King Kong movie review

The movie kinda sucks. Sorry, I know every other review says its the greatest movie ever made. The truth is the movie is looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong. I like long movies (i watched the uncut version of hum apke hain kaun atleast 50 times). However, there is a difference between a movie being long because there is a genuine storyline, and a movie being long because the director is totally obsessed with the cinematic world that he has created and cannot distance himself enough from the movie to spare his audiences. King Kong falls into the latter category.

Over 60 minutes into the movie, theres still no monkey. Thats actually good for the movie, because the first hour is well taken. Depression era New York is captured brilliantly, and Naomi Watts luminously fills the screen (she is stunningly beautiful). A whole load of chills and thrills later, the monkey finally makes his grand entry.

And then the movie begins running in an endless loop - Angry monkey, yells at everyone, thumps his chest. Angry monkey kills people (not with his hands but pushes them off bridges into ravines and other heights). Angry monkey eats bamboo and looks like a sad hermit (not easy to sympathize with him though). Angry monkey plays with pretty blond girl and glances soulfully at her. Repeat cycle.

I waited eagerly to watch the movie for two big scenes - the final one where King kong climbs the empire state building and wrestles helicopters, and the one where king kong battles dinosaurs. Both scenes have been brilliantly taken, and remind you that no amount of dvds or ondemand movies can ever replace the big screen. And then, both the scenes never end. They go on and on and on and on .......

The final verdict - do watch the movie in the theater for sure. Only thing, before leaving, meditate for a few minutes, chant the word patience to yourself 20 times, take your friends along and sit in a secluded corner of the theater so that you can chat with them and play games on your cell phone to tide you through the boring scenes.

Peter Jackson - have you ever seen a person with the job title Editor?