King Kong!
Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:57 am
Boyd's Impromp-review
An Epic Film... for me. Memories of my FIRST DATE w/
somebody special.
I have to hak this out as fast as I can form a few words in my brains and type it out.. because #1, I have revision to a job due in the morning and #2, I'm already falling asleep.
First, I think it's a guy film. It's like a combination between a ride at Disneyland and a dangerous voyage to an uncharted island. Yes, the love story is believable... and very tender, but for me, it took a back seat to
the enormity of the action.
From the opening scene, right up to...somewhere in Times Square, this film is one of the most riveting, entertaining, brilliant I've seen. Think: the beauty, splendor and historic value of "Titanic" except, replace affluence with adventure. Think: National Geographic meets Jurasic in the 30's. Think camera angles, "bigger than life", a window into the past; think: swashbuckling, testosterone pumping scenes that make you feel like you need to be buckled in to your seat. I'm not joking.
The human interaction with prehistoric complete with fight scenes between monsters and man that completely raise the bar. I would pay $20 bucks just to see the 5 minute insect battle. Giant bugs attack your favorite characters for an eye-covering, blood curdling, unsettling, worm chomping fight! Spiders, scorpians, horrid exoskeletonous bugs from every side... closing in, eating flesh. Oh my! (chills...)
Kong is real, the blonde isn't treated as a sex symbol, Jack Black delivers his best performance ever, the natives will give you nightmares and Adrien Brody is very cool. I don't like the ending, but that's because I don't really like the ending of the story but it's worth taking a trip to New York in 1933 just to see what Times Square looked like. (omgosh, it's so rad)
Naomi Watts is pretty awesome, but the writers should be blamed for too much face time with no dialogue; That whole staring into the eyes of Kong with lips slightly open is almost laughable (Kim does a great impression), however, her supporting actor, Kong, was more believable than our dog Cleo... (n fact, when we got home, I felt like Cleo was our pet ape) Anyway, I could have done without that slide-around-on-the-ice scene in Central Park - not because it didn't look real... it did! I think it was something about her denial bothered me. Come on, her pet ape had just killed hundreds of people... like that's not a concern that merits some forethought... or at least trying to work up a plan?
I could say more, but I don't have the time. Basically, Peter Jackson is some kind of sic genius, capable of leaping effortlessly over the same boundaries that Hollywood keeps tripping over. His illusion of reality, his quest for obsessive quality and excellence continues to widen the gap between he and his contemporaries. I suspect that after seeing this film, as well as his recent successes, their hopes of ever catching him are dashed.
btw. My first date with Kim was in 1976, the year I met her... to see "King Kong" (Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lang). It could have been any film, but... somehow it was special. I still sport a King Kong belt buckle that gets great reviews. Anyway, we had dinner at Olive Garden (free w/ coupon), Starbucks (near free) and a movie (not free). It was a perfect evening. Kim even bought matching T-shirts for the 2005 debut. But wait, there's more! It could have been another epic solo date, but... since Kim and I had watched the '76 version on TV the night before and I've been gone so much, it seemed a perfect opportunity to invite youngest daughter, Christie, who's one year shy from being Kim's age in '76. It was awesome. Then, we ran into friend, Tim Turley, sitting by his lonely with an entire row to himself, so we all watched the flick together. I was proud of Christie for not closing her eyes as the Mastadon Worm sucked in and chomped off the head of the first mate as he slowly lost his ability to wield his machette'.
It was hard not to tell the gang back home, including Chad who was a huge fan of Peter Jackson before his big films, about every scene and spoil it for them. Ok. gotta go....no spell check, no proofing... utterly hak. I should have reviewed "the lion, the witch and the wardrobe", but... my opinions are too strong on that one. I did adore the film, of course. I'm most excited to see the sequel to "pirates of the carribean".
boyd
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