Casual Critic Mini Reviews

King Kong (New Zealand/USA) (Universal) (2005) ****1/2Year: 2005iMDB

Director: Peter Jackson Cast: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Colin Hanks

Peter Jackson's King Kong may not have the same long-lasting impact that the original had, but it surely sets once more the mark on how pure adventure, entertaining movies should be made.

Of course, the story is rather silly, some of the special effects are over the top, it's hard (but not impossible) to believe how a bookworm screenwriter and a self-absorbed actor transform themselves into action heroes; the movie is indeed a tad too long; Naomi Watts' character doesn't seem to have any problem in the middle of the winter in Manhattan only in a light dress, spending the night in Central Park or atop the Empire State Building; etc. However, even when adding all these up we are immersed in pure movie magic - the one promise that Hollywood is always supposed to deliver.

There are not many changes to the original script, so expect tons of campy dialogue. This dialogue however is part of what makes the movie work. We know we're watching an adventure movie and not watching the National Geographic channel or Lawrence of Arabia. The main change from the 1933 original lies perhaps in Ann Darrow's (Naomi Watts) understanding and feelings towards Kong with whom she establishes a strong mutual relationship. The ice-sliding in Central Park and Kong's offended pretense after he saves her from the two T-Rex's are almost classic romantic scenes.