Directed By: Peter Jackson
Written By: Fran Walsh, Philipa Boyens & Peter Jackson
Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis
Certificate: 12a

I've never seen the original King Kong, but like most people I know the legendary imagery it spawned. A huge, ferocious gorilla atop the empire state building is a formidable image.

The new film, at it's core, is Peter Jackson's video-love-child. He apparently adores the original film, and this new one is his faithful recreation of it, using all the techniques he honed on Lord of the Rings. And this love for the material is both the film's greatest strength and it's greatest weakness.

I'll go for the strengths first. The film is crafted with some of the best production values you'll see on film. Any film. From the opening credits, to 30s New York, to Skull Island, every set, costume and prop is brilliantly brought to life. Jackson has a great eye for visuals and that's perhaps where the film is strongest. It's a beautiful film. It sounds great too. When Kong roars, you hear it right in the back of your head, and if it's a good cinema, you feel it in your chest too, rattling your organs.

The story itself, along with the characters and situations are all faithfully recreated. It's possibly the most faithful remake of a classic i've seen.

The problem comes because the love for the material becomes self-indulgent at times. Where scenes could have been trimmed to keep the pace fast, Jackson spends extra time exploring tiny things that otherwise would have been on the digital cutting floor. The film never gets 'bogged down', but Jackson definitely indulges himself more than he possibly could have. Didn't stop the film hammering by for me though, I loved all of it. We had some gits in the cinema though, making noisey complaints and wondering aloud whether to stay, so maybe it's not for everyone.

Now, onto Kong himself. He really does deserve a paragraph of his own. Kong is amazing. Moriarty at AICN described him as the single most successful computer generated effect in film, ever. And i agree with that. Serkis did a great job with the acting, WETA did an amazing job with the animation and the result is a character. Kong is as real to the viewer as the human characters are. When Kong is happy, enjoying himself, the joy is there in his face. When rage crosses his face, it's there, and you believe it.

All in all, i'd reccomend King Kong to anyone that likes good films. Well worth it.



(Edited by Maffrew 27/04/2006 23:21)

(Edited by Maffrew 27/04/2006 23:22)