I was privy to a screening of Peter Jackson’s reincarnation of King Kong and was utterly taken by not only the amazing visual effects but with the emotional story that makes you believe that a very large gorilla could actually fall for a cute blonde in a size-four dress.  In terms of cost, spectacle, and great buzz, King Kong is in a league occupied by very few films — the likes of Titanic, Star Wars, Jaws, and Gone with the Wind.  I’m not sure if a “monster film” will be able to beat out the box office that a certain sinking ship was able to do a few years ago, but the magical symbiosis of state-of-the-art effects and a masterly crafted story should put a lot of fannies in seats for weeks to come.

There are numerous reasons why people go to the movies — with escapism being one of the more popular — and Jackson and his thousands of associates have created a perfect escapist film that takes you back to New York circa 1933 (the same period the original film took place), all created either on New Zealand back lots or via the wizardry of miniature photography and computer graphics.  I happened to be in a large theater filled to the gills with visual effects professionals, and even those who create similar wonders used in King Kong were awed by how those images were used within the context of the story and how they successfully make the audience believe what’s on the screen is real — the prime objective of a film of this magnitude.

As with the original Kong, the visual effects in this version will be thought to be archaic in fifty years or less, and so it will be the telling of the story if it will be remembered by our grandkids’ children.  As with Titanic but more so, the actors need to match the larger-than-life marvels created by geeks in cubicles.  I am happy to say that this cast successfully moves the digital magic aside, elevating the human element that lifts this Kong to new heights.  Kudos to the casting of Jack Black as film director Carl Denham whose infectious performance allows you to root for his shameless obsessive showman who ultimately is the true slayer of Kong.  The rest of the male cast brings in admirable performances, yet it is the charm and emotional truism from Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow that is the thematic center of the film.  The believable relationship she creates with Kong is both primal and emotionally complex.  You come away from this movie very much like you do from one of those weepy romance stories, such as The Way We Were or Love Story, where a tear is always shed at the sad but predictable ending.  

I can’t say that King Kong was all sheer astonishment.  The film is long (over three hours), and there are scenes that seem as though they were put in for visual showmanship without moving the story along.  There are certain areas where the effects are not up to par with many of the more compelling sequences, such as the inspiring fight between Kong and the T-Rexes.  There are moments when your disbelief is suspended because of matching problems between live actors and the computer-generated images, but for most viewers, these will go unnoticed.  Though the recreation of New York is far beyond compare, a little less would go a lot further, especially during the final Kong on the Empire State Building sequence.  When comparing this version with the original, the visuals are what stand out as far superior, but even more important is the significantly better portrayal of the core love story between beauty and the beast.  Watts has to win an award for the best acting performance to a green screen this year and for the ability to run barefoot through a jungle and over rocky terrain without even a blister to show for it.  

King Kong is the movie to beat this year as it opens at the same time as Jackson’s previous record-setting ventures, the three Lord of the Rings films.  I don’t see it bringing another gold statuette to the New Zealander, but if packing ‘em in at the theater is more a stamp of approval, then he will be heralded again as a cinematic genius.

King Kong opens December 14 worldwide.  ‘Tis the season to remember that movie tickets make great stocking stuffers or Hanukkah and Kwanzaa gifts.

Rich Burlingham