AnotherMovieReviewer

Recommendation: Mighty Joe Young is a great film for both special effects enthusiasts and parents trying to pick a family movie night.

Review: Well over a decade after making King Kong (and its less famous sequel, Son of Kong), producer Merian C. Cooper, director Ernest B. Schoedsack, writer Ruth Rose, actor Robert Armstrong, and special effects technician Willis O'Brien reunited to create another film featuring an oversized ape. The result was Mighty Joe Young, one of the most charming monster movies ever made.

The film takes on a much more lighthearted tone than its predecessor with more humor and much less brutality, making it more approachable for younger children. However, the action sequences remain exciting and chaotic and will certainly not disappoint monster lovers.

The characters are likeable and well written, with much witty dialogue. The most memorable of them is the eccentric Max O'Hara, played excellently by Robert Armstrong.

Just like King Kong, Mighty Joe Young's strongest aspect is Willis O'Brien's special effects. Joe Young is full of expression and character, and the interactions between the stop-motion model of Joe and the real world, from being roped by cowboys to rescuing children from a burning building, are nearly seamless.

The original Mighty Joe Young is a fun and wholesome family movie that, through its enduring characters and incredible effects, stands tall as a worthy successor to King Kong.

Recommendation: King Kong's massive cultural impact alone makes it a must-see for anyone.

Review: Every aspect of the original King Kong combines perfectly to form a gargantuan masterpiece that towers above the rest of the genre.

Its story is simple and straightforward but smartly written and superbly paced. The acting only enhances this writing with memorable, charismatic performances from all of the actors. On top of this is an epic musical score by Max Steiner that expresses the excitement, romance, adventure, and terror of the film.

Above all of King Kong's many great qualities is its brilliant special effects by the legendary Willis O'Brien. The film is packed full of creatures and action sequences that are brought to life with a level of detail and realism rarely matched in monster movies. The battles are strategic and animalistic while the creatures themselves are given an incredible amount of expression and characterization.

From its awe-inspiring special effects, to its thrilling music, to its enduring characters and clever writing, the original King Kong remains one of the greatest monster movies, love stories, and adventure films of all time.