King Kong directed by Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson’s King Kong is presented on that same grand and glorious scale that brought us sinking ocean liners, parting waters, and thundering chariots. This is Hollywood (or New Zealand, in this case) at its finest. Everything about this film is big, including its star. I felt a bit overwhelmed by the size and scope of the picture. There is so much to take in. It’s like going to Disneyland, one visit is not enough. Jackson immerses us into a rich and textural world of life in the early 1930’s America. No detail has been left out. The depth of every shot is filled with so much to see and so little time to take it all in. Three hours flew by in a way that left me wanting more.
We film buffs know this very story well. The 1933 version has become a classic because of its broad-based appeal. Big promoter goes to mysterious island; abducted girl beguiles large ape; they end up in New York where the film reaches its pitiful climax. That synopsis pretty much sums up all the versions. However, their similarity ends there.
Peter Jackson has become, in a relatively short span of years, a master craftsman. This film clearly shows that “Lord of the Rings” was no stroke of luck or flash-in-the-pan. Jackson is at home in his element, having at his disposal the same unit that gave him everything he needed to tell his Tolkien tale. Now WETA has helped Jackson again deliver the goods.
The film opens with a long montage of life on the streets of New York, from the wealthy to the most destitute. This is not the usual clean back-lot set. This is the real nitty-gritty city with all its warts, grimy, dirty, smelly, under the shadow of towering buildings, indifferent policeman, and a business world intent on survival during the height of the Great Depression. We are introduced to each of the characters as they struggle to maintain their dignity in the face of utter hopelessness. Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) desperately clings to her old-fashioned virtuous look on life, although forced to steal out of hunger. Carl Denham (Jack Black) is an unscrupulous man who will do anything to complete his film. As the story progresses, we see how bit by bit, he loses all sense of humanity in the pursuit of fame and fortune putting aside friends and colleagues in an attempt to be a big player. Jack Driscoll (Adrian Brody) is the timid author caught up in destiny, as Carl traps him on the boat and he falls in love with the beautiful Ann.
All of these characters, along with many other minor ones that shine, like the boat’s captain, pale in comparison to real star of this picture, Kong. There has never been a CGI character that I felt at some point didn’t disappoint me by looking as if he’d been “placed” into the film. There is none of that here. I was completely taken in by this rough bum resembling more primitive animal than has ever been attempted. I watched with fascination as Ann cleverly begins to figure out her place with the giant creature. As their relationship evolves, so too does the audience involvement. We are completely taken in by this cow-eyed dumb creature, until we discover that the real crude animal is man, not the ape. We are the cruel ones. We are the vicious creatures that plot and scheme and kill for pleasure.
There are so many great scenes in this film it is difficult to know where to start. Certainly, for the men, the fight between Kong and three T-Rexes has to go down in cinema history as the battle to end all battles. I wanted to stand and applaud at the finish. I felt completely out of breath. The power, the majesty, the might I felt in that scene alone, should sell tickets round the world. But Jackson does not let us rest there. He takes us on a journey back to that fateful rendezvous in the city, where we know Kong will meet his ignominious end. Yet, to Jackson’s (and Walsh’s and Boyan’s) credit, the tender scene is played out with such quiet compassion that everyone will be moved to tears.
King Kong is an instant classic. This film will go down in history as one of the greatest films of all time because it has the elements that will make it so. The score, the editing, the costumes, the sets, the sound, the picture, the acting, are all at a level compared to any of film's greatest works. Jackson has left out nothing. No detail was too small or too great. He delivers on every aspect. While the small independent films have beat a path to Oscar’s door this year, Kong will take a flying leap, and land in first place.
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