Serkis
Peter Jackson's Kong is most definately the Eighth Wonder of the World, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
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