King Kong

This newest retelling of King Kong offers stunning set design and exquisite detail that takes computer-generated effects to new heights.

Director Peter Jackson’s ode to classic cinema is a feast for the eyes, but his success with The Lord of the Rings trilogy has created a monster, whose self-importance is unintentionally mirrored on-screen in the character of Carl Denham. While the casting of Jack Black in this role seemed questionable, he is perfect as the “hot-headed” self-promoter who will stop at nothing to see his name in lights.

Struggling to get his latest jungle picture off the ground, Denham searches in vain for someone to play his female lead, finally stumbling across Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), a cynical vaudeville actress who is down on her luck. But far too much time is spent detailing Denham’s problems and setting up the plot…it is nearly an hour into the film before the tramp steamer carrying the film crew arrives at the mysterious Skull Island.

When the local natives kidnap Ann and offer her as a sacrifice to a 25-foot tall ape, the beast is instantly smitten with her beauty. While the legendary Fay Wray screamed herself hoarse awaiting rescue, Watts’ Darrow spends her time staring wide-eyed at the giant creature and performing stage routines for him. The movie then becomes what Jurassic Park should have been, as both Kong and the ship’s crew battle an endless assortment of dinosaurs and prehistoric bugs in a series of pulsating scenes.

Once an integral part to the love triangle was Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), but this character now seems an afterthought; in fact, we know so little about him that he comes off as dull and without motivation.

It is only once the “Eighth Wonder of the World” goes berserk in Times Square that the movie gets off the ground and races to its vertigo-inducing climax.

Jackson clearly places more importance on scenery than story. Skull Island, with its lush vegetation and ancient ruins, is both exotic and foreboding. The recreation of Depression-era New York is inspiring, as all of the elements combine to expertly capture the mood and desperation of the 1930’s. And, despite the overwhelming death and destruction -- Kong inspects innumerable blondes before casually tossing them aside -- the movie is surprisingly gore-free.

But all of this visual excess is exhausting, and keeps the viewer at a distance. Neither emotionally touching nor thought-provoking, this King Kong lacks sincerity. Even the 1976 interpretation, despite its weak (often laughable) execution, retained some of the original’s magic.

As a result, Jackson’s passion project is a shameful display of conceit, yet another unnecessary remake that is over-done, over-hyped, and over-long. Rating: 3 out of 10.