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In the absolutely bonkers science-fiction film Pacific Rim (del Toro, 2013), the monstrous Kaiju first attacked humanity on 10^th August 2013, which was subsequently branded “K-DAY”. To celebrate this event, and giant monster movies, I dedicated every Sunday in August to one of cinema’s most prolific monsters: King Kong!

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Released: 10 March 2017
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Budget: $185 million
Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Terry Notary/Toby Kebbell, John Goodman, and John C. Reilly

The Plot:
Hired by the super-secretive Monarch, ex-British Special Air Service (S.A.S.) Captain Joseph Conrad (Hiddleston) and photographer Mason Weaver (Larson) accompany an Army unit to the mysterious Skull Island, where Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Jackson) becomes obsessed with challenging the rule of the island’s guardian, Kong (Notary/Kebbell).

The Background:
Amazingly, former World War I aviator turned filmmaker Merian C. Cooper’s vision of a giant gorilla climbing the Empire State Building first appeared over 100 years ago, resulting in one of the most influential movies ever made, However, King Kong (Cooper and Schoedsack, 1933) was followed by a comedic sequel, a questionable “Suitmation” film that ended Toho’s short stint with the character, and remakes ranging from ambitious to big-budget showcases. Somewhere in there, the mighty Kong even clashed with Godzilla in a profitable (if polarising) affair, and took a giant step towards renewing this rivalry as part of Legendary’s “MonsterVerse” following the critical and commercial success of Godzilla (Edwards, 2014). Initially, Adam Wingard and Guillermo del Toro were tapped to direct a sequel to Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake before the project was reconfigured into a MonsterVerse film. Writers Max Borenstein and John Gatins specifically avoided the traditional King Kong narrative in favour of a wartime setting inspired by Apocalypse Now (Coppola, 1979). Visual effects supervisor Stephen Rosenbaum and conceptual artist Carlos Huante redesigned Kong to return to his roots and act as a cantankerous, but benevolent, protector, and turned to anime to design Skull Island’s other monstrous inhabitants. After Tom Hiddleston took the lead role, John C. Reilly joined the project after scheduling conflicts saw Michael Keaton drop out and Toby Kebbell pulled double duty by providing motion capture for Kong’s facial expressions. Accompanied by a tie-in comic book designed to flesh out Kong’s backstory, Kong: Skull Island was a smash hit at the box office and with critics, who praised it as a fun, action-packed adventure, though many of the performances were criticised. Although a spin-off and direct sequel never materialised, the MonsterVerse Kong went on to co-star with Godzilla in some big, if mindless, blockbuster team ups.

The Review:
Set in 1973, amidst the backdrop of the end of America’s disastrous campaign into Vietnam, Kong: Skull Island tells a very different King Kong story, one not about the giant ape’s obsession with a pretty girl and one greedy opportunists attempt to profit off his stature. Instead, Kong: Skull Island is more of a war movie, taking very obvious inspiration from Apocalypse Now for many shots, characters, and the depiction of the United States military. At first, the story is framed as a scientific expedition, spearheaded by the eccentric William “Bill” Randa (Goodman), a former World War I sailor whose life was changed when he was left the sole survivor following an attack on his vessel by a titanic creature. Randa took this experience with him throughout his career at Monarch, a government research team created specifically to track and investigate such “Titans”, snapping up geologist Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) after he wrote a paper suggesting the presence of a “Hollow Earth” where such monsters dwell. However, with Monarch’s funding at risk following the end of the Vietnam War, Randa must beg Senator Al Willis (Richard Jenkins) to let them join an expedition to a recently discovered, uncharted island in hopes of finding precious minerals, medicines, and other notable discoveries before those pesky Russkies. Amazingly, Randa gets his wish, and his demand for a military escort, and enthusiastically braves Skull Island’s torrential, perpetual storm to finally feel vindicated after years of being branded a crackpot for his wild theories regarding Titans and the lost, prehistoric island. This means that the mission is less a geological, scientific voyage and more a personal vendetta for Randa, who hopes to both warn and inform the world that monsters exist by bringing back irrefutable proof. Yet, even he realises the dangers of Skull Island and the folly of man trying to battle against its monstrous inhabitants.

Since Randa, Brooks, and largely insignificant biologist San Lin (Jing Tian) are ill equipped to navigate Skull Island’s hazardous jungles, they recruit S.A.S. serviceman turned mercenary/tracker Joseph Conrad to lend his experience to the mission. Though initially sceptical due to the unforeseen dangers awaiting them, Conrad’s convinced by the promise of cold, hard cash and is intrigued by Skull Island, and the mystery surrounding Monarch’s true intentions. Striking up a subtle, but unmistakable attraction with anti-war photographer Mason Weaver, Conrad immediately adapts to the alien terrain and leads the survivors of Packard’s team though the jungle, taking charge of one group and prioritising reaching a preset rendezvous point while Packard directs another group in an increasingly insane attempt to avenge their losses against Kong. Though respectful of Packard’s command and experience, Conrad soon finds himself as the voice of reason when Packard threatens to risk his life (and the lives of his men) in a futile assault against Kong, consistently managing to appease the crazed Colonel into letting the civilians trek to safety rather than join his vendetta. Adaptable and a keen marksman and swordsman, Conrad is a dashing, enigmatic hero with an affable personality, constantly keeping a cool head and being respectful to those he meets. While the soldiers have itchy trigger fingers, Conrad peacefully greets the mysterious and silent Iwi tribe and is both sympathetic towards and intrigued by marooned U.S. Army Air Forces Lieutenant Hank Marlow’s (Reilly) plight and insight into Kong and his island. While Weaver is worthy of attracting even a giant ape’s lust and attention, Kong: Skull Island avoids having the ape become fixated on her and she instead documents the trip, snapping shots of the island, its inhabitants, and echoing Conrad’s call for peace and extraction rather than fighting an unwinnable war. She ends up in the thick of the action when Packard riles up the vicious “Skullcrawlers” that threaten Kong’s rule but plays a role in distracting the creatures to aid Kong and, like her predecessors in previous Kong movies, requires the Titan’s aid when he battles to curb the Skullcrawler threat.

Having been shot down in World War II alongside Japanese pilot Gunpei Ikari (Miyavi), Marlow has been stranded on Skull Island for nearly thirty years and left a little kooky as a result. While the Iwi are far more benevolent than previous Skull Island natives, they’re largely mute and he’s been left to his own thoughts ever since Gunpei was killed by a Skullcrawler. He’s thus ecstatic when Conrad and the others arrive and enthusiastically warns of the island’s dangers while delivering exposition regarding Kong, who’s recast as a bad tempered but ultimately benign God to the locals. While Marlow’s been unable to escape, warrant officer Reg Slivko (Thomas Mann) cobbles together the remains of his plane and a rudimentary raft to carry them to the rendezvous point, leading Marlow to bid an emotional farewell to his saviours, learn how the world has changed during his absence, and anxiously contemplate returning to his wife and son (Beth Kennedy and Will Brittain). Though Conrad defers to Marlow’s expertise, Packard isn’t as convinced and largely dismisses the pilot, refusing to heed his warnings about venturing into Skullcrawler territory and challenging Kong. Packard’s men, though exhausted from the futility of the Vietnam War and eager to return home, attack their new mission with gusto, convinced they can brave any threat. While many are one-dimensional characters, they provide enough charisma to make an impression, from warrant officer Glenn Mills (Jason Mitchell) being obsessed with his beloved mother, Silvo being torn between his duty and his morals, and Captain Earl Cole (Shea Whigham) maintaining a stoic calm no matter how many monsters he encounters. Even Cole reaches his limit, however, after everything he’s witnessed and Packard’s lunacy, leading to him attempting a dramatic sacrifice only to be undone when the Skullcrawler simply swipes him into a cliff. Major Jack Chapman (Kebbell) may as well be wearing a bullseye the entire film with all his pining for his son, Billy, which predictably leads to his gruesome death at the jaws of a Skullcrawler, adding further fuel to Packard’s obsession.

Portrayed as a grizzled war veteran who’s reached his limit, Packard has more than a few similarities to the likes of Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando) and Captain Ahab. Feeling disillusioned and cheated out of victory in Vietnam, Packard jumps at the assignment to breach Skull Island’s storm front and venture into a new land, seemingly determined to assert his dominance rather than be humiliated by underequipped natives. Packard is personally affronted when Kong lashes out at his men when they drop Monarch’s seismic charges, becoming deadset on avenging his losses and continuing his war, no matter what it costs. Since his men are loyal to him, Packard’s fixation of reaching a weapons cache is only questioned by the likes of Conrad and Marlow, who emphasise safety and retreat over conflict. Packard, however, has none of this, threatening his allies at gunpoint when they disagree with him and being determined to kill Kong, despite the greater threat of the Skullcrawlers. As you’d expect, this obsession becomes Packard’s undoing as he refuses to set aside his grievances and only causes more death as even his seasoned troops are no match for Skull Island. Rather than being populated by dinosaurs, this Skull Island is full of unique, gigantic insects and other creatures that expertly camouflage into the jungle and easily get the drop on the unsuspecting grunts. While the Sker Buffalo is mostly harmless, the gigantic and frankly unsettling Mother Longlegs masquerades as mambo trees and skewers or webs up many of Packard’s men and Chapman is briefly spooked when a giant log turns out to be a Spore Mantis! Packard’s causal sniping of ugly “birds” unsettles a slew of voracious, bat-like Psychovultures who rip poor Victor Nieves (John Ortiz) to pieces and give Conrad a chance to show off his sick sword skills. Kong tangles with and partially devours a Mire Squid in a call-back to King Kong vs. Godzilla (Honda, 1962) but even his mighty strength and dominance is tested by the ferocious Skullcrawlers, who pop up from natural vents to devour everything in sight.

Since Skullcrawlers wiped out Kong’s species, Kong has a natural vendetta against them and is duty bound to wipe them out lest their gigantic alpha re-emerge. This drives him to attack Packard’s helicopters as their seismic charges awaken the Skullcrawlers, who chow down on Chapman and Randa, spewing up their bones and clothing in surprisingly gruesome scenes and snagging prey with their frog-like tongues. In keeping with the MonsterVerse portraying Godzilla as a benevolent force, the large (but still growing) Kong is seen as a protector figure. The Iwi’s wall isn’t to keep Kong out, but to deter the Skullcrawlers, who terrorised their people for a thousand years before the Apus Giganticus defended them. Depicted as “king” of Skull Island, Kong again carries many scars and wounds from his constant battling to maintain his position as the land’s alpha. Marlow relates some of Kong’s backstory, depicting him as the last of his kind and we again the skeletal remains of his people, this time littering the Skullwalker’s turf and that the Iwi revere Kong’s protection through paintings (though they seemingly don’t offer him female sacrifices). Kong is largely disinterested in humans, ignoring them until they become a threat and barely interested in even the alluring Weaver. No longer simply an enlarged ape, Kong is depicted as an unknowable, unique entity, standing upright and having anthropomorphic tendencies while also emphasising his intelligence. Kong utilises makeshift weapons, such as an uprooted tree or the propeller of a scuttled ship, when battling Skullcrawlers alongside his usual brute strength, with him again favouring snapping his foe’s jaws. Kong becomes the embodiment of Packard’s obsession, a dangerous an alien “other” he can vent his insanity and frustration on, and is seen as a threat to the world despite him simply defending his territory. While Kong largely dismisses Packard, the irrational Colonel earns the Titan’s wrath through a napalm attack, leading to the enraged Kong simply crushing his would-be adversary like a gnat.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Kong: Skull Island makes the bold decision to focus basically its entire runtime on Skull Island, stranding its characters there and giving them a ticking clock to get to a rendezvous point before they’re potentially trapped like Marlow was. Unlike previous Kong movies, however, Kong: Skull Island emphasises action and a constant battle for survival, with the burned out and overwhelmed soldiers adding a touch of flavour to the proceedings as they’re slightly better equipped than the usual film crews and sailors who venture to the island. The film also cleverly limits their  encounters with the island’s inhabitants, emphasising quality over quantity to offer horrific insectile creatures and ensure that the CGI holds up far better than in Peter Jackson’s overstuffed remake. The film’s pacing also benefits from this, with the action moving at a steady pace and a sense of urgency in both teams as they battle to their objectives, while still giving poignant moments with Marlow and allowing Hiddleston and Larson to sizzle with their subtle chemistry. Not only does Kong not become protective of Weaver, he’s also one of the few Kongs to not only survive but also remain on the island, dramatically presenting Kong as a key player in the MonsterVerse. This is further emphasised in the post-credit scene, where Conrad and Weaver (who sadly never appear again) are given a taste of Kong’s true destiny, which is to defend the Earth from other, less benevolent Titans. The film also changes the Iwi to be far more altruistic than previous natives, with them welcoming outcasts while also being a deeply prideful people. They offer shelter and exposition and are said to have moved past concepts of war and personal possessions, providing a stark contrast to the “Oorah!” gusto of Packard’s soldiers, who cannot deny the call to take up arms even if they’re tired of the futility of war. Indeed, Packard’s men were looking forward to going home when the call came in, though their burned-out Colonel is consumed by the need to not be denied a victory of a native, seemingly primitive force like in Vietnam.  

Rather than being hidden by an impenetrable fog, Skull Island is now protected by a violent storm that deters ships and planes from venturing further but is easily bypassed by Packard’s helicopters. The island is still a prehistoric lost world, home to many unique, gigantic, and dangerous creatures, but is also seemingly ground zero for the Hollow Earth, immense underground tunnels where Titans and unknowable monsters dwell. Fiercely territorial, Kong fights off any incursions from the Hollow Earth, primarily the voracious Skullcrawlers, but isn’t against asserting his dominance over the likes of the Mire Squid. Each is brought to life through some startlingly detailed CGI, with Kong being the obvious standout. The biggest he’s ever been (at that time), Kong dominates the horizon, rendered as an ape/man hybrid of sorts who leaps and crashes about rather than swinging through the trees. With thick, impressively rendered fur, a war-torn body, and a deeply expressive face, Kong exudes both a cantankerous attitude (like he’s sick of Packard’s shit) and a gruff intelligence, especially in his determination to battle the “Big One” and take up makeshift arms. While the Mire Squid looks a little dodgy, the water and blood effects on Kong are otherwise remarkable, with this easily being the most impressive version to date and him often appearing in daylight. The Skullcrawlers are effective nightmare fuel, being strange, lizard-like mutates with a voracious appetite and unnerving exposed skull. It’s the other insectile inhabitants that really caught my eye, though, as Kong: Skull Island presents new monsters rather than dinosaur variants, giving us horrific creatures like the Mother Longlegs to force us (and the characters) to question everything about their surroundings. Although the soldiers pack some serious firepower and later upgrade to napalm, they’re constantly depicted as out of their depth on Skull Island and it takes every resource they have to battle even one Skullcrawler, forcing them to flee just like they withdrew from Vietnam as their weapons are ultimately useless against the prehistoric land’s occupants.

Upon first seeing Kong, Packard’s already fragile mind snaps like a twig. While he initially frames his vendetta as a search party for Chapman, Packard’s true intention is to find the weapons cache and gain the means to kill Kong. When Marlow balks at this, Packard turns violent, lashing out and threatening him and Conrad at gunpoint before being convinced to pursue his vendetta with his few loyal men. However, as Kong is the only thing keeping the Skullcrawlers from running rampant and potentially threatening the world, Marlow convinces Conrad to intervene when Packard sets a trap not laced with chloroform, but with napalm, luring Kong with seismic charges and thus unleashing the alpha Skullcrawler. After fending off multiple smaller beasts, Kong battles the Titan-sized threat, which Marlow warned could be more than the ape’s match since it previously killed his parents. Indeed, while Kong easily dispatches of the smaller creatures, the Big One is a far greater threat, sending Kong hurtling across the swamp. While Kong is briefly tangled up in a scuttled ship’s chains, he uses this to his advantage, wrapping it around his arm and swinging the rusted propeller to gain the upper hand. When Weaver gets a little too close to the action, she ends up in Kong’s massive fist when he dramatically and gruesomely wrenches the Big One’s insides out tongue first to establish himself as the dominant Titan of Skull Island. Exhausted, overwhelmed, and in awe of Kong’s feat, Conrad leads the survivors to the rendezvous point and leaves Kong to roar his victory across the land. In the aftermath, a nervous, freshly shaved, and decorated Marlow finally returns home, embraced by his wife and stunned son while Conrad and Weaver are warned that other Titans are still to be discovered and their experiences have only justified Monarch’s existence…

The Summary:
I’ve always been a big fan of Kong: Skull Island. On paper, there are some elements that I wasn’t sure would work as it changes the concept of King Kong quite a bit, but it all comes together really nicely and presents a new, if familiar, version of the world’s most famous ape. Setting the film against the background of the Vietnam War and making allusions of Apocalypse Now was a great way to present a new spin on the Kong concept and Samuel L. Jackson gave a terrific, scenery chewing performance as the crazed Packard. While many of his soldiers weren’t as fleshed out, they shined enough through their identifiable traits and Tom Hiddleston and John C. Reilly went a long way to making up for any of their shortcomings. Hiddleston makes for a convincing action hero and I remain disappointed that he never got to reprise this role in the MonsterVerse films. I also loved Marlow’s blend of comic relief, wackiness, and poignant emotion. Kong: Skull Island equally impresses with its action-packed narrative, which breaks the tradition of presenting dull, boring boat and island sequences in Kong films, and by offering unique and well-crafted monsters to provide some tension. Kong was beautifully brought to life as a fantastic throwback to his origins and recast as a curmudgeonly protector, one as intelligent as he is fierce, and it was great to see him portrayed as something more than just a tragic beast. Kong: Skull Island also stands the test of time as a more grounded, intense entry in the increasingly over-the-top MonsterVerse films, laying the foundation of big, world-shaking blockbusters with a gritty, captivating discussion on the trauma of war and man’s obsession with conquering both nature and perceived primitive forces.

My Rating:

Great Stuff

Were you a fan of he MonsterVerse version of King Kong? What did you think to him being presented as a protector figure? Which of Skull Island’s monsters was your favourite? Did you like the allusions to Apocalypse Now and Packard’s obsession with killing Kong? Would you have liked to see a Kong solo sequel and which MonsterVerse movie is your favourite version? How are you celebrating Kaiju this month? let me know what you think about the MonsterVerse in the comments, donate to my Ko-Fi if you want to see more MonsterVerse content, and go check out my other King Kong and Kaiju reviews!

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In the absolutely bonkers science-fiction film Pacific Rim (del Toro, 2013), the monstrous Kaiju first attacked humanity on 10^th August 2013, which was subsequently branded “K-DAY”. To celebrate this event, and giant monster movies, I’m dedicating every Sunday in August to one of cinema’s most prolific monsters: King Kong!

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Released: 14 December 2005
Director: Peter Jackson
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Budget: $207 million
Stars: Adrien Brody, Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Andy Serkis, Kyle Chandler, and Thomas Kretschmann

The Plot:
Vaudeville performer Ann Darrow (Watts) joins struggling filmmaker Carl Denham (Black) on a venture to Skull Island, only to be kidnapped by the might giant ape “Kong” (Serkis), prompting playwright Jack Driscoll (Brody) to lead a rescue.

The Background:
About a hundred years ago, filmmaker, adventurer, and former World War I aviator Merian C. Cooper brought his vision of a giant gorilla ascending the Empire State Building to life with King Kong (Cooper and Schoedsack, 1933), one of the most influential movies ever made. Followed by a comedic and divisive sequel that same year, a profitable but polarising clash with Godzilla, and a “Suitmation” blunder that ended Toho’s brief stint with the creature, an ambitious remake impressed critics and turned a profit in 1976. Although the 1986 sequel was critically and commercially panned, Universal Pictures pursued life-long King Kong fan Peter Jackson about a remake during the mid-nineties. Though initially hesitant, Jackson eventually agreed to the project, though production stalled due to studio concerns and wouldn’t pick up again until Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films (ibid, 2001 to 2003) proved box office hits. Though this gave Jackson carte blanche to revive King Kong, the budget ballooned during pre-production, which included the restoration of a lost scene of the original. The filmmakers spent hours reviewing footage of real-world gorillas and star Andy Serkis threw himself into the role, playing an integral part in the character’s motion capture process. Weta Digital supervised the visual effects, which reimagined Kong as a less anthropomorphised creature and pitted him against various dinosaur-like creatures. On the human side of things, Jack Black played against type as the opportunistic Denham, Adrien Brody enjoyed the challenge of such an effects-heavy film, and Jackson kept and released comprehensive production dairies during filming. The result was a nearly-$600 million blockbuster that was accompanied by an innovative videogame and wowed audiences with its visuals, Serkis’s captivating performance, and impressive reimagining of the original. Although some criticised the runtime and bloated script, there were plans for a sequel, and then a prequel, before both were scrapped in favour of a “MonsterVerse” reboot in 2017.

The Review:
While some visuals and shots appear to have been inspired by the 1976 remake of King Kong, Peter Jackson’s big-budget, CGI-stuffed epic is a love letter to the 1933 original at its core. Thus, King Kong is a period piece taking place in the middle of the Great Depression, when times are so hard that theatres are largely empty, working class people struggle to make ends meet, and the streets are filled with the destitute and homeless. Naturally, the 1% are still thriving and there’s still money to be thrown around and made, but it’s all firmly in the hands of the upper class and the rich, meaning aspirational filmmaker Carl Denham must beg for funding for his projects and struggling stage actress Ann Darrow resorts to stealing and being sorely tempted by to the burlesque scene. Whereas the original King Kong moved at a brisk pace, quickly spiriting characters between scenes, Peter Jackson’s movie takes its sweet time, building atmosphere and giving audiences ample time to become familiar with its bloated cast. Thus, we spend the first twenty minutes following Denham and Ann as their divergent paths cross due to happenstance. Hoping to film a romantic adventure in the jungle, Carl (…somehow…) acquires a map to the mysterious and uncharted Skull Island, where he plans to wow audiences with sights and sounds they’ve never experienced. Unfortunately, his producers are unconvinced by his bold claims and impulsive nature and eventually issue a warrant for his arrest, to say nothing of his lead actress quitting and forcing him to trawl the burlesque scene for a quick replacement. This is where he spots Ann, who he’s immediately entranced by and whom he woos with talk of high adventure and romance, convinced she’s the perfect fit not just physically but also emotionally since she’s the “saddest girl [he’s] ever seen”. Known more for her comedy, Ann is sceptical of Denham and, despite being close to starvation, initially rejects his offer before finally acquiescing since his project’s being penned by her idol, Jack Driscoll.

Thanks to Denham being a natural showman with a silver tongue and his fearless, convincing nature, the filmmaker convinces everyone of his vision even though they all seem to know that he’s bullshitting and they’ll never get paid. Cameraman Herb (John Sumner) and Denham’s personal assistant Preston (Colin Hanks) are touchingly loyal but the mysteriously gruff and confrontational Captain Englehorn (Kretschmann) is extremely sceptical and only convinced to cast off by promises of more money. This is exactly how Denham stalls Driscoll when he turns in his rough fifteen-page draft and tries to leave, only to be trapped onboard the ship and forced to work on the script in the animal pen (because Englehorn conveniently specialises in live animal captures). Despite this, Driscoll seems happy to join the venture, inspired by the mysterious allure of Skull Island and captivated by Ann, who admires his work and is equally attracted to him (despite a rocky start). Ann changes once on the ship, seemingly putting on the façade of a Hollywood starlet, and throws herself into the gig, delivering cheesy lines alongside arrogant film star Bruce Baxter (Chandler) and inspiring Driscoll to write a stage comedy tailored to her strengths. By the time they reach Skull Island, the two are unquestionably lovers and Driscoll shows a surprising amount of guts, desperately trying to shield Ann from the wild natives and partially leading the rescue attempt when she’s taken by Kong. While it takes time for Bruce to live up to his reputation as a screen hero, Driscoll eagerly arms himself and heads into the jungle, fighting giant bugs, outpacing rampaging dinosaurs, and even going alone when separated. Luckily, Driscoll encounters no further obstacles and goes right to where Kong has Ann captive and even returns to the native village in record time. However, the experience changes him (and all the survivors) and he distances himself from Denham’s Kong circus, sharing Ann’s shame in separating the giant beast from his homeland. Driscoll’s then inspired by his own writing to reunite with Ann and recaptures the fire he showed on Skull Island to brave Kong’s rampage and lure him away from civilians.

This is true of Ann as well. Although she’s initially horrified by Kong, Ann keeps her head and tries numerous ways to disinterest the beast, from playing dead, to running away, and finally performing her comedy routine. While the film heavily implies that Kong has toyed with and devoured his previous offerings, Ann’s dancing and buffoonery amuses him and spares her. Even when she admonishes him for pushing her around, Kong throws a tantrum and sulks rather than simply squashing or eating her, and Ann comes to be taken by not only him, but the beauty of Skull Island. This is matched only by the dangers living there and Ann is tossed about, firmly held in Kong’s grasp as he battles ferocious Vastatosaurus rexes, leading to her not only sympathising with his great loneliness and constant strife but also being indebted to him. While almost reluctant to leave Kong’s side, Ann is grateful to be saved but horrified when Kong is wounded and knocked unconscious by chloroform. She’s so guilt-ridden that she refuses to star in Denhem’s Kong show but seemingly senses Kong’s anguish, willing approaching him on the frigid streets of Broadway and sharing a few tender moments before the National Guard attack. While Driscoll echoes this sympathy, Denham does not; he misleads the crew from the start and is obsessed with making his picture, no matter the danger. Even when his crew are killed, he spins it into a positive and urges the survivors to rally, his enthusiasm turning to a malicious spite when his footage is wrecked. This sees him pivot towards capturing the beast, challenging Captain Englehorn’s reputation and being the one to KO Kong. Denham then fully transforms into a conniving showman under the bright lights of New York City, despite the survivors judging him for his actions, and never receives any comeuppance aside from his show and reputation being left in tatters.

Had King Kong focused on these three and the way their experiences change them, it might’ve benefitted the run time. Ann is stunned by how hardened Denham is when she’s rescued from Kong and it’s clear all three are traumatised by their near-death experience, but the film focuses its runtime on the Venture’s motley crew. First, there’s Lumpy (Serkis), the gruff and disgusting chef who shares stories about Skull Island and its mysterious beast and who meets a gruesome end courtesy of some monstrous (if cartoonish) worms. Then there’s Ben Hayes (Evan Parke), a natural leader thanks to his days in the military who acts as a mentor to young Jimmy (Jamie Bell), whom he found as a savage stowaway some years ago. These two eat up a lot of screen time on the lengthy journey to Skull Island, with Jimmy eager to impress his mentor, strangely determined to rescue Ann despite them never sharing any screen time, and making not-so-subtle allusions to Heart of Darkness (Conrad, 1899) to emphasise the dangers of Skull Island. I do feel this dialogue and these allusions could’ve easily been given to Driscoll (he is a writer, after all) to reduce or even remove these two from the film as they don’t add anything and stick out like a sore thumb. Jimmy’s forced to step up after Hayes suffers a surprisingly violent death at Kong’s hands, comically saving Driscoll from some giant bugs, but he vanishes once they get to New York. Similarly, while I enjoyed Captain Englehorn’s strangely confrontational nature, he also vanishes after Kong’s subdued. He plays a vital role in rescuing the group when they’re trapped in the bug pit, however, and conveniently has enough chloroform to knock out a giant ape since he coincidentally deals in live animal capture, something that doesn’t come up until Denham decides to capture Kong. Finally, screen star Bruce turns out to be a complete coward but, considering none of them were prepared for Skull Island’s dangers, he’s absolutely right to be. Though he steps up to encourage Englehorn’s rescue, Bruce reverts to type when he’s cast as the “hero” in Denham’s Kong circus and then flees during the ape’s rampage, his sole focus on saving his own skin.

While it’s never made clear how Denham got the map to Skull Island, the Venture discovers it easily, only struggling with the thick fog, rough seas, and jagged rocks. Though the island appears deserted, it casts a distinctly ominous and malevolent appearance with its Kong-like rocks and the gigantic wall adorned with skeletons of previous sacrifices. The native tribe are more vicious and animalistic than ever, resembling Orcs from Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies and often shot with shaky cam to highlight how savage they are. A primitive tribe who both worship and fear Kong, the natives assume more ape-like characteristics, appear to be cannibals, and are shockingly violent, murdering some of the crew with spears and skull bashing. Though scared off by gun fire, they comically pole vault to the Venture to abduct Ann, subjecting her to a ritual that is far more ghastly than usual thanks to torrential rain and their wild movements. Even the wall and its massive door is so much more elaborate here, with Ann suspended over a gorge filled with flames and magma like something out of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Spielberg, 1984). However, like the Venture’s crew, the natives disappear after Kong abducts Ann, never interfering with Denham’s capture plan or suffering Kong’s wrath when he chases her. Skull Island’s jungle is equally hostile, being a veritable lost world populated by giant, disgusting bugs and dinosaurs. Although there’s a palpable danger, isolation, and unpredictability and I appreciate that it’s populated by prehistoric creatures, they don’t always look good and there’s a definite sense of quantity over quality. The stampeding Brontosaurus baxteri are particularly cartoonish, especially when they fall and pile up, and I’m not sure we needed the bug pit scene. It’s great that Jackson revived it but it goes on way too long and it would’ve been much faster to have some of the crew perish from the fall or be picked off by a few giant bugs as they explore.

Unlike in previous King Kong movies, Kong is unmistakably a gigantic ape, with mannerisms and influences from various primates and Homo sapiens thanks to Serkis’s experience with portraying these creatures. Kong leaps, swings, clambers, and moves on all four limbs rather than being anthropomorphised. While this certainly makes him more realistic, he does lose some allure as he appears to be a unique and undiscovered prehistoric ape rather than some mythical beast. Still, there’s a lot of intrigue around Kong as the giant ape bones hint that he’s the last of his kind and he’s a very lonely creature who constantly fights for his position as “king” of the island. While Kong toys with his prey and is clearly an ancient being, he throws tantrums, reacts violently to trespassers, and flies into such a rage when Driscoll rescues Ann that he blunders into an obvious trap. Kong is a savage fighter, brutalising opponents and even devouring people, but is also capable of great sadness and emotion. He fiercely protects Ann from the V. Rexes and scoops her onto his shoulder, sharing his quiet place with her and being so captivated by her that he flies into a rage when Denham presents him with a substitute (Julia Walshaw). Strangely, despite nearly an hour on the Venture, we never see how Kong is brought aboard the ship or the conditions he’s kept in on the (presumably long) journey home. However, when Denham unveils Kong, he’s weak, possibly malnourished, and completely defeated. He’s enraged by the substitute and the flash bulbs, tearing through Broadway and scooping up any screaming blonde he comes across. Kong is as out of his depth in the concrete jungle as Denham’s party were on the island, struggling to navigate the cramped streets and being drawn to the highest point on pure instinct. Kong is probably his most impressive and nuanced here and a great deal of time and effort has gone into him, but I can’t help but be a little disappointed by how familiar he is. Like how many critics attacked Godzilla (Emmerich, 1998) for being an enlarging an iguana, I remain disappointed that Kong wasn’t more unknowable and bestial.

The Nitty-Gritty:
King Kong is an adventure into the unknown, with Denham selling his entire crew on the fortune and glory of the mysterious Skull Island. It’s honestly strange that more characters don’t call him out on this, with even the gruff Captain Englehorn going along despite not being paid and orders to turn Carl in. I really enjoyed the references to Fay Wray and Merian C. Cooper, the lines spoken by Ann and Bruce aboard the Venture mirroring the clunky dialogue of the original film, and even the photographers clambering on Kong’s corpse like in the 1976 film. While I appreciate the film fleshing out its characters, it really should’ve focused on Ann, Carl, and Jack. It takes twenty minutes for the Venture to cast off, almost an hour to reach Skull Island, over an hour for Kong to appear, and over two hours to get back to New York! Every aspect of the original is bigger, longer, and more grandiose but that doesn’t necessarily make it “better” as Jackson takes twice as long to make the same points. The pacing is also really strange as we spend so much time blundering though the jungle and yet Ann and Driscoll get back to the village in record time (even with the Terapusmordax obscenus’ assist). We have time to waste with a slow-motion reveal of the island’s name but not showing how Kong gets on the ship, or any of the return trip. Similarly, we get to see Ann and Kong slipping about on a frozen pool (an admittedly sweet scene) but interactions between her and Kong on the ship that could’ve achieved the same goal and been less cheesy. Finally, it’s bizarre that so many characters we’ve been forced to follow vanish once the film returns to New York. There’s no real payoff to Jimmy’s sub-plot and even Bruce reverts to type, with only Preston reappearing to cast judgement on Denham during his circus.

Still, King Kong’s greatest strengths are its visuals. The film emphasises that this is the 1930s with the accents, attitudes, and society of the time. I would’ve liked Ann to be more motivated by her desperate hunger and desire to avoid stripping off for money, but I liked how tactile and gritty the Venture was. Skull Island makes an immediate impression thanks not only to how menacing it’s portrayed but how real-world locations are used alongside practical effects, miniatures, and CGI. This makes the many pitfalls the crew suffer more believable, but sadly also makes obvious green screen moments stand out more. To be fair, Jackson may be evoking old school rear projection techniques, but that’s a generous excuse as the Brontosaurus baxteri stampede, Ann fleeing the V. Rex, and her and Hayes being manhandled by Kong are all times instances where the effects take a hit. The dinosaurs, especially, are far too cartoonish and I think Jackson was being far too ambitious here. Like, pick between the bug pit and the dinosaur stampede and put more time, effort, and money into one big effects scene rather than two. Jackson’s desire to outdo the original is most apparent when Kong fights three V. Rexes while clutching Ann, tumbling over a cliff, and being entangled in vines! Still, this is a big, heroic moment for Kong and he’s easily the best effect here, even in full light, with detailed fur and facial expressions conveying many emotions. Covered in scars from constant battle and sporting a cracked tooth, there’s a real sense of power, speed, and size when Kong’s crashing through the jungle and leaping about. These sequences cleverly focus on Ann to make them more harrowing, but Kong still lacks the true impact of a physical effect. There’s nothing practical about him, which is a shame as he really does look great, and I give the film credit for staging its finale in broad daylight to fully showcase Kong’s effects and dramatic end.

Even when his most loyal followers are killed, Denham persists with his obsession, only pivoting towards capturing Kong after he loses his precious footage. To his credit, Denham does mention the lives lost in capturing the “Eighth Wonder of the World” but goes full P.T. Barnum when introducing Kong, revelling in the accolades and spotlight and never once showing any remorse, even after Kong dies. Though weak, Kong flies into a rage during the show and easily breaks his heavy chains, rampaging through the theatre and charging through the slippery New York streets, desperate to reunite with Ann and causing destruction and death in his wild pursuit. Indeed, Kong Kong is surprisingly violent and bloody at times, with people impaled by spears, having their skulls crushed, being tossed aside or eaten by Kong, and Kong tearing apart the V. Rexes. Ann seems to sense Kong’s distress and goes to him to calm him after Driscoll valiantly tries to lure him away from people. Sadly, their sweet reunion is interrupted by the National Guard and Kong is soon scaling the Empire State Building, attracted by its lights and height. Ann goes with him willingly, no longer afraid and seeking only to calm Kong’s anger, and the two share another moment basking in the beauty of the city before the biplanes close in. As ever, Kong protects Ann first and foremost, even saving her from a plummet even as he’s bleeding to death from bullet wounds, but he’s noticeably more aggressive in the finale. Kong challenges the planes, swatting them from the sky when they fly too close, but ultimately succumbs to his wounds when they relentlessly fire upon him. Though Ann desperately pleads for them to stop, they attack when Kong’s back is turned and he collapses, sharing his final breaths with Ann on the top of the Empire State Building before plummeting to the street below. Though powerless to assist in this tragic end, Driscoll does push past the military to comfort Ann after the fall, which sees Kong reduced to a sad spectacle once again as the discredited Denham looks on.

The Summary:
As a big Kong Kong fan, and someone who loved Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, you better believe I was hyped for this remake at the time. I remember going to see it at the cinema and being so disappointed and bored that I never bothered to pick it up on DVD and have largely avoided it whenever it’s on television. Visually, this King Kong is unparalleled even to this day. Skull Island has never been so terrifying and alive as it is here, with the natives giving off Cannibal Holocaust (Deodato, 1980) energy and the many dinosaurs evoking the Jurassic films (Various, 1993 to present). Oddly, though they’re unprepared for Skull Island’s dangers, Denham’s crew adapts remarkably well to the environment, braving the unknown to rescue Ann simply to be crushed or devoured by the wildlife. Sadly, though, “bigger” doesn’t always mean “better” and Jackson seems to have been far too ambitious here, cramming so much into the film that it takes away from Kong’s spectacle. And it’s a shame because Kong is spectacular here, despite essentially just being a giant ape rather than some otherworldly beast, showcasing a range of emotions and being a brutal, savage fighter who openly mocks his prey. Jackson’s efforts to pay homage to the film that inspired his career leads to a bloated, tedious film whose pacing is all over the place. While it’s nice to have more three-dimensional characters, it’s bizarre that so much screen time goes to characters who either die or disappear rather than to the three leads, who would’ve benefitted from this extra exposure. The film oddly glosses over some key points and seems strangely rushed at the end, with little emphasis placed on the juxtaposition of Kong in the concrete jungle versus the real jungle. I did like how Kong was more aggressive and fought so valiantly in the finale as it matched his fighting spirit on Skull Island, and his death remains as tragically hollow as ever, but it all lacks a lot of punch because the film is just way too long. The runtime would’ve greatly benefited from trimming or cutting some scenes because, as it is, King Kong is an undeniable visual spectacle and an amazing modern take on the concept, but too self-indulgent, too ambitious, and crippled by its lengthy runtime that does nothing but make it an obnoxious and tedious chore to sit through.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy Peter Jackson’s version of King Kong? Do you agree that it’s far too long and focuses on too many side characters or did you appreciate the characterisations? Were you surprised at how violent the natives were and the viciousness of Skull Island’s inhabitants? What did you think to Kong, his appearance, and his more animalistic portrayal? Which version of Kong is your favourite how are you celebrating K-Day today? Whatever your thoughts on this big-budget King Kong remake, or other monster movies, drop a comment below, support me on Ko-Fi, and check out my other King Kong and Kaiju content!