The film King Kong, directed by Peter Jackson and released in 2005, is a combination of action, drama, and adventure. It is a remake of the 1993 film King Kong. The cast includes Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and Adrien Brody. Notably, this version of King Kong holds the record for its extraordinary budget of 207 million dollars.
Despite its underperformance, King Kong managed to gross around 550 million dollars. The film received multiple awards, including Best Visual Effect, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing. Also, Peter Jackson himself was nominated for the esteemed Golden Globe Award for Best Director. Being recognized in this category is a great honor.
The story of the movie occurs in the 1930s and centers on a group of explorers and filmmakers who go on a journey to Skull Island. There, they unexpectedly encounter
...Kong, an enormous Gorilla. Throughout the film, Kong becomes infatuated with Ann Darrow (portrayed by Naomi Watts), one of the main characters. In 1933 New York City, Ann loses her job as an actress at a theater but coincidentally crosses paths with Carl Denham (played by Jack Black), a troubled filmmaker who happens to be searching for his movie's leading lady.
Despite Mr Denham's expertise in persuasion, she reluctantly declines his offer. However, the determined filmmaker refuses to give up. Ann changes her mind when she learns that her favorite playwright, Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), is the screenwriter. Carl Denham is willing to go to great lengths to achieve his desires, even leading his crew to a mysterious and slightly terrifying island inhabited by savages and monsters. With the authorities and creditors closing in, Mr Denham narrowly escapes o
a ship with his crew. Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) begins to doubt Denham's plans due to an arrest warrant against him.
Therefore, the captain decides to turn the ship around and go back, while doing so Skull Island comes into sight in the fog. Immediately after, the ship smashes into several rocks and runs aground. Carl sees this as an opportunity to explore the mysterious and hidden island and manages to persuade most of his crew to follow him. What initially appears to be a deserted place suddenly takes a drastic turn.
Many hostile inhabitants emerge from the caves where they have been hiding. Carl and his crew are assaulted, resulting in Mike, the sound technician, being impaled, one sailor having his head bashed in, and Jack being beaten by a group of savages. They hastily retreat to the stranded ship, attempting to escape. Shortly after, Jack discovers that Ann has been captured by the natives, leading to their return to the desolate island. On Skull Island, Ann is offered as a sacrifice to a colossal gorilla named Kong. She hangs from a balcony on the wall's side, and when the crew arrives heavily armed, it is already too late as Kong has taken Ann into the vast jungle. Henceforth, the story unfolds as an exhilarating adventure.
The crew is so desperate to find Ann and bring her back that they venture into the jungle. Along their journey, they encounter numerous hazardous obstacles. They also encounter various beasts, better known as dinosaurs, resulting in the death of a few sailors. Meanwhile, Ann attempts to amuse the enormous gorilla by juggling and dancing. Eventually, after a prolonged period, the
crew locates Ann and successfully brings her back to the ship.
Kong refuses to give up Ann without a fight, even though he is outnumbered by other dinosaurs. As the crew travels back to the ship in small boats, Kong suddenly appears in a furious rage, roaring so loudly that it sends chills down your spine. This presents an opportunity for Carl to capture Kong, as he tries to reclaim Ann.
Using a large bottle of chloroform, he successfully incapacitates the massive gorilla. In New York during the Christmas season, Carl showcases the colossal creature in a Broadway production titled "the Eighth Wonder of the World". The show features Baxter and a restrained Kong, depicting the scene where the natives originally sacrifice Ann to Kong. However, in this performance, Ann's role is performed by a doppelganger.
The actions of the photographers enrage Kong, leading to him breaking free from his chains. As a result, the panic-stricken crowd tries to flee. Kong recognizes Jack and chases him through the town, eventually encountering Ann once more.
Kong seizes Ann, fleeing with her into Central Park. In this peaceful interlude, they share a moment before the army assaults the beast. As a consequence, Kong ascends the Empire State Building with Ann in tow. Despite being attacked by multiple military planes, he succeeds in destroying three of them. In a final glance towards Ann, the colossal creature plummets from the building, meeting his demise due to relentless volleys of gunfire from the remaining planes.
Immediately after, Jack appears and the woman falls into his arms. A crowd of people gather around Kong's lifeless body, capturing pictures. Just a few moments later, Carl arrives and
concludes the film with the line "It wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast." The actors surpassed my expectations greatly.
Jack, known for his comedic roles, pleasantly surprised me with his successful portrayal of a serious and emotionally charged character. I had high expectations for the film King Kong due to its global recognition and accolades, and fortunately, it did not disappoint. The film's title holds significance as Carl names the captured giant gorilla Kong.
The reason for King's name is that he was seen as a ruler in the jungle where he lived, possibly because of his immense size which made him resemble the king of all gorillas. The film indicates that the story occurs in a distant past, aiming to convey this information to viewers. In the last scene, Carl Denham approaches Kong's motionless body and expresses sorrow. While a reporter attributes Kong's death to the planes, Carl disagrees and declares, "It wasn't the planes that caused his demise. It was Beauty that led to the Beast's downfall."
It is odd to me that Denham has focused entirely on his own desires and ambitions of becoming a famous film director throughout the entire film, without showing any concern for Kong. It is possible that this moment served as a revelation or a realization for Denham, prompting him to understand the importance of showing respect to others. Alternatively, he may have only said these words because he believed they would make for a catchy headline in tomorrow's newspaper. Given his communication with a journalist and the cliche nature of his statement, this interpretation is also plausible.
Peter Jackson incorporated a variety of film techniques in his
movie, particularly in crucial moments. One such noteworthy scene is when Ann emerges following Kong's pursuit of Jack throughout town. Utilizing a shifting camera angle from a wide shot to a closer angle, the focus shifts onto Ann while the surroundings dim and blur. This deliberate effect aims to divert more attention to the central character. Additionally, Jackson employs a tranquil, serene soundtrack with a hint of romance in this particular scene. Presumably, this choice further heightens the tension and connection between Kong and Ann.
Ann exudes a divine aura and dons a white dress, implying her innocence and peaceful nature. Throughout the film, the director employs a multitude of camera angles, soundtracks, and other techniques. Notably, the key scenes prominently feature sound effects, music, and diverse camera angles. These elements serve to establish a specific ambiance and elevate the overall quality of the film. Peter Jackson, for example, incorporates long shots, medium shots, tracking shots, reverse shots, and subjective shots abundantly.
Close ups are often used in this film, which lasted about 3 hours but was highly entertaining. I never got bored at any point, thanks to the constant excitement and tension that kept me firmly seated throughout. Peter Jackson has once again created a masterpiece, making this film a must-see.
It is certainly worthy of a place in someone's movie collection.
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