MOVIE REVIEW: KING KONG (2005)

Shane | 24 February 2021 | Reply

MOVIE REVIEW: KING KONG (2005)

Image: Wikimedia

Hollywood is going through a phase of revisiting old properties of late. And just as recent years have brought us a reimagined take on an iconic Batman villain in 2019’s Joker, or a deeper look into the Alien franchise in Memory (which was reviewed here), we’re soon to see yet another adventure in the world of King Kong. Warner Brothers’ Adam Wingard-directed monster flick Godzilla vs. Kong is due out this March, and looks to be one of the bigger and more ambitious action films of recent years.

In preparation for this exciting release, I wanted to look back at the movie that really brought these monsters back into mainstream cinema: 2005’s King Kong.

Helmed by Peter Jackson — fresh off his Lord Of The Rings trilogy — this remake of the 1933 classic was designed, above all else, to be big. Jackson secured a $207 million budget for the project, which was a record at the time, and which ScreenRant included in a list of the 10 most expensive CGI-infused films just last year (kind of remarkable when you consider how much more expensive big-budget movies have gotten since 2005). For Jackson, that budget was a means with which to bring gargantuan prehistoric beasts to life, and turn a wayward film crew’s semi-accidental voyage onto Skull Island into a one-of-a-kind visual roller coaster.

In terms of plot and activity, it’s a fairly traditional Kong story that we’ve all gotten used to. Devious but ambitious filmmaker Carl (Jack Black) tricks a crew into an off-the-map voyage; Skull Island imperils them all as lead actress Ann (Naomi Watts) is taken captive by Kong; Carl captures Kong and hauls him to New York, where he continues to be misunderstood by all but Ann, with whom he has developed a special bond. Really, it’s a tragedy disguised as an action/adventure epic.

Now 16 years after its release, the 2005 King Kong does have something of a legacy beyond simply being another Kong film. It’s remembered by many for having what at the time were truly sensational special effects. The budget was not wasted, and even if giant insects and dinosaur-versus-gorilla clashes aren’t for everybody there was no denying that Jackson and his crew made it all feel almost unsettlingly realistic. We’ve seen better since. But King Kong established itself as a somewhat groundbreaking visual achievement in 2005.

A legacy was also established beyond the world of cinema, and in gaming specifically. A 2005 console game based on the film was actually quite well reviewed, and earned a handful of different “game of the year” nominations, as well as recognition for its voice cast (which included Black and others from the film cast). Arguably even more impactful though is a digital slot machine game that uses this particular King Kong game as its thematic backdrop. Even today, Gala Spins recognizes this Playtech-developed slot reel as one of the best movie-based games in the category (and to be clear, there are quite a lot of those). Gamers still enjoy the Kong-driven atmosphere and bonuses that set this game apart from its many counterparts.

Past the film’s own reputation and legacy in other branches of entertainment, it should also be recognized as a building block in the continued growth of the Kong franchise, so to speak. It is part of the inspiration for the Universal Orlando experience Skull Island: Reign Of Kong, for instance. It undoubtedly influenced the 2017 production Kong: Skull Island. And of course, it will have had a part in shaping the forthcoming Godzilla vs. Kong.

All things considered, is it a great film on its own? It’s tough to say. There are a few issues with it, to be sure. The Jack Black casting, despite his unique brand of brilliance in a certain kind of performance, has always felt strange. And the film is inarguably too long. But it was, as one review called it at the time, a “showy, state-of-the-art popcorn movie” that was both “faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original” and “generously adrenalized with the best effects” money could buy at the time. That’s really the best way to think of it. Forget the flaws, and enjoy the ride.

Let’s hope Godzilla vs. Kong gives us more of the same.