Movies

Updated: 12/10/2006

Ratings 1: avoid -----> 5: Excellent.

King Kong (2005): Rating: 3.

Expectations for this movie couldn't have been higher. Peter Jackson at the helm, 50 million in promotion on top of a massive budget.....

First off the Bad. The running time is just too long. It takes too long to get going. I know he needed to build the back story for Anne, which for the most part works. Even the fore shadowing of her losing everyone close to her. But it is just too buffed out. The Jack character feels jagged on and not really needed, except to stick in some romance (that has all the fizzle of a ice cube). Jack black works hard, but is under utilized. In all the cast feels a bit under achieving for such a large production.

What else if bad. Some of the scenes just don't work. The insect scene is too long and seems to be put in to add some little excitement to wake up the audience when they don't need it. The dinosaur stampede just looks way too fake and rushed. With the effects looking more dated that Spielberg's Jurassic Park (and how old is that?).

Now the good. Kong himself (for the most) is a revelation of Cinema effects. The character is really brought t life, with the relationship between himself and Anne actually pulled off. You feel his pain, his loneliness, his anger.

The T-Rex (x3) fight with Kong is pure cinema genius. Perfectly paced and filmed. Jackson shows his flare for action and effects here.

Overall the story works, but as mentioned is too long. Spends too much time developing what is not needed. It felt almost like they wanted to buff it out into a 3 hour epic. When a movie goes beyond the two hour mark, you really, really need something special to warrant the extra bum numbing seat time.

To sum up. A good movie. Not a classic. Work a second watch and the kids will love it (bar one or two scary scenes)