Reviews by Matt

King Kong: January 5^th 2006

Wow. That was all I could think when I left the theater after seeing King Kong. The film, directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy) lives up to it’s name. Set during the Depression, the story revolves around Carl Denham (Jack Black,) a washed up movie director, whom in a last desperate attempt to make another movie, dupes his crew in to sailing off to the mysterious Skull Island to shoot a movie. Among the crew and actors he brings with him are the lovely struggling actress, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) and writer Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody.) While there they stumble upon a tribe of the islands natives, who late at night sneak upon the ship and kidnap Ann and offer her to Kong. Jack and Carl lead an expedition into the jungle to get her back from the giant ape. What they discover is that Kong is not the only creature to inhabit the jungle, it is also home to dinosaurs and giant bugs.

The trouble really starts when Kong is brought back to the urban jungle of New York. During a performance based around the capture of Kong, he escapes and runs loose in the city. It is only Ann who is able to slake the beast’s rage and bring him to a calm just in time for the army to attack. What follows is a chase through the city ending up at…you guessed it, the Empire State Building.

This was one of the most well done films I have had the pleasure of seeing. Jackson, who was inspired to do film after seeing the original, shows the audience his passion for the art of film in every aspect of this movie. The shots, the acting, the sets, even the CG shots show an amazing attention to detail. This is the film that Jackson wanted to make years ago, but Universal pulled the plug when Godzilla and Mighty Joe Young were released. Jackson went on to make The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and because of the success of those movies, he was finally able to make King Kong.

At first I felt that Jack Black was an unusual cast. He is know more for his comedic acting and less for the dramatic. This role let him play a little of both. He did a very good job with the dramatic scenes, this movie will help him step out and be able to stretch more as an actor. Watts gives one of her best performances as Ann. Acting with a green screen is not easy and she pulls it off. To show such emotion and give such a powerful performance is extraordinary. One actor you won’t hear much about is Kyle Chandler, he plays Bruce Baxter, the actor picked as the hero of Carl’s film. A few may recognize him from his work on Early Edition, a show that aired in the mid-90’s. He was really good in this role and it is a wonder he is not in bigger budget films like this one.

There is one performance that blew me away. It was the performance by Kong. The digital shots in this movie were incredible. The detail in the facial expressions of Kong made for some of the most touching scenes in the film. He pain in his face when he is shot, the joy we see when Ann performs for him, all make him seem real. It helps add dimension to a digital character, which is something that is hard to do. Andy Serkis, who also plays the cook on the ship, was the one who gave like to Kong. Just as he did in Lord of the Rings as Gollum, he gave life to the beast both in movement and the face. Serkis gives the best performance in the film with out appearing on screen. Some scenes that had the chance to be cheesy, such as when Ann performs, are made real and heart ranching, by the “acting” of Kong.

The special effects were amazing. They are some of the best ever put on film and are not used to overshadow the story (cough…War of the Worlds…cough.) Ranging from the landscape of Shull Island, 1930’s New York City and even the big ape himself, the effects do not disappoint. The attention to detail in every digital aspect is amazing, the kind we have come to expect form WETA, the special effects masters who worked with Jackson on the Lord of the Rings.

Overall it was an amazing movie and might even get a few Oscar nods. The movie is so good looking and so well done that you can’t help but love it. You are destined to feel for Kong and come to despise the greedy Carl. King Kong is a great movie that everyone should see.

MATT’S RATING: 10