"King Kong" - monkey talk and movie talk - Page 4

Alex · 12-14-2005, 07:37 PM

Saw it today.

It is a good movie. The first act (the one I've seen most questioned in the reviews) worked very well for me. The last act (back in New York City) also was wonderful. The middle act (on Skull Island) was very hit and miss.

The Kong-Tyrannosaur fight was very well done. But most of the other action set pieces tended towards stupid. The dinosaur stampede (I've not put this in spoilers because I saw all of them mentioned openly in the press covrerage) has been lauded in most of the reviews I've read but it really didn't work for me.

As long as there were no people in the picture with the dinosaurs they looked fine. But whenver they were together it looked really crappy. Most of them could have been cut and I don't think it would have hurt the story at all.

Jackson made one horrible mistake, in my opinion, that is just such a lapse of judgment that I have to wonder if he showed up to work drunk that day. It is really minor but it totally took me out of the moment when it happened. This I will put in a spoiler.

Spoiler:

Once everybody is back in New York City though, it really turns into a movie with substance. The extra characterization (particularly of Ann Darrow and King Kong) gives their bond real emotional heft that is missing in the original.

I was always suspicious of the casting of Jack Black. I just don't think he is much of an actor (though he is good at slapstick). He grows into the role a bit but early on he isn't very good and just can't stop with the weird facial expressions he does.

Oh, and the damn village still has a King Kong sized gate built into it. Which makes absolutely no sense. I know why it has to be there from the filmmakers point of view but it is just so incongruous (particularly in the form the fortifications take in this version).

Oh well. Still a very fun and entertaining three hours even with the missteps.

I think it will do boffo the first couple weeks but I wonder if it will have legs
like Titanic (a comparison I've seen for box office projections). At my showing, when the movie ended everybody immediately stood up and started leaving. No applause, no lingering to think about it or watch the credits. My feeling was a crowd that had been entertained but not moved.

€uroMeinke · 12-15-2005, 09:12 AM

Our audience applauded. But I agree with your assesment. I enjoyed the film and having taken the pracaution of peeing before entering the theater, I barely noticed the length. I'm not terribly fond of Jack Black either, but he seemed suited to play the role.

Skull Island was week for me in the over the top CGI effects - I can appreciate the genre but some of the stunts just made me unsuspend my disbelief for a few moments to allow the words "fake" and "Oy" to flow through my mind in much the same way the final battle did in Return of the King.

I love this version of Kong, and while I was prepared to scoff at it for trying to remake a classic, I think they did a good job and added a more interesting dimension to the film, a welcome addition to the genre.

Cadaverous Pallor · 12-15-2005, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Um, I don't think he's thinking snack.

Though if you change the "n" in that word to an "m," you might be within the same genre of why the car trips are desired.

Pssh! Do I have to put everything in quotes to make it sound right??

I meant "snacks" as in "homebaked with a special ingredient". I'm offended by iSm making me look dumber than I am

Not Afraid · 12-15-2005, 10:47 AM

While there were some serious things I disliked about the film, I was entertained throughout. The things that made me roll my eyes and return to the reality of the theater were:

The stupid snipits of "father/son" talks between Mr. Hayes and Jimmy.
The obvious CGI fakery throughout. The dinosaur stampeed, the Kong/row boat scene, Kong with tiny floppy Ann in his hand, etc. I hate it that CGI is not perfected yet and it takes me, the viewer, out of the film and into reality. Somehow, the Claymation Sinbad films kept coming to mind. It's just very distracting to me.
While Jack Black is irritating, he could've been worse. He's an actor I really hate to watch. He's always so over the top distracting in the same way Jim Carrey is. But, either I got used to him by the end or I was just distraced by Adrien Brody.

I didn't feel terribly emotional at the end, which surprised me. The film had the potential to really toy with my emotions, but the only strong emotion I felt was one of eye-covering fear with both the bugs and the Kong/Rex scene - and even that ended up so over the top that I could watch.

Naomi Watts was really good. There was too many shots of her open-mouthed wonder for my taste but it's hard when all you have is facial expressions to convery your feelings.

Adrien Brody was HOT! OMG, I'd see the film again just for him and his character. The intellectual writer who ends up being the real hero was just too sexy for me. So, I was happy with the eye candy portion of the film.

I didn't notice the length at all, so I was obviously entertained. These BIG action films are not usually a must-see genre for me and, while I didn't love the film, it was fun and entertaining for the most part. I certainly didn't hate is - except I could do without the bugs.

CoasterMatt · 12-15-2005, 11:29 AM

I totally dig the bugs

Not Afraid · 12-15-2005, 11:34 AM

:shudder:

Alex · 12-15-2005, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Adrien Brody was HOT!

I must admit I was suprised at just how cut he is, as shown when seen coming out from the shower.

I think of him as more the scrawny type.

Not Afraid · 12-15-2005, 03:27 PM

Yes, I've been swooning over that view all day long.

Hey, Alex, wanna have a threesome - you, me and Adrien?

Not Afraid · 12-15-2005, 04:12 PM

Oh, and for Commodore Toot: Jimmy was played by Jamie Bell who was also Billy Elliott. And, he's actually over 18 now!

flippyshark · 12-15-2005, 09:28 PM

Just a quick thumbnail from me. (I just got back from seeing it.)

TOO LONG!

Yes, I really enjoyed it, but I was exhausted by it, especially the whole Skull Island section. I think I would have been quite moved by the finale in New York, but I was just so tired out by the non-stop barrage that I was a little anxious for it to be over. I think I will like this movie more when I can watch it in sections on DVD. (Heck, chances are it will be even longer by then!)

I have always loved the Kong character, in the original movie, in the cheap Japanese epics, the TV cartoon, even the 70's remake. This version of Kong really does top them all. Just amazing. Even if the movie gave me a headache, Kong won me over all by his big hairy self. I'll probably go back in a week or two just to watch him.

In general, others have said here what I thought about the rest of the movie.

12-14-2005, 07:37 PM	#31
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Saw it today. It is a good movie. The first act (the one I've seen most questioned in the reviews) worked very well for me. The last act (back in New York City) also was wonderful. The middle act (on Skull Island) was very hit and miss. The Kong-Tyrannosaur fight was very well done. But most of the other action set pieces tended towards stupid. The dinosaur stampede (I've not put this in spoilers because I saw all of them mentioned openly in the press covrerage) has been lauded in most of the reviews I've read but it really didn't work for me. As long as there were no people in the picture with the dinosaurs they looked fine. But whenver they were together it looked really crappy. Most of them could have been cut and I don't think it would have hurt the story at all. Jackson made one horrible mistake, in my opinion, that is just such a lapse of judgment that I have to wonder if he showed up to work drunk that day. It is really minor but it totally took me out of the moment when it happened. This I will put in a spoiler. Spoiler: In the dinosaur stampede, the search party is overtaken and the dinosaurs are stampeding around them, over them, and occasionally on them. This part with them running among the dinosaur legs looks horribly fake, but then there is a split second when you see Lumpy (Andy Serkis's human role) running and taking drags off his everpresent cigarette. Sure, mildly funny but not at all keeping with the otherwise serious and dramatic sequence. Once everybody is back in New York City though, it really turns into a movie with substance. The extra characterization (particularly of Ann Darrow and King Kong) gives their bond real emotional heft that is missing in the original. I was always suspicious of the casting of Jack Black. I just don't think he is much of an actor (though he is good at slapstick). He grows into the role a bit but early on he isn't very good and just can't stop with the weird facial expressions he does. Oh, and the damn village still has a King Kong sized gate built into it. Which makes absolutely no sense. I know why it has to be there from the filmmakers point of view but it is just so incongruous (particularly in the form the fortifications take in this version). Oh well. Still a very fun and entertaining three hours even with the missteps. I think it will do boffo the first couple weeks but I wonder if it will have legs like Titanic (a comparison I've seen for box office projections). At my showing, when the movie ended everybody immediately stood up and started leaving. No applause, no lingering to think about it or watch the credits. My feeling was a crowd that had been entertained but not moved.
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12-15-2005, 09:12 AM	#32
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	Our audience applauded. But I agree with your assesment. I enjoyed the film and having taken the pracaution of peeing before entering the theater, I barely noticed the length. I'm not terribly fond of Jack Black either, but he seemed suited to play the role. Skull Island was week for me in the over the top CGI effects - I can appreciate the genre but some of the stunts just made me unsuspend my disbelief for a few moments to allow the words "fake" and "Oy" to flow through my mind in much the same way the final battle did in Return of the King. I love this version of Kong, and while I was prepared to scoff at it for trying to remake a classic, I think they did a good job and added a more interesting dimension to the film, a welcome addition to the genre. __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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12-15-2005, 10:47 AM	#34
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	While there were some serious things I disliked about the film, I was entertained throughout. The things that made me roll my eyes and return to the reality of the theater were: The stupid snipits of "father/son" talks between Mr. Hayes and Jimmy. The obvious CGI fakery throughout. The dinosaur stampeed, the Kong/row boat scene, Kong with tiny floppy Ann in his hand, etc. I hate it that CGI is not perfected yet and it takes me, the viewer, out of the film and into reality. Somehow, the Claymation Sinbad films kept coming to mind. It's just very distracting to me. While Jack Black is irritating, he could've been worse. He's an actor I really hate to watch. He's always so over the top distracting in the same way Jim Carrey is. But, either I got used to him by the end or I was just distraced by Adrien Brody. I didn't feel terribly emotional at the end, which surprised me. The film had the potential to really toy with my emotions, but the only strong emotion I felt was one of eye-covering fear with both the bugs and the Kong/Rex scene - and even that ended up so over the top that I could watch. Naomi Watts was really good. There was too many shots of her open-mouthed wonder for my taste but it's hard when all you have is facial expressions to convery your feelings. Adrien Brody was HOT! OMG, I'd see the film again just for him and his character. The intellectual writer who ends up being the real hero was just too sexy for me. So, I was happy with the eye candy portion of the film. I didn't notice the length at all, so I was obviously entertained. These BIG action films are not usually a must-see genre for me and, while I didn't love the film, it was fun and entertaining for the most part. I certainly didn't hate is - except I could do without the bugs.
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12-15-2005, 11:29 AM	#35
CoasterMatt BRAAAAAAAINS! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: One Step Beyond... Posts: 8,802	I totally dig the bugs __________________ Do you like my photography? Visit photosbymatt.tumblr.com to purchase prints!
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12-15-2005, 11:34 AM	#36
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	:shudder:
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12-15-2005, 03:27 PM	#38
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Yes, I've been swooning over that view all day long. Hey, Alex, wanna have a threesome - you, me and Adrien?
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12-15-2005, 04:12 PM	#39
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Oh, and for Commodore Toot: Jimmy was played by Jamie Bell who was also Billy Elliott. And, he's actually over 18 now!
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12-15-2005, 09:28 PM	#40
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	Just a quick thumbnail from me. (I just got back from seeing it.) TOO LONG! Yes, I really enjoyed it, but I was exhausted by it, especially the whole Skull Island section. I think I would have been quite moved by the finale in New York, but I was just so tired out by the non-stop barrage that I was a little anxious for it to be over. I think I will like this movie more when I can watch it in sections on DVD. (Heck, chances are it will be even longer by then!) I have always loved the Kong character, in the original movie, in the cheap Japanese epics, the TV cartoon, even the 70's remake. This version of Kong really does top them all. Just amazing. Even if the movie gave me a headache, Kong won me over all by his big hairy self. I'll probably go back in a week or two just to watch him. In general, others have said here what I thought about the rest of the movie.
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