SPOILERS So here we go then. Yet another remake of a classic film. "King Kong" is a remake with a difference. Beautifully shot and well constructed, it is the latest work from well loved director Peter Jackson. Just like his other famous recent work, the film is a special effects laden piece of cinema. It's CGI packed, and it's beautifully shot. Unfortunately for "King Kong" that is where the praise runs dry. Instantly forgettable and far too long, the film is often a marathon to watch. So many films are over three hours long nowadays and this in itself is forgivable if only the film absorbs your attention and keeps you hooked. 'Kong' fails and more often than not you find yourself focused not on the action, but on the annoying couple sat talking on the other side of the cinema. A good film shouldn't let this happen, yet 'Kong' does.
Out of work during the great depression, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) casts a sad and lonely figure. Unable to even afford food, Darrow is saved when obsessive director Carl Denham (Jack Black) offers her a role in a new movie. Travelling across the seas to a mysterious island, Darrow and the crew of unhinged characters find themselves face to face with a lost civilisation, and the enormous monster Kong (Andy Serkis).
At over three hours long, it's worrying how much Peter Jackson has fitted into this mammoth 'epic' of a movie. Like the "Lord of the Rings" extended edition, "King Kong" drags and feels like a full days television. This in itself has positives. The film is stunning to watch with some outstanding graphics and some camera angles taken almost directly from the original film. So at least when you spend what feels like eternity watching the film, at least you're spending eternity watching something beautiful.
Away from Jackson's personal touch and the lengthy story, the actors do a variable job. Whilst Naomi Watts is getting all the hype at the films release, personally the highlight is Jack Black's director. With an almost constant sense of sadness, the character is powerful and enjoyable to watch. This is Black's finest and most original performance ever, and he's the only thing even partly worth remembering.
Ironically for such a long film, there's little else to say about it. Beautiful but far too long, the film is stretched to it's limit and it is impossible to get hooked on. Not a disappointment, but definitely not a joy, "King Kong" is a special effects extravaganza and will do very well at the Box Office. That doesn't make it a good film though. A very mediocre affair.
Out of work during the great depression, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) casts a sad and lonely figure. Unable to even afford food, Darrow is saved when obsessive director Carl Denham (Jack Black) offers her a role in a new movie. Travelling across the seas to a mysterious island, Darrow and the crew of unhinged characters find themselves face to face with a lost civilisation, and the enormous monster Kong (Andy Serkis).
At over three hours long, it's worrying how much Peter Jackson has fitted into this mammoth 'epic' of a movie. Like the "Lord of the Rings" extended edition, "King Kong" drags and feels like a full days television. This in itself has positives. The film is stunning to watch with some outstanding graphics and some camera angles taken almost directly from the original film. So at least when you spend what feels like eternity watching the film, at least you're spending eternity watching something beautiful.
Away from Jackson's personal touch and the lengthy story, the actors do a variable job. Whilst Naomi Watts is getting all the hype at the films release, personally the highlight is Jack Black's director. With an almost constant sense of sadness, the character is powerful and enjoyable to watch. This is Black's finest and most original performance ever, and he's the only thing even partly worth remembering.
Ironically for such a long film, there's little else to say about it. Beautiful but far too long, the film is stretched to it's limit and it is impossible to get hooked on. Not a disappointment, but definitely not a joy, "King Kong" is a special effects extravaganza and will do very well at the Box Office. That doesn't make it a good film though. A very mediocre affair.