Film Review - King Kong

A beastly adventure
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Starring: Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Naomi Watts
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Official Movie site

King Kong proves to be an enduring part of film history and legacy all over the world. Classic as it is, it maintains itself among the ranks of charming adventure-fantasy films. Though the story's logic is ludicrous, if the audience yields to what is seen on the big screen, the movie creates a reality of its own. This time, the new Kong, along with the ferocious dinosaurs and other monstrous creatures in an unexplored, massive jungle in Asia, is created with top-of-the-line special effects of our times which makes this new version of the ‘eight wonder of the world’ a true visual wonder of its own. It pays homage to the original 1933 King Kong and to Ms. Fay Wray.

King Kong, even after more than eight decades, still continues to inspire and live up to the legacy of high-end escapist cinema. It exemplifies a sort of personal expressiveness and cinematic mysticism. And having Peter Jackson as the director gives fine detail for visual excellence and a whole new treatment - from the filmmaker behind the new classic the LOTR trilogy. His group (also the one behind LOTR) makes this film a new beastly adventure both literally and figuratively. King Kong is created to grip and thrill. And they keep that mark amidst its weaknesses. If LOTR is a magical classic in complete greatness, King Kong is a monstrous adventure flick with mainstream feel.

Spearheaded by overpassionate director/producer Carl Denham (Jack Black), a film crew journeys an unexplored island to investigate legends of a giant ape named Kong and make an opus out of it upon returning to New York. They stumble upon an unknown tribe and more dangers start pouring in as they search for Kong's captive, their lead actress, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts). Their quest to save Ann puts them up against the habitat of massive creatures from prehistoric times that have been protected and hidden for millions of years.

The elaborate production design, well-lit sets, miniatures and backgrounds breathe new life for the story. From New York to Skull Island and back to New York, the visual aesthetics are amazing. The combination of the oldie and glossy look maintains the feel of it being a period film and it being a technically impressive work. From the carnivorous creatures, the strange tribe and the massive prehistoric-jungle of Skull Island, to the glamorous lights, cars, buildings and theaters of New York, they all work for the film. They somehow make the audience get immersed in a whole new world of the characters.

Jackson really knows how to play with emotions and not just maintaining the high-end special effects in his films. This is a good trait that most filmmakers tend to overlook especially when they are too engrossed in making the film literally 'look good." In this film, the juxtaposition of shots capture the right reactions of the characters everytime.

Jack Black plays his role more like a caricature of a real-life movie producer. Adrian Brody gives depth to his screenwriter character who falls in love with Ann Darrow. As for Naomi Watts, she shows her versatility as an actress in such a big action role. Her historical 'Ann Darrow scream' will surely leave a new mark. Andy Serkis has become comfortable in acting with sensors all over his face and body. From his Gollum/Smeagel role to now being the new Kong, he renders such a terrific performance to give heart to his character. I am not sure if it's the interpretation of the director, but I have just noticed that Kong seems to be more of a human character in a giant gorilla's body (his facial expressions, his reactions and his overall attitude).

The plausibility of the touching relationship between Ann Darrow and Kong at some point gets a bit strained. But overall, their heart-filled interactions are mere touching. Though there are some minor violent fight and chase scenes (mostly with the monstrous creatures of the jungle), it promotes some good moral lessons about human-animal relationships for the children audience

Made with painstaking detail and care, the beauty of this film is that there's more to it than just an oversized gorilla. It has impressive special effects. It is well-casted. And most of all, it has a heart. It is a beastly adventure with a heart.