Renewing a Classic
Jackson's Kong is Faithful to the Original

The original 1933 classic King Kong is one of the most well-known and well-loved films in science fiction history. The story of a giant ape that falls under the spell of a beautiful woman is a timeless tale. Seventy years later, director Peter Jackson comes along and decides to remake King Kong. Why? Because he loved the original and wanted to do it better. His new action adventure is not merely a big-budget, high-end special effects bonanza done in pursuit of the almighty dollar. King Kong is a loving tribute to a classic story of beauty and a beast.

King Kong
Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) and Kong share a Manhattan sunrise. (Universal, 2005)

Directed by: Peter Jackson
Written by: Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson
Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis, Kyle Chandler

Rated PG-13 (for frightening adventure violence and some disturbing images)
Running time: 187 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 9 out of 10.

Set in New York during the Depression Era, King Kong follows (to a certain extent) the story of the original 1933 classic. Carl Denham (Jack Black) is a movie producer in search of funding for his picture. He is described as "almost" important by those in his circle, but his financial backers refuse to throw away more money after their $40,000 has netted them five reels of an unfinished jungle epic. Denham steals the equipment and existing footage and plans to set sail that night to finish his picture. The only obstacle is the lack of a leading lady.

As Denham considers where he can find a size 4 actress to fit into the costumes, he stumbles across Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts). Ann is an out-of-work vaudeville comedian who wants to break into serious theater. When she hears that her favorite playwright (Adrien Brody) is writing the script for Denham's picture, she reluctantly agrees to leave her career to fate and embarks for parts unknown. Little does she (or any of the crew) realize that Denham's plan is to discover a mythical, fog-enshrouded land known as Skull Island. It is said that the isle is the home of a lost civilization that built a giant wall around the jungle. What happened to the civilization or why they built the wall remains the stuff of legends.

From the time that the film crew arrive on Skull Island, the film kicks into high gear. Ann is captured by the indigenous people and sacrificed to Kong, a 25-foot tall silverback gorilla. As Kong carries Ann into the jungle, the crew mounts a rescue operation through the most primitive land humanity has ever encountered. Skull Island is truly the land that time forgot, filled with a variety of gigantic creatures from dinosaurs to huge bugs. Kong is not the only carnivore on the island, and Ann makes a curious snack for all manner of animals. The giant ape must prove his dominance repeatedly in a test of survival of the fittest.

The acting in King Kong is incredible. Black amazed me. I've always liked him, but I wasn't sure he could handle a non-comedic role. His portrayal of the film producer was riveting in his megalomania. The sheer hubris of Denham shines in his determination to complete his film. Watts is wonderful as the stunning object of Kong's affection. Her best moments are when she silently communicates with her captor, as if every look in her eyes is saying a thousand things. She becomes a focal point for the audience as well as Kong, as we look to her to see how she is dealing with the stress of being on the prehistoric lunch menu.

Kong is not only a masterpiece of computer animation, he is the star of the film. His every action is meticulous in detail, right down to his big teeth and flaring nostrils. This is no mere giant beast, however. If anything, Kong is the opposite. Despite his size, he is an average creature that is fighting for his existence in a dangerous world. When Kong takes Ann to his cliff overlooking the sea, we understand for the first time that he is not an aberration, but one of a species of great apes. He is the last one. He is alone. Despite his awesome power and terrible viciousness, he is a sympathetic character. He has a strange affinity for Ann and wants to keep her safe. When she is ripped away from him, he believes she is in danger and his instinct to protect his property leads him into harms way.

The special effects are top notch, but there are several scenes that failed to convince me to suspend my disbelief. Some scenes involving the dinosaurs, for instance, seem as if the actors are interacting with a computer generated image. Other moments suggest that physics took a holiday during the shooting of the film, such as when Kong slid on the frozen lake at Central Park. (A 25-foot gorilla on the ice, and it didn't break? Really?) For the most part, the creatures on Skull Island are very real, but some of the most frightening images were those of the natives -- some with red eyes, others pierced with bones through their leathery, weathered faces.

For fans of the original, there are several loving homages to the first film. Keeping the film in the same time period is essential, I believe. Not only does it give the film the feel of an epic costume drama, but it also avoids a lot of modern questions like "How do you insure a theater that has a live 25-foot gorilla on the stage?" However, Jackson does make this King Kong his own. His characters are more fleshed out. His location settings are more vast in scope. More importantly, his Kong is even more sympathetic than the original.

Although average moviegoers may balk at the three hour runtime, I was not phased in the least. Maybe it's because Jackson's previous work on The Lord of the Rings conditioned me to sit for hours. Truth be told, I never grew bored or wondered when the movie would end. This is the kind of film that keeps audiences glued to the action from beginning to end.

While Hollywood continues to churn out "re-imagined" remakes of old television shows and movies, it seems that no one has a good reason for doing it. Remaking a film just because it is possible doesn't justify the desire to do it. Jackson has brought a new Kong to the screen because the movie could be told today in a way that it couldn't even be imagined 70 years ago. This is still the same story of beauty and the beast, but it's bigger and more exciting than anything before.