King Kong (2005)

It's nearly truism that remakes are inferior to the originals, since they are almost always sold principally on the name, and pander either to existing fans only, or to such a wide audience that the spirit of the original is utterly lost. The exception to this situation is when you manage to find a director who is both a colossal fanboy of the subject matter, and capable of making great films. Enter Peter Jackson, a man who had already had a crack at a King Kong remake at age 12, and lifelong fan of the 1933 classic. And this could not be a more respectful or fitting reimagining of the King Kong story, taking the entire story very seriously and treating a rather ridiculous story as real drama. Kong himself is a perfect blend of human and animal, acting as both a terrible and destructive monster and a painfully tragic and misunderstood animal. The entire cast turns in a good performance, including Jack Black in the least over-the-top and probably best performance I've seen. The film runs for 3 hours, which can seem like overkill, but the story will sweep you up and keep you engrossed through the whole thing, barring a few awkward scenes (particularly the scene of Ann and Kong ice-skating in the midst of a military alert). Besides, the entire running length would still be worth sitting through to see the modern take on the final iconic scene of Kong atop the Empire State Building, beset by machine-gun-toting bi-places is truly stunning, taking full advantage of technology to create something truly special. Alot changed in 72 years, but the story of the Eighth Wonder of the World remains one of the best modern legends ever conceived.


"I shay shweetheart, do you perhapsh fanshy a night-cap?"