I've never really been a big fan of King Kong, but I have seen all three versions. I think my mom took me to see the 70s version when I was a kid. Anyway, last night Susan and I sat down and watched Peter Jackson's latest version. Although the movie is 3 hours long, I didn't even notice. Some movies are too long at 2 hours, but Kong was just right at 3 hours. The length of the movie matches it's grand scale. Overall, I must say that King Kong lives up to the hype - a wonderfully wild ride. It reminded me of the first Indiana Jones movie - a modern movie with an old serial adventure feel.
Kong weaves a fantastic story in a believable fashion, pulling few if any punches. The relationship between the female lead (Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow) and King Kong is both refreshingly realistic and poignant. The movie has a depth of story which I wasn't expecting. The scenes of depression era New York are absolutely stunning in it's realism. Jackson should be commended for this alone. He also spends a good deal of time on character development. Most of the characters are multi-dimensional, but it is clear that the main characters are Ann Darrow and Kong. Interestingly, it is Kong himself who undergoes the greatest transformation from beginning to end.
Be warned - there is plenty of violence - Skull Island is no place for the faint of heart! I'm not particularly squeamish, but there are two scenes involving larger-than-life bugs that I won't soon forget - ugh! I read an interview with Jackson who said the original 1930s version had a similar scene which was removed after the initial screening - apparently people in the audience got nauseous and some even threw up. Jackson pointedly (and eagerly) added his version of the 1930s deleted scene - gee, thanks!
