By now you have probably heard all the reviews touting Peter Jackson's KING KONG as a masterpiece ,an instant classic and so on. Well it IS a damn good movie but it is flawed and in this writer's opinion not a masterpiece although it could have been. The main culprit is the films length. It seems like Jackson released the extended DVD version of the film. It is just too damn long!! The film is over 2 hours long before Kong arrives in NYC and while the SKULL ISLAND portion of the film is freaking amazing even that goes on too long although it out Jurassics "Jurassic Park" by leaps and bounds and is actually scary at times. .Jackson's horror roots are clearly on display here. The scene where the party encounters the natives plays like a zombie film and is genuinely bone chilling. The action is relentless and breath taking on Skull Island but it almost becomes silly which is a shame. I think Jackson could take a few cues from the less is more school but it's clear that with his last 4 films that he doesn't agree.

   Kong himself is incredible. You forget very quickly that he is a special effect and amazingly, the relationship between Kong and Naomi Watts (as Ann Darrow) is utterly believable and very moving. The acting all around is outstanding with Jack Black turning in a career defining performance as Carl Denham. Adrian Brody kind of lays an egg in my opinion but it's Kong and Watts that you care about. Naomi Watts looks and acts every bit the part of a 1930's want to be starlet  and becomes more beautiful as the film progresses. Jackson nails the mood and atmosphere perfectly throughout the entire film. 1933 NYC really might as well be 1933 NYC!  It is incredibly accurate down to details that we don't even ever get to see apparently. I'm sure the "making of" documentary that will no doubt be on the DVD will explore Jackson's NYC and I can't wait to see it.

  We all know how the film ends and it is truly heartbreaking. It annoys the hell out of me that Kong dies in the end and I can barely watch the final scenes but Jackson handles it brilliantly. There is a scene with Kong and Watts in Central Park that is too charming and moving for words. Yeah this movie brings out the sissy in me I suppose.
  In the end this is a pretty great film but like Jackson himself it could use some of it's fat trimmed. I personally don't think I'll ever watch it all the way through again but that's largely due to how much the films ending bugs me but also due to the drop off after the film moves to NYC from Skull Island. It's kind of like 3 movies in one and starts to feel that way by the end. It is still an excellent way to spend three hours but it should have been an awesome way to spend a little over 2 hours.
 

 

    -Eric (Aka: Zombielover)