Going back and watching Peter Jackson's KING KONG ten years after its release in 2005, the movie emerges as a modern classic that I like even better now than at the time of its release.
Jackson recreates 1933 New York City down to the last brick as he unfolds the story in a very leisurely, three hour pace.
Jack Black is fine as filmmaker Carl Denham, running from his studio backers to finish the film of his dreams on the newly discovered Skull Island. With budding star Ann Darrow (the beautiful Naomi Watts) and screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody kicking off his action film decade here) in tow, they board an aging freighter to a mysterious fog-shrouded island that is home not only to violent natives, but our famous giant ape, Kong.
You know the story from growing up with the original classic and its silly 1976 remake, but Jackson brings it to life in grand style. The island is epic, huge and dangerous, filled with prehistoric bugs, enough dinosaurs to fill ten Jurassic Parks and peril at every turn.
When Kong captures and escapes into the jungle with Darrow, Carl and Jack lead a rescue team to find her and bring her back aboard their ship. The entire middle 90 minutes of the film is non-stop action and when I first saw the film, it was too much, too fast, a barrage that overwhelmed me after awhile.
Perhaps my tolerance or my appreciation for Jackson's style has grown, as I enjoyed every minute of the adventure. The special effects were state of the art a decade ago and hold up very well today.
The cast is great, sound design is spectacular and Kong is amazing.
By the time our ape ends up in New York City for the spectacular conclusion, your eyeballs are exploding with Jackson's meticulous recreation of the 1933 Manhattan skyline, Times Square and Central Park.
The last twenty minutes atop the Empire State Building are terrific, as every one of Jackson's talents come together high above the streets.
James Newton Howard's music is terrific, Colin Hanks and Kyle Chandler have fun supporting roles and while it's leisurely, its never boring.
Sit back and go for the voyage, Beauty may have killed the beast, but Jackson just plain kills it.
This visual feast and great adventure gets an A.
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