Critic Reviews
King Kong (2005) Rank 3 Reviews
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FilmGuru.Net
From the time that the film crew arrive on Skull Island, the film kicks into high gear. Ann is captured by the indigenous people and sacrificed to Kong, a 25-foot tall silverback gorilla. As Kong carries Ann into the jungle, the crew mounts a rescue ...read the complete King Kong movie review at FilmGuru.Net
DVD Verdict (James A. Stewart)
It belongs to a little picture that made a big splash in 1933. After the then-biggest opening weekend ever, King Kong made $1.761 million on a $670,000 investment in its initial release and kept making money for RKO in re-release through the 1950s, ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD Verdict (James A. Stewart)
Bullz-Eye.com
âKing Kongâ should absolutely be seen on the big screen. Jackson, after all, went for the brass ring the way that few directors do, and despite his less than perfect results, there is far more to like about âKongâ than there is to decry. The ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Bullz-Eye.com
Boxoffice Magazine
Now on DVD, "King Kong" suffers mightily -- this is a movie about a big ape that needs to be seen on the big screen. Even on a large-ish home theater screen, it feels small and inadequate, like Kong has been caged and contained in a way that simply ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Boxoffice Magazine
Locus Online (Howard Waldrop & Lawrence Person)
When you come out of this thing, you feel like you've been beaten with logs (more so even than when leaving Das Boot 24 years go) â and you have, at least a couple of times â if not actual logs, you've been caught in a sauropod stampede with ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Locus Online (Howard Waldrop & Lawrence Person)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Then there's the fact that audiences have shown a particular apathy to remakes of giant-ape movies. An earlier expensive remake of "Kong" was laughed off the screen in 1976 and new versions of "Godzilla" and "Mighty Joe Young" both tanked badly in ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer
New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
Peter Jackson's "King Kong" doesn't open until Dec. 14, but people leaving a trio of preview screenings at an upper West Side theater yesterday were ready to yell it from the rooftops - or, if they could get there, from the top of the Empire State ...read the complete King Kong movie review at New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
Confessions of a Film Critic (John Maguire)
A big star needs a big picture, and Peter Jacksonâs wonderful reworking of the classic monster movie King Kong is as big a picture as could possibly fit on a cinema screen. Over three hours long, bursting with innovative digital special effects and ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Confessions of a Film Critic (John Maguire)
Hollywood Stock Exchange (Amy Lamare and Jeff Hartke)
Of those first 90 Kong-less moments, 45 could have been trimmed. I understand King Kong is Jackson's raison d'etre, but this film plays more like a director's cut than a theatrical release. He over-expounds on everything. Though I must admit that the ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Hollywood Stock Exchange (Amy Lamare and Jeff Hartke)
Quick Reviews (J.D. Funari)
Jackson's $200 million upgrade of classic 1930's film is equal parts stunningly ambitious and self-indulgently bloated. Recreation of Depression Era NYC is absolutely spectacular in authenticity and Kong himself goes down as most accomplished computer ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Quick Reviews (J.D. Funari)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Interestingly, unlike the previous King Kong remake from 1976, Peter Jackson set about to actually recreate the plot of the original film, setting it in the same era, deviating it only to enhance it, adding a few new characters, while allowing more time ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Badmouth
Also wrong: Just like with the Lord of the Rings, Jackson takes forever to end this movie. I mean, seriously, after the battle on top of the Empire State Building, Kong gets a death scene that would make the biggest Shakespearean hack overfloweth with ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Badmouth
BeyondHollywood.com
do not envy Peter Jackson. Since 1996, when work began on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the man has been consistently taking on some of the most arduous cinematic tasks in history. When "Return of the King" came out, Jackson said he wasn't ...read the complete King Kong movie review at BeyondHollywood.com
homevideo.about.com (Ivana Redwine)
There are many entertaining things about Jackson's King Kong, but for me the film was rather like a party where I had some fun, but it went on for too long. The movie's running time is about three hours, and I was grateful that DVD allowed me to spread ...read the complete King Kong movie review at homevideo.about.com (Ivana Redwine)
Frank's Reel Reviews
Staying true to the original, Jackson sets the film in the 1930's, where we meet the three central human characters trying to make their way through the Great Depression. Carl Denham (Jack Black) is the impetus that drives the plot of King Kong. He's a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Frank's Reel Reviews
World Socialist Web Site
Since he was nine years old and first saw the original 1933 version of King Kong, Peter Jackson was obsessed with making monsters. He is quoted in an Internet interview: âI saw the original Kong on TV when I was nine on a Friday night in New Zealand. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at World Socialist Web Site
Movie Gnome
In this new remake to the 1933 classic, King Kong follows Carl Denham (Jack Black), a greedy film director who will make his film no matter what. He charts a ship to look for a place to shoot his picture, bringing along his new actress, Ann ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Movie Gnome
Film Geeks
As the story continues, it's impossible not to fall for the big ape. Kong doesn't want to hurt, he only wants to protect what he loves from forces that he can't control. My heart broke for him. I knew he was doomed, and I didn't want him to be. Kong ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Film Geeks
Village Voice (J. Hoberman)
Peter Jackson's three-hour King Kong remake is acutely self-conscious without being particularly self-reflective. Every kink in the 1933 originalâa ballyhooed mélange of sex, carnage, sadism, racial weirdness, and special effects made by former ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Village Voice (J. Hoberman)
Tony Medley
Although far too long at three wrs (the original was only 100 minutes), with far too many special effects-driven fight scenes involving horrible monsters, it's still a smashing ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Tony Medley
iF Magazine
Jackson, as a director, chooses to spend the first portion of the film focusing on the human story before they ever set foot on a boat to Skull Island. This is not a bad thing; on the contrary it actually makes you care about the characters and their ...read the complete King Kong movie review at iF Magazine
Cinema 2000 (João Lopes)
Ann Darrow (Naimi Watts) é uma actriz oriunda do mundo do vaudeville que se vê sem trabalho em Nova Iorque na época da Depressão. A sua sorte muda ao conhecer Carl Denham (Jack Black), um realizador empreendedor e aventureiro que luta por um lugar ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Cinema 2000 (João Lopes)
Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
It's been pointed out almost since movies began that while actors are narcissists, directors are megalomaniacs, and never has it been truer than in Peter Jackson's current iteration of "King Kong." Mr. Jackson - I mean Jack Black, who actually looks ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
The Arizona Republic
Modern computer effects allow for a more realistic Kong, especially in displaying his moods with tight shots of his face. Andy Serkis, who, um, aped Kong's moves in a motion-capture studio, gives Kong a natural gait. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Arizona Republic
Natural Born Viewers ("Geeky Marcus")
With "King Kong", I think Peter Jackson has given us the best possible adaptation of a
totally ridiculous story. Seriously, it's not an easy job, to convince your audience that a
woman will have any sort of emotional connection with a 25 feet tall ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Natural Born Viewers ("Geeky Marcus")
Wolfpack Productions (Sujit 'Chief' Chawla)
I've never seen the original movie, so I didn't know what the story was, beyond the general idea. But what I did know going into the movie was this: it was King Kong and it was directed by Peter Jackson. Jackson of course is the mastermind behind the ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Wolfpack Productions (Sujit 'Chief' Chawla)
Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
The 3-hour film is rather neatly divided into acts: reductively, there's a "set-up" hour, an hour on Skull Island, and an hour in New York City. I am already hearing complaints about the set-up. I'm having none of it. I can, I suppose, see how people ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
There's no doubt that, because the studios are so desperate for your moviegoing dollar, movies are getting bigger. It's the pictures that are getting smaller: Particularly during the summer and at holiday time, there's no shortage of expensive ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)
Last December's King Kong is the good kind of remake. The overwhelming success of the Lord of the Rings cycle allowed New Zealand director Peter Jackson to do his dream project, a remake of his favorite picture. Kong had already been butchered once in a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
In remaking "King Kong," Peter Jackson added 90 minutes to the running time and nothing to the experience. It doesn't matter that his new film can't take the place of the original -- no one should expect that, and that's not the problem. The problem ...read the complete King Kong movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
The Fresh Films Review (Fredrik Fevang)
I'm not normally a sucker for CGI elements being the stars of motion pictures, but from a stop-action piece of clay (1933) through a monkey Halloween suit (1976), King Kong was perhaps the single one of the great classics that could benefit the most ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Fresh Films Review (Fredrik Fevang)
Movie Magazine International
Although I grow weary of the never-ending stream of remade movies, the latest version of "King Kong" is BIG in every way - and will make for a fun matinee. This third telling of the "King Kong" legend is one part pulp adventure, one part sappy period ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Movie Magazine International
The Onion A.V. Club (Keith Phipps)
As Peter Jackson tells it, the original King Kong made him a filmmaker. After watching it on television when he was 9, he woke up the next day and began making models. It's almost too tidy a story, but it's probably true. King Kong is the kind of movie ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Onion A.V. Club (Keith Phipps)
Cinescape
Need we give you a synopsis of the plot? Well, just for the record, I'll copy & paste the one from Amazon.com: "Set in the 1930s, this is the story of a young and beautiful actress Ann Darrow from the world of vaudeville who finds herself lost in ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Cinescape
Sci-Fi Weekly
J ames Newton Howard is certainly no stranger to the Hollywood music scene. He's well known, with more than 90 films to his credit. He's been nominated for the Oscar six times, for the Golden Globe twice and for the Grammy once. Between 1994 and 2005, ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Sci-Fi Weekly
Sacramento News & Review (Jim Lane)
A few words of advice. !!! is pronounced as any three repetitive sounds. Common interpretations are: chic-chic-chic, pow-pow-pow, uh-uh-uh, "among many unlimited possibilities", inform !!! kindly. Now this may make one seem like a buffoon when toddling ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Sacramento News & Review (Jim Lane)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
It's a tall order to have to remake a well-known classic, especially one that still is able to thrill audiences today. Despite its popularity, King Kong is an example of a classic film that actually could still be bested, mainly because of the dated ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Entertainment Ave! (The Dude on the Right)
"King Kong" starts with the story of a filmmaker, Carl Denham (Jack Black). Itâs the 1930âs and heâs having a little trouble getting the funding to finish his latest flick, especially when he wants to set sail to this uncharted island that is ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Entertainment Ave! (The Dude on the Right)
FilmDailies.com
As far as Chinese proverbs go, making your dream come true is a misfortune on a gigantic scale. Fortunately, the Chinese are not always right. Although King Kong is probably not on par with the LotR trilogy, itâs still an excellent movie. It takes the ...read the complete King Kong movie review at FilmDailies.com
RaEL Film Guide
It's not a total loss. Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow is a lovely Art Deco figure (somewhat bonier than the actresses considered for the original: Jean Harlow (the original choice), Fay Wray (the one chosen), women who filled out their tight dresses nicely, ...read the complete King Kong movie review at RaEL Film Guide
Home Theater Info (Doug MacLean)
On the island the pretty blonde Ann is seen as a special sacrifice for the demigod Kong. The natives offer her up, tied up and frighten while awaiting her fate. Kong bursts on the scene and the beast is immediately smitten by the beauty. In one ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Home Theater Info (Doug MacLean)
Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action-adventure film that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of some slang terms for breasts, some mild expletives, and colorful and religious-based phrases. Period style photos of ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
FilmEdge.net review
Indeed, Skull Island's population of ancient, forgotten and monstrous foes has multiplied a thousand-fold since 1933, as have the eye-popping, jaw-dropping special effects used to create them, but fortunately these visually stunning creatures and vistas ...read the complete King Kong movie review at FilmEdge.net review
FromTheBalcony (Bill Clark)
For those unfamiliar with the plot, hereâs a quick synopsis. Carl Denham (Black) is your run-of-the-mill sleazebag movie producer who has exhausted the budget on his current project, not to mention the patience of the studio heads. Desperate to show ...read the complete King Kong movie review at FromTheBalcony (Bill Clark)
CineScene.com (Ed Owens)
Kong's story is simple enough--a scrappy film crew sails to an uncharted island still populated by ferocious dinosaurs, overgrown spiders, and at least one giant ape--and works well for a rousing genre pic with a running time of 100 minutes and change ...read the complete King Kong movie review at CineScene.com (Ed Owens)
The Hip Pimple
What Jackson saw in this piece-of-s**t movie is beyond me. Sure, it was his childhood favourite. But kids dig all sorts of junk. That's part of what being young is all about. Still, it doesn't mean you have to waste 200 million dollars putting fresh ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Hip Pimple
In Review (Adam Suraf)
The 1933 âKing Kongâ was one of the most important films of its day, a landmark in adventure filmmaking and stop motion puppeteering that fueled an audience beaten up by the Great Depression with imagination, horror, and wonder. To say that it ...read the complete King Kong movie review at In Review (Adam Suraf)
DVD Town (John J. Puccio and William David Lee)
Not the least of the movie´s pleasures is a screenplay that follows the general outline of the original movie, even if Jackson felt compelled to double the length of everything in it. It really is a good tale, with Denham finding his star, Ann Darrow, ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD Town (John J. Puccio and William David Lee)
Pajiba (Daniel Carlson)
I donât want to ruffle any feathers, but American film is inextricably linked to auteurism. I certainly donât mean any disrespect to any Paulettes out there; in fact, Iâm one of you, though I also own a well-thumbed copy of Sarrisâ The American ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Pajiba (Daniel Carlson)
Mutant Reviewers From Hell
Picture this, true believers. Peter Jackson, whose previous film credits include a movie about drunken Muppets and a horror/comedy featuring Michael J Fox talking to ghosts, is handed the keys to what could potentially be the biggest, most expensive, and ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Mutant Reviewers From Hell
moviereview (Colin Fraser)
Around 35 years ago, a young boy saw an old monster movie on television. The film was King Kong, the boy was Peter Jackson. It was a life changing moment which determined his future â if he couldnât hunt gorillas, he would make a film about one ...read the complete King Kong movie review at moviereview (Colin Fraser)
DVD Anmelderen
Vi kjenner til historien og Jackson har naturlig fulgt historien fra orginalfilmen og forsiktig adoptert den i 2005-utgaven. Dette har han gjort med overbevisende kontroll. Vi blir med en gang sugd inn i den dype depresjonstiden på 30-tallet i USA der ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD Anmelderen
Bill Clark
For those unfamiliar with the plot, here's a quick synopsis. Carl Denham (Black) is your run-of-the-mill sleazebag movie producer who has exhausted the budget on his current project, not to mention the patience of the studio heads. Desperate to show the ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Bill Clark
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Jackson does overuse some of the handheld camera work, and it's fortunate that he has Black, whose nimble comic presence brightens the slow first hour. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Corn Pone Flicks
Unlike the 1970s Dino De Laurentis remake, Jackson's Kong remains set in the 1930s. This is in many ways a boon to the film, not only for the atmosphere, but also for acheiving a sense of believability. The idea of an island that no one knows the exact ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Corn Pone Flicks
Cinema de Merde: Movie Review
What this movie gave me is that âWowâ feeling I havenât had since seeing the first Jurassic Park. That combination of astonishing effects and amazing sequences. And speaking of Jurassic Park, I was struck that the one sequence in which some people ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Cinema de Merde: Movie Review
UGO Screenwriter's Voice
But what do we know now? It might be a little unfair to say precisely what King Kong will look like by reading an eight-year old draft of Jackson's film but it can give us some idea what it could end up being. Jackson has already said that this draft of ...read the complete King Kong movie review at UGO Screenwriter's Voice
BBC Films
Finally, Kong makes his entrance, and he's worth the wait. Jackson's team has created a marvellously expressive, menacing and tragic beast. In a film stuffed with superb performances - Watts, in particular, is wonderful - it's the monkey who deserves ...read the complete King Kong movie review at BBC Films
BoxOfficeCritic.com (Eileen Peterman)
In addition to having vastly superior technology to make the film, Jackson takes the time to develop the characters and the relationships and it is this that makes the movie magical. Naomi Watts plays Ann Darrow the desperate actress who undertakes the ...read the complete King Kong movie review at BoxOfficeCritic.com (Eileen Peterman)
Bigfanboy (Mark Walters)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again... and again if necessary. I've been a fan of Peter Jackson since long before he was a household name. I have very fond memories of his early low-budget fare like BAD TASTE, and the masterfully gory DEAD ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Bigfanboy (Mark Walters)
Haro Online
King Kong's greatest asset is technology. Kong looks much better than he ever did (Andy Serkis, 13 Going on 30, The Return of the King provided the basis for Kong's movements), and can now convey emotion. Jackson succeeds in bringing a greater depth of ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Haro Online
Comingsoon.net
The other great thing about "King Kong" is the action. It features some of the most breathtaking action scenes of any movie this year. When the island natives attack the crew, you hold your breath in horror. When the crew is caught in the dinosaur ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Comingsoon.net
Rick Ferguson
Hollywood needs Peter Jackson. In an era in which box office revenues are drying up faster than the world's oil supplies, in which one after another of 2005's supposed studio tent poles collapsed in a splintering sawdust cloud of dashed hopes, this ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Rick Ferguson
Karate Party
It is a hard task following up one of the biggest trilogies in motion picture history, Peter Jackson you could say had this monkey on his back. Many people will be familiar with the fact that Jackson and partner Fran Walsh were at one time developing ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Karate Party
Sinlechuga.com (Dan Hoy)
But Kong isnât just about the complicated romance between director and audience: it also chronicles the relationship between an artist (the playwright/screenwriter played by Adrien Brody) and his art. As Black says to Brody early in the movie, after ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Sinlechuga.com (Dan Hoy)
Jerry Saravia
The film is set during the Depression Era of the 30's, specifically 1933 in the city of New York. In an evocative montage set to Al Jolson's "I'm Sitting on Top of the World," we see police raiding buildings, destitute families living in squalor, ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Jerry Saravia
Shane R. Burridge
Jackson and I were born in the same country in the same era. We undoubtedly were both captivated by the same television broadcast of the 1933 KING KONG late on a Friday night back when we were kids. Some years afterwards I was unwittingly exposed to a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Shane R. Burridge
<<dnb@dca.net>>
Clearly none of that $200 million went to editor Jamie Selkirk, who's left with all but his thumbs to twiddle. There are several sequences in "King Kong" that run on *forever*--the dinosaur stampede, for one thing, and boring stuff on the boat, and ...read the complete King Kong movie review at <<dnb@dca.net>>
DVD-Dweeb.com
At first, whoâd want to top a classic? Avoiding the sloppiness of the 1976 remake, Jackson comes at âKing Kongâ with the wide-eyed love of a child, reverently preserving the 1933 era of the original, preventing the notion of someone whipping out a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD-Dweeb.com
Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)
Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)
A travelogue through popular movie genres, it passes from socially conscious drama to comedy, romance, horror, adventure, science-fiction fantasy and doomed love story, cleverly quoting the styles and tropes to which we've become accustomed along the way. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)
efilmcritic.com (Dan Lybarger)
The greatest charm of the new 'King Kong' comes when Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) bonds with her 20-foot primate boyfriend. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at efilmcritic.com (Dan Lybarger)
Dread Central (Sean Clark)
Making a film that combines so many different elements from drama, comedy, action, horror, suspense, romance... is no easy task, but Peter Jackson pulled it off perfectly. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Dread Central (Sean Clark)
Boxoffice Magazine (Annlee Ellingson)
The result is a three-hour epic on par with his Lord of the Rings trilogy both in scale and thematic relevance, securing Jackson's reputation as the next great event filmmaker and heir to Steven Spielberg. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Annlee Ellingson)
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Jackson's Kong is as much homage as remake -- and that may well be its strength and its weakness in one package ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Freeze Dried Movies (Brian Juergens)
If youre looking for a rollercoaster ride, youll love it -- as long as you dont mind a nice hour-long carriage ride through Central Park first. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Freeze Dried Movies (Brian Juergens)
Moose Hole (Joseph Kastner)
Peter Jackson's King Kong is truly a rare motion picture event that can honestly be defined as an epic in every capacity of the word ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Moose Hole (Joseph Kastner)
New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Peter Jackson's remake is as much a tribute to the old, seat-of-the-pants spirit of early motion pictures as it is an exercise in technological bravura. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at New York Times (A.O. Scott)
EnPrimeur.ca (Nicolas Lacroix)
Voici une autre réalisation monumentale de Jackson. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at EnPrimeur.ca (Nicolas Lacroix)
efilmcritic.com (Uri Lessing)
It's clear that like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jackson lovingly took his feelings and appreciations and created a film that is mind-numbingly comprehensive. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at efilmcritic.com (Uri Lessing)
Wanniski.com (Matthew Wanniski)
Going Bananas for the Big Ape ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Wanniski.com (Matthew Wanniski)
eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)
Despite uncessary padding and languid pacing, King Kong is a visually gorgeous spectacle that deserves to be seen on the big screen ...read the complete King Kong movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)
Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)
Jackson puts his passion for epics to good use and creates film magic ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Movies for the Masses (Joseph Proimakis)
Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) (Randy Shulman)
King Kong ushers in a subtext -- via a path of spectacular, epic adventure -- that we should preserve endangered species at all costs. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) (Randy Shulman)
NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
CHUD (Devin Faraci)
Jackson again reminds us that he's a genius. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at CHUD (Devin Faraci)
About.com (Jurgen Fauth)
Smashing good fun. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at About.com (Jurgen Fauth)
eFilmCritic.com (Scott Weinberg)
This massive flick is warm and nostalgic, dark and dangerous, sly and sweet, delicate, ferocious, and enthralling in a way that only great movies can be. Plus it's got, like, a million monsters in it. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Scott Weinberg)
Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)
There is still a heart buried under all the CGI but it's clogged with the cholesterol of movie padding. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)
NCSU Technician (Tyler Dukes)
It's difficult to classify the genre for Peter Jackson's newest visual accomplishment, King Kong. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at NCSU Technician (Tyler Dukes)
USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Jackson is a visionary filmmaker who is not only a technical wizard but also a master storyteller. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
The only slipup is a forgivable one. Jackson continues to be reluctant to leave a world he has so magnificently created. At a little over three hours, King Kong is a bit of a bum-number. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
The Blurb Magazine (Michael Dalton)
From director Peter Jackson comes King Kong, a demographic-conscious marathon of a film extravaganza thatâs also a bigger version of the original and also much, much, much longer. To dissenters who didnât think Jackson could repeat the success of his ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Blurb Magazine (Michael Dalton)
Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
For the most part, a chest-beating, banana-eating riot. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
MovieCrypt.com (Kevin A. Ranson)
... Peter Jackson delivers the re-invention of the modern monster movie that Godzilla failed to achieve. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at MovieCrypt.com (Kevin A. Ranson)
/Film(Parth Vasa)
What people (those who like it and those who donât) have done is to look too much into this film. Most of the critics have made this into a tragic love story between a fair maiden and a monster. Her liking him due to his internal beauty (or as Hugo ...read the complete King Kong movie review at /Film(Parth Vasa)
Moviola (Jorge Avila Andrade)
Remake que supera en muchas cosas al original y que demuestra el talento y la magia para contar historias de uno de los genios contemporáneos del cine. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Moviola (Jorge Avila Andrade)
Houston Chronicle (Amy Biancolli)
Too big for its own good, too pure of heart to diminish, brawling, magnificent, heroic and flawed: That's King Kong, and that's King Kong . ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Houston Chronicle (Amy Biancolli)
Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
It's the rare kind of movie that makes too much seem like a good idea. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
While Jackson's 'Kong' may not be a great film, it offers plenty of good fun, and few moviegoers will leave the theater griping that they didn't get their money's worth. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
The Oregon Herald (Mark Sells)
Everyone knows the classic tale of "Beauty and the Beast." But in 1933, there was "King Kong," a fairy tale in its own right - an adventure that turned a young Fay Wray into a household name; not to mention, a mythical 25-foot primate. Now, some ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Oregon Herald (Mark Sells)
ReelTalk (Frank Wilkins)
Even without knowing about Peter Jackson's love affair with the iconic tale of King Kong immortalized in 1933 by adventurers-turned filmmakers Merian C. Cooper and co-director Ernest B. Schoedsack, one would immediately recognize Jackson's remake of ...read the complete King Kong movie review at ReelTalk (Frank Wilkins)
FilmFestivals.com (Moira Sullivan)
Why make a King Kong film now? Since it has been recycled several times, trotting out a new version exposes the story to how it still uses black and white tropes. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at FilmFestivals.com (Moira Sullivan)
Fantastica Daily (Chuck O'Leary)
Jackson's competent remake is certainly worth a look, but it's ultimately a Kong too long and too much. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Fantastica Daily (Chuck O'Leary)
The Film Chair.com
Wow. Just when you thought the effects blockbuster was dead, here comes Peter Jackson with a remake of a classic film and nailing each of the film's 187 minutes. King Kong, may or may not be considered a fantasy, but it certainly is fantastic. I loved ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Film Chair.com
The Red Right Hand (Matt Stogdon)
I'm a big fan of the original King Kong, I love it so much it's in my Top 10 and although Peter Jackson's version of Kong is phenomenal, it is an altogether different film. Cooper's 1933 classic was a monster story about a girl taken captive by a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Red Right Hand (Matt Stogdon)
Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Does it improve on its landmark predecessor? Of course not. But on its own terms, this new interpretation gets the job done in often spectacular fashion. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Kansas City Star (Robert W. Butler)
Despite all the overkill and side trips, the film still succeeds at telling the story of a woman and the gorilla who loves her. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Kansas City Star (Robert W. Butler)
St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
Peter Jackson's new movie is the king of Kongs. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
rec.arts.movies.reviews (David N. Butterworth)
Excess has never felt so spectacular... but there's nothing here a good editor couldn't have improved (had he been allowed to). ...read the complete King Kong movie review at rec.arts.movies.reviews (David N. Butterworth)
Urban Tulsa Weekly (Cory Cheney)
Jackson's King Kong is a throwback film, depending on you to approach it with a sort of wide-eyed innocence you might've forgotten you had. It's loud and unbelievable. It's supposed to be. There aren't any 25-foot-tall gorillas in this world ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Urban Tulsa Weekly (Cory Cheney)
Palo Alto Weekly (Tyler Hanley)
Director Peter Jackson carries King Kong to new heights. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Tyler Hanley)
Movie Parables (Michael Elliott)
Too many stories... lead to a running time that is out of proportion for what is, despite its cost and celebrity cast, a B-monster movie. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Movie Parables (Michael Elliott)
Zap2it.com (Dan Fienberg)
Editor Jamie Selkirk has been with Jackson since he was making 85 minute zombie movies and really should have stepped up, not that fans will complain about the excess. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Zap2it.com (Dan Fienberg)
Christianity Today (Russ Breimeier)
Naomi Watts distinguishes herself in a luminous, star-making turn as Ann -- warm, funny, charismatic, and far more than you'd expect from the damsel in distress. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Christianity Today (Russ Breimeier)
Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
This time beauty -- and a touch of vaudeville -- soothes the savage beast. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
While one cannot deny his giant-sized filmmaking gifts or his showmanship, nor can we ignore how thin the air of self-importance feels by the time every last digital effect has been pulled out of the magic bag. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
Contra Costa Times (Randy Myers)
[The film] reminds us of why we first fell in love with Kong and Hollywood movies in general. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Contra Costa Times (Randy Myers)
Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer)
[The film] offers the most thrilling movie moments of 2005 and crafts a lovely relationship between its beauty and beast. But ultimately, this Kong is just too much. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Sacramento Bee (Carla Meyer)
Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)
...you can feel the director beating his chest on top of the highest cliff. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)
The Stranger (Andrew Wright)
When a talented director becomes successful enough to realize a large-scale pet projectâa Hook, a Gangs of New York, an On Deadly Groundâit's usually a cue for the expectant viewer to tamp down the enthusiasm. Often these movies show signs of having ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Stranger (Andrew Wright)
Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
Jackson spoils us with riches in this film, with one impossible sequence after another; the result is overwhelming but pleasantly so. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
The Video Graveyard
Can Peter Jackson do no wrong? It certainly seems that way when you look back on his filmmaking resume. Working his way up through the low-budget ranks, Jackson was responsible for many a horror fans favourite âsplatter comediesâ with such fare as ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Video Graveyard
Oscar Guy (Wesley Lovell)
...[Peter] Jackson knows what it takes to make an exciting film. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Oscar Guy (Wesley Lovell)
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Jackson's ape is so fully realized as a specific 'realistic' character that he lacks the metaphorical resonance of the 1933 Kong, who seemed a creature captured from a nightmare rather than from nature. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Boulder Weekly (Thomas Delapa)
The shaggy downsides of King Kong shouldn't keep it from pounding its chest as the box-office monster of the holiday season. You can run, but you can't hide. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Boulder Weekly (Thomas Delapa)
Maximum Movies (Max Einhorn)
The opening credits in the film appear identical to the original film, black italicized credits on a black and white surface, with dark curtains hanging at the sides. The filmâs original score is also similar to the original, composed by last minute ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Maximum Movies (Max Einhorn)
A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
Once the movie finally drops anchor on Skull Island, it does begin to gain steam as the group runs smack into tribesfolk who kidnap Ann and plan to use her as a sacrifice. When Kong comes along, he decides that Ann is more friend than midnight snack and ...read the complete King Kong movie review at A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
DVDnett.no
King Kong manifesterer på mange måter hvordan dagens teknologi kommer til å bli mer sentral innenfor filmbransjen i fremtiden. Filmen er spekket med effekter som verden sjelden har sett maken til. Bare det å være i stand til å skape en troverdig ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVDnett.no
Sci-Fi Movie Page (James O'Ehley)
The story is well-known: a scheming film-maker and his crew travels by boat to a previously undiscovered island somewhere in the South Pacific. Alas, the island lives up to its tourist unfriendly moniker of âSkull Islandâ: it is infested with ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Sci-Fi Movie Page (James O'Ehley)
Soundwaves Cinema (Dennis Willis)
Roger Ebert once contended that good movies should not be remade; that only movies that didn't make it off the assembly line correctly the first time should. That argument was certainly proven with The Maltese Falcon, which was shot twice before, in ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Soundwaves Cinema (Dennis Willis)
RevolutionSF (Rick Klaw)
Like many genre filmmakers, a young Peter Jackson decided after seeing the original King Kong to make movies. At twelve years old, he filmed his own version of the climatic Empire State Building scene using puppets. Pre-production on the adult Jackson's ...read the complete King Kong movie review at RevolutionSF (Rick Klaw)
DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)
By and large everything in this version is done right. Added back stories lend the adventurers different occupations with only Jack Black's monomaniac movie producer pretty much identical to the original Denham. He does exhibit an added layer of shady ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)
Jam! Movies
Whatever else Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong may be, it can't be accused of being a cynical ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Jam! Movies
VideoVista
1933: at the height of the Depression, vaudeville actress Ann Darrow is out of work and starving when maverick director Carl Denham plucks her from the street. He wants her to appear in his new movie, filming on location in Indonesia - but he hasn't ...read the complete King Kong movie review at VideoVista
Tail Slate (Michael Sheridan)
I donât often like to write reviews for films twice, but for King Kong I was will to make an exception. You see, I actually missed the first five minutes of the film when I saw it in the theater. It wasnât my fault, but the theater â for some ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Tail Slate (Michael Sheridan)
Boston Globe
Peter Jackson's ''King Kong" delivers all you could possibly want from a modern popcorn behemoth: state-of-the-art special effects, epic scope and running time, rampaging dinosaurs, things majestically going ka-boom. It's not so much a remake as it ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Boston Globe
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
The latest King Kong remake is a worthy successor to the 1933 original, and greatly superior to the 1976 remake and most other versions of this classic beauty and the beast tale. Using the latest advanced computer graphics, director Peter Jackson ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
DVD Confidential
Anyway, Kong is a great film and it deserves to be in any collection, simply for the effects alone. It is truly incredible. King Kong is fun, gorgeous to look at, and at times, the film is very touching. Highly recommended. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVD Confidential
Apollo Guide (Jamie Gillies)
There is a lot of fun to be had in getting to the love story. The real strength of the film is that it wants us to believe in this love. The only other film I can think of that takes a pile of gobbledygook so seriously is William Friedkinâs The ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Apollo Guide (Jamie Gillies)
Cinopsis
New York pendant la Grande Dépression. La misère a envahi les rues. Ann Barrow, une jeune actrice de music-hall, travaille dans un théâtre. Mais celui-ci doit, comme beaucoup d'autres, fermer ses portes et la jeune fille se retrouve à la rue. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Cinopsis
Off-screen
A volte capita che i punti di arrivo siano in realtà degli esordi, e altre volte capita che questi esordi siano anche epifanie, inaugurazioni di vocazioni e talenti di altissimo livello. Tra il King Kong di Cooper del 1933 e quello di Peter Jackson del ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Off-screen
ninth symphony films
And if one were to compare the look and feel of King Kong to his other projects, Jackson's recognizable method of filmmaking would be easy to spot in multiple areas. From the swiftly diving camera-work displaying a scene created entirely in a computer ...read the complete King Kong movie review at ninth symphony films
Movie-Vault.com (Mel Valentin)
First, some background. The original King Kong was the result of a unique collaboration between directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack (both were known for their nature documentaries) and visual effects pioneer Willis O'Brien. O'Brien ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Movie-Vault.com (Mel Valentin)
TeenHollywood.com (Lynn Barker)
In King Kong, Jack Black plays 1930's filmmaker/showman Carl Denham who will stop at absolutely nothing to get his film made. Forget ethics, safety or truth. His plan is to make the ultimate adventure film on location on a mysterious island that is only ...read the complete King Kong movie review at TeenHollywood.com (Lynn Barker)
Homer Yen
The island has the look and feel of an island never meant to be found. It is cleverly visualized with overgrown brush, intimidating natives, and creatures that make this look like the Hellish part of Jurassic Park. While Ann has found shelter with Kong ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Homer Yen
musicOMH (Shawn Fitzgerald)
After conquering Middle Earth, where does one go? If you are Peter Jackson, you head to Skull Island to revisit the story that started you on your career path: King Kong. Riding a wave of anticipation and hype that makes the ad campaign on the last ...read the complete King Kong movie review at musicOMH (Shawn Fitzgerald)
Las Vegas Review-Journal (Carol Cling)
Oh, it's a total technical triumph, as you might expect. And "Kong's" eye-popping array of cinematic tricks reflects the filmmaking philosophy of a director for whom anything worth doing is worth overdoing, then doing to death. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Las Vegas Review-Journal (Carol Cling)
3 Black Chicks ("The Diva")
They eventually rescue Anne and in the process they capture Kong. They drag him back to New York, but how do you contain a 25 foot animal who is used to being the King of his jungle? They answer is that you canât and this leads to the tragic ending on ...read the complete King Kong movie review at 3 Black Chicks ("The Diva")
The New Yorker (David Denby)
The big guy is back: the same chocolate-doughnut nose, seriously mashed, as if heâd been sleeping face down in the jungle for decades; the matted hair, worn natural as always; the eyes both fierce and plaintive; the heavy-limbed body, though itâs ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The New Yorker (David Denby)
Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
3 Stars - Challenging Peter Jackson's "King Kong" is not for children or sensitive adults. The demonic villagers of Skull Island and the computer generated giant insects of the prehistoric forest are so superbly done that their horror ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
Friday & Saturday Review
When youâre Peter Jackson, the man behind âThe Lord of the Ringsâ films, the most powerful director in the world, barring perhaps Steven Spielbergâand you and Spielberg are currently competing against one another for a Golden Globeâthere must ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Friday & Saturday Review
kids-in-mind
A woman is in a low-cut nightgown through much of the movie, and it becomes wet and clings to her body in a few scenes; also, a woman wears a low-cut and form-fitting dress that reveals cleavage and her figure, and a woman wears a low-cut dress that ...read the complete King Kong movie review at kids-in-mind
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
No question about it. The latest remake of "King Kong" delivers the most relentless series of attacks by creepy, crawly, flying, loping, multilegged, tentacled, fanged, amply incisored, pincered creatures ever. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Cinema Signals by The Filmiliar Cineaste
When a film made in the thirties becomes a classic and a source of
inspiration, there's got to be a reason. Peter Jackson's ("Lord of the Rings")
shows us what it ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Cinema Signals by The Filmiliar Cineaste
PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
And then she's not. When the theater closes its doors, leaving Ann and her troupe mates on the street with nowhere to go and no money for food, she turns almost forlorn, briefly. In her charming flapper's hat and shabby coat, she spends only a moment ...read the complete King Kong movie review at PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
Aurum3 Movies
Once again, filmmakers have resorted to giving audiences another remake, this one only on its third revision stamped with $200 million in production costs. Peter Jackson, Director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, presents King Kong, an adaptation of the ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Aurum3 Movies
Associated Content
It usually takes me awhile, but eventually I get around to seeing all the hyped movies. So it was with Peter's Jackson's "King Kong- the Eighth Wonder of the World". Two words are enough to tell guys why they should see "King Kong"- Naomi Watts. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Associated Content
filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
After Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy earned a zillion dollars, a slew of Oscars, and a place at the tip top of the Hollywood pyramid, Jackson was able to write his own ticket. As his follow-up project, Jackson chose to remake King Kong, which ...read the complete King Kong movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Close-up Film (Becky Day)
Long since the 1933 black and white static movement of a model and drawings, long since the screaming heroine and monster Kong, we have expanded effects in breathtaking leaps to develop the ultimate King Kong of 2005. Using what works, Peter took with ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Close-up Film (Becky Day)
Georgia Straight (Ken Eisner)
Many movies about monsters, fantasy worlds, and beauty-loving beasts have come and gone since the original 1933 appearance of King Kong. In some ways, however, that seminal black-and-white epic (100 minutes long!) has remained an encapsulation of ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Georgia Straight (Ken Eisner)
Mr. Fabulous
Hollywood needs Peter Jackson. In an era in which box office revenues are drying up faster than the worldâs oil supplies, in which one after another of 2005âs supposed studio tent poles collapsed in a splintering sawdust cloud of dashed hopes, this ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Mr. Fabulous
HNR - Hollywood North Report (Robert Falconer)
That's not to say that Jackson's film isn't without its problems. It has its share of issues, and some of them should have easily been caught by the filmmakers, but before we look at those, let's examine what makes the new King Kong so good, and why ...read the complete King Kong movie review at HNR - Hollywood North Report (Robert Falconer)
Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Say what you will about Peter Jackson, he knows how to deliver a money shot. King Kong's arrives midway through its running time, with a spectacular battle between the titular giant ape and a trio of prehistoric carnosaurs. Kong is fighting to keep ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Arrow in the Head
The three hour clock time, the familiarity of the tale and the CG heavy nature of the flick scared me off Jacksonâs Kong for a while but I finally grabbed the ape by the ears and went to see it and all I can say isâ¦nice. Thatâs itâ¦end of review, ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Arrow in the Head
Appreciating Great Trash
The first hour of Peter Jacksonâs King Kong is a mess: the pacing is slipshod, the characterizations are haphazard, the direction is disinterested, and the writing is genuinely awful: Jackson doesnât just trot out Heart of Darkness, he actually has a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Appreciating Great Trash
Time Out
A marvel of evolution, a colossal thing of power and beauty, and ultimately too big and unwieldy for its own good, Peter Jacksonâs âKing Kongâ is well-suited to its subject. A period remake of Merian C Cooperâs 1933 smash, this âKongâ retools ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Time Out
Arrow in the Head ("The Arrow")
All in all King Kong 2005 was a GREAT looking (with 200 Million to play with, it better be), blown up, highly entertaining, often humorous and worthy update of an American classic with a solid cast to boot! Too bad that with 3 hours on his ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Arrow in the Head ("The Arrow")
Tiscali UK
35 years ago, a nine year old boy sat in front of his television and cried at the end of the 1933 classic King Kong. The same boy, by then a fully grown film director, also cried when he met a frail Fay Wray shortly before her death in the summer of 2004. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Tiscali UK
The King's Room (Clyde Ayles)
The story of King Kong started in 1933 with Willis O'Brien and an 18 inch model
that could be moved in different positions to be filmed in stop motion
animation. In 1976, he was a man in an ape suit who menaced ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The King's Room (Clyde Ayles)
reVision
Se il primo compito di un kolossal è innalzare scenografie immense, il secondo è introdurre un colosso che le distrugga. Perché le dimensioni contano. E King Kong è un gigante che stordisce, per quantità e qualità dei suoi segni.
Notevolissimo ...read the complete King Kong movie review at reVision
Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)
Indiana Jones goes to Jurassic Park in the reigning king of computer graphic monkey business, King Kong--2005 . ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)
Black Flix (Laurence Washington)
The result is an action-filled drama that pays tribute to the original while adding enough emotional depth to redefine a conceptual legend. Jacksonâs success comes not through his unique vision, but through the revitalization of King Kongâs famous ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Black Flix (Laurence Washington)
artechock (Thomas Willmann)
Als Neunjähriger, so ist zu erfahren, hat Jackson den 1933er KING KONG zum ersten Mal gesehen und war (zu Recht) restlos begeistert, mit 13 hat er erste Amateur-Versuche eines Remakes unternommen. Es hat dann doch etwas länger gedauert, bis er sich ...read the complete King Kong movie review at artechock (Thomas Willmann)
Dreamlogic.net (Kris Kobayashi)
And why not? Humans are so keen on themselves that only they would make a movie depicting themselves in the highest regard. Carl Denham (Jack Black), a man unnerved by the slaughter of seventeen men while filming, even announces something like: ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Dreamlogic.net (Kris Kobayashi)
Choking on Popcorn (Arjan Welles)
What Jackson and his writing crew (including his wife Fran Walsh) manage to achieve in the first hour of the film, is making the â30s come alive. It is not just the music and the setting that do the trick, but also the great dialogues and acting ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Choking on Popcorn (Arjan Welles)
Moviepie.com
Reviewing director Peter Jackonâs latest CGI epic is going to be fairly easy because, very simply, it delivers on what itâs been promising. The trailers and commercials for the film have hit on all the key points: itâs big, itâs action-packed and ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Moviepie.com
The BigScreen Cinema Guide - Reader Reviews
Peter Jackson's vision of the classic story of a great ape-monster captured in the wild and brought to civilization where he meets a tragic ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The BigScreen Cinema Guide - Reader Reviews
Looking Closer (Jeffrey Overstreet)
[It's] a special-effects extravaganza that pummels us senseless. Something's gone wrong if our strongest emotional response to Kong's conclusion is relief . ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Looking Closer (Jeffrey Overstreet)
The Rewind Forums - 2-disc Special Edition DVD review
PostPosted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 4:36 am Post subject: King Kong: Special Edition (2005) (R1 America) Reply with quote
King Kong (2005)
R1 America
Universal Pictures â Special Edition
The Film:
âThe Lord of the Ringsâ trilogy ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Rewind Forums - 2-disc Special Edition DVD review
HorrorWatch
This film would have been much more enjoyable to me if it was released in the summer time, as a studio blockbuster. It was released as an event film in the winter but it just doesnât measure up, and here is why: The action sequences are out of control ...read the complete King Kong movie review at HorrorWatch
The Trades (R.J. Carter)
Whenever I hear a classic film is getting a remake, I have one image immediately come to mind: Dino DiLaurentis's fantastic flop of "King Kong". However, Peter Jackson had just finished making millions of dollars with his "Lord of the Rings" ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Trades (R.J. Carter)
DVDwolf (Rob Paul)
And while the secondary wandering scenes between Hayes and Jimmy add to the length unnecessarily, it is the Central Park sequence that will forever break this film. In the midst of carnage, terror and destruction, Kong has a playful moment, a 'cutesy' ...read the complete King Kong movie review at DVDwolf (Rob Paul)
Audio Revolution (Bill Warren)
Itâs about two lonely people who find each other. One is a 25-foot-tall gorilla, the other a slender blonde, but this is really what the movie is about, and it is what gives it a powerful emotional resonance that the original film didnât even ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Audio Revolution (Bill Warren)
The Nick Schager Film Project
âIt was beauty killed the beast,â said movie director Carl Denham at the conclusion of 1933âs King Kong, and one might say that itâs unbridled love â for that very same cinematic ape adventure â that ultimately does in Peter Jacksonâs ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Nick Schager Film Project
ToxicUniverse.com (Chris Barsanti)
It's been much talked about how the 1933 King Kong is one of Peter Jackson's favorite films. Watching that film's beautifully simplistic wondermaking as a child was the kind of primal experience that turned ...read the complete King Kong movie review at ToxicUniverse.com (Chris Barsanti)
Bangor Daily News (Maine) (Christopher Smith)
'Twas overkill killed the beast. ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Bangor Daily News (Maine) (Christopher Smith)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
If there's a common theme to movies released in 2005, it has to be an overly long running time. In my opinion, the perfect running time for movies is 90 minutes for a comedy and 2 hours for a drama. Far too often this year though, especially in these ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
TheMovieBoy Review (Dustin Putman)
Amidst the fog rises the mysterious Skull Island, an initially ideal shooting location that turns into a nightmare for all involved when they are besieged by a group of deadly tribespeople and Ann is kidnapped by the 25-foot ape Kong. Jack, who shared a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at TheMovieBoy Review (Dustin Putman)
Joe Critic.com (Sam Bear)
King Kong is quite a production in just about every sense of the word. With a $200 million-plus budget, thousands of special effects, and the name Peter Jackson (whose Lord of the Rings trilogy reigned at the box office and at the Academy ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Joe Critic.com (Sam Bear)
The Boston Phoenix
Peter Jacksonâs King Kong sports a pot belly, and itâs not a good look. His film carries extra baggage, too, nearly an hour and halfâs worth. Some of the padding pays off: the giant bugs (similar to a scene cut from the original because it was too ...read the complete King Kong movie review at The Boston Phoenix
Empire Movies (Liam Cullin)
King Kong is director Peter Jackson's retelling of the classic 1933 monster movie. In the movie, Naomi Watts plays Ann Darrow, a struggling actress who catches the eye of director Carl Denham (Jack Black) and is brought on board a ship bound for a ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Empire Movies (Liam Cullin)
Orlando Weekly (Steve Schneider)
Decades from now, Peter Jackson will remember 2005 not as the year he remade King Kong, but as the year he finally got his weight under control. What happened to all the excess poundage he's shed since wrapping the Lord of the Rings trilogy? It's all ...read the complete King Kong movie review at Orlando Weekly (Steve Schneider)
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