Genre: Drama, Monsters
Tagline: The eighth wonder of the world.
Plot: It is 1933, and vaudeville actress Ann Darrow (NAOMI WATTS) has found herself—like so many other New Yorkers during the Great Depression—without the means to earn a living. Unwilling to compromise and allow herself to sink into a career in burlesque, she considers her limited options while aimlessly wandering the streets of Manhattan. When her hunger drives her to unsuccessfully try to steal an apple from a fruit vendor’s stall, she is rescued—literally— by filmmaker and multiple hyphenate Carl Denham (JACK BLACK).It seems that the entrepreneur-raconteur-adventurer is no stranger to theft, having that day lifted the only existing print of his most recent and unfinished film from under his studio executives’ noses when they threatened to pull his completion funds. Carl has until the end of the day to get his crew onboard the Singapore-bound tramp steamer, the S.S. Venture, in hopes of completing his travelogue/action film. With that, the showman is certain he will finally achieve the personal greatness he knows awaits him around the corner…and although the crew believe that corner to be Singapore, Denham actually hopes to find and capture on film the mysterious place of legend: Skull Island. Unfortunately for Carl, his headlining actress has pulled out of his project, but his
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 There's no cage strong enough for the sheer brute strength of Jackson's movie, a muscularity matched by its ingenuous love for the great beast himself. Like his tiny blonde worshipper, you will be in the palm of his hand.--Peter Bradshaw
The result is a surprisingly involving and rather beautiful movie -- one that will appeal strongly to the primary action audience, and also cross over to people who have no plans to see "King Kong" but will change their minds the more they hear...This isone of the year's best films.  --Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
Like "The Lord of the Rings" series, "King Kong" harbors a certain appeal for family audiences, but, also like Jackson's previous films, is in many ways a very adult movie.-- (Boxoffice Magazine)
Tampering with classics is a risky business. Peter Jackson recognized a valid reason for doing so and went for it with film geek gusto. His film is a marvelous entertainment, a great big thumping movie-movie that stands beside, all the while honoring, the greatness of the original. A-,A---Robin and Laura Clifford
Does this improve on 1933 version that has become a classic? Visually, and how! But there is still something about the simplicity, innocence and excitement of the primitive but pioneering special effects that in a way makes the old film less encumbered fun. Still, the new "King Kong" is an overwhelming, eye-popping sight. A Universal Pictures release.--William Wolf
If there's one thing that is clear to me, it's that even though this stunningly gorgeous and well-crafted film comes so beautifully gift wrapped, when one opens the package there's not a lyrical thing about this sappy adventure tale to savor...--Dennis Schwartz
Despite its forgivable flaws, Kong is a breathtaking epic.  --Tyler Hanley
This King Kong comes right at you with his heady mythic allure, and just like his rampage across Manhattan he fairly stomps on the competition.  --Anthony Quinn (The Independent)
King Kong is a hugely enjoyable, eye-popping movie that pushes all the right buttons. If they could only have been as bold in the editing as they were in the making, it would be without doubt the film of the year. The only problem with Kong is there's just too much of him. --Simon Guerrier (FilmFocus.co.uk)
One word of warning: you may want to skip the soda before and during “King Kong” because you will absolutely not want to miss one minute of this film. “King Kong” is without a doubt the movie event of the decade. It may be pushing it to call “King Kong” a masterpiece, but it is a movie that will stand the test of time and one that Jackson can compare with pride to the original. A--Rebecca Murray (About.com)
You can keep the bloated budget, screeching soundtrack, and endless subplots; I’ll take 100 minutes and a stop-motion puppet any day over this.  --Brian Orndorf (eFilmCritic.com)
It is such an impressive achievement on virtually every level–it is funny, sweet, scary, thrilling and contains the kind of honestly tear-jerking finale that will melt even the hardest of hearts–that I can see how it might inspire a whole new wave of future filmmakers all by itself.  --Peter Sobczynski (eFilmCritic.com)
And as we expected from a man who so loved the original, Jackson allows the compassionate love story to punch through the digital spectacle and provide a colossal holiday treat, one that's technologically mind-blowing yet heartwarmingly endearing.--Frank Wilkins
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| Written by |
Frances Walsh
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King |
 | Philippa Boyens
The 76th Annual Academy Awards, The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings', Ringers: Lord of the Fans |
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| Cast |
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 | Colin Hanks
Orange County, Get Over It, Whatever It Takes |
 | Andy Serkis
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King |
 | Jamie Bell
Billy Elliot, Deathwatch, Nicholas Nickleby |
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| Music By |
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 | Mel Wesson
Mission: Impossible II, Black Hawk Down, Hannibal |
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| But to be fair, I suspect Jackson would say exactly the same thing, and those unfamiliar with the first film – or those that have a problem with its more dated aspects – will love this full-blooded, roaring beast of a blockbuster. --Daniel Auty
Gravely wounded, he sits atop the skyscraper, sunlight beginning to streak the morning sky. The great gargoyle raises his fist to his breast, as if to pound it one last time, then stops. Kong touches his hand to his heart, his broken heart. Beautiful. --Bruce Newman
With a superb cast, terrific special effects and stunning action sequences, this is one of the best films of the year - thrilling, awe-inspiring and genuinely moving. --Matthew Turner (ViewLondon)
“King Kong” should absolutely be seen on the big screen. Jackson, after all, went for the brass ring the way that few directors do, and despite his less than perfect results, there is far more to like about “Kong” than there is to decry.  -- (Bullz-eye.com)
Peter Jackson has taken the cinematic treasure that inspired him as a child and has turned it into the most improbable spectacle: a remake that works better than the original and is as revolutionary as the original was. That's no short order, but for Peter Jackson, it's just another day at the office.--Dennis Willis
The sequence borders on the cornball but rises above it by sheer old-fashioned Hollywood chutzpah. Watching it, you want to laugh but the awful lump already forming in your throat won’t let you: You know how it all ends. --Marc Savlov (Austin Chronicle)
Regardless of these minor flaws, King Kong is amazingly fun. None of its problems come close to the incredible things it gets right. The special effects are stunning, the characters all are rich with detail and depth, and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat regardless of the fact that you will most likely know exactly how it is going to end. --Michael Sheridan (Tailslate.net)
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