I admit I was late in seeing (and reviewing this movie) because I just was not too keen on spending 3 hours on an already ’’been there and done’’ that movie, despite the positive reviews. So I broke down and watched the movie and I must admit I was GLUED TO MY CHAIR. I was so pleasantly surprised how well this movie was done and how many interesting concepts were laid out and done effectively with several layers of coexisting storylines, great theatrics, and plausible love stories.
ADVENTURE
The great ship adventure with the really rustic attributes, including the brig where Adrien Brody sits and writes his screenplays. The story actually begins with the cast and crew aboard the ship while making a film. Brody is the writer, Jack Driscoll, Jack Black is the Producer/Director, Carl Denham, and Naomi Watts is the leading lady, Ann and Kyle Chandler is her leading man. They literally crash into the Island where King King lives, are captured by the natives, are saved by the shipmates and the brave men aboard and actually make it back, losing only 17 men along the way.
Great action with the finding of Kong and the sequences of the Dinosaurs, both as they are grazing and as they are attacking: Kong, the men and each other. The sequence begins with one dinosaur who notices he is not alone, another also realizes that there is more than just foliage and moves toward the new comers. At the same time, Kong captures Watts as she slops around in his fist like a rag doll and from once sequence to the next there is pure action and adrenaline. I kept thinking it could not get any worse and it did! And then still worse from there. In all the fighting, Kong hold on to Watts with extreme dexterity. There is no question for even a minute that he will drop her. Kong is quite the favored opponent and I found myself cheering him on! Finally, the action stops and the second segment of the movie phases into the next which is Kong in New York. You need only imagine what catastrophe that musters.
LOVE
I must stop here and comment about the love story. Not only the budding romance between Brody and Watts, which is really quite sweet. Watts is really a beauty and Brody somehow steps into the role as a romantic writer that is infatuated with the star of his show. He is inspired by her to write better than he has ever written and to help save her from the danger than she can’t stay away from.
The true love story is that of Kong and Ann. Kong is really daunting by his size and his posture of the spoiled KING, tantrums and tizzy spells as he makes his position clear. Somehow, Ann and he connect. It is amazing to see the emotion of Kong in his face, his eyes, nose and mouth. He truly shows caring and fights to the end to save Watts from the Dinosaurs and finally atop the Empire State Building, flailing his arms at the airplanes that are shooting at him.
So for one like me that tried as hard as possible to miss this one, I actually bought the movie on DVD and already know that sometimes, I should listen to those wiser than I. Now I can see this one over and over, but wished I had seen it on the big screen.