Discuss this film in the Oscars group!
Now that this shameless plug is out of the way, I'll reiterate some of what I said there. I borrowed this from my co-worker too. Good Golly! What a cure for insomnia. I watched part of it one time on Easter, but I had missed the first hour, and was full on pork roast and mashed potatoes, so I feel asleep somewhere in hour 2 and woke up just in time for Kong to make his stage debut and great escape into 1920's Manhattan. I decided I would watch it all the way through and give it a chance because I have nothing for the greatest respect for Peter Jackson after he turned my beloved Lord of the Rings into such a grand series of movies.
But this! I mean, it was long. And boring. It had its moments. The attention to detail was outstanding, from NYC in the 20's to the Skull Island inhabitants of any type. Pete's horror background came in handy with creepy crawlies galore and big scary dinosaurs. There were also touching moments of interspecies romance between Kong and Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), the actress who befriends the great obsessed ape.
I couldn't make it through time #2 without stopping and restarting later, though. It is so long. And, frankly, I've Seen This Movie Too. Twice before. The old one was shorter and actually set in its present day time period and was tighter and somewhat of a marvel for the year it was made (1933). The 80s one was good and cheesy and probably worse than this one but still. This is the third time, and I just wasn't as compelled by it. I couldn't get into the story at all this time out.
The effects teams deserved their Oscars, though. It was a visual spectacle and probably would've been better had I seen it in the theater with the big sights and sounds.
Yet, it fell short for me.
The rating? I'm giving it a generous 8 out of 10. I don't think the work of the film is shaky, but it has one major flaw: overblown length almost to pretentiousness. I probably would have been more impressed with a tighter, shorter movie. Some people like it, though, so 8 it is. (Usually means minor flaws but otherwise very good; I'm tweaking it this time to say one major flaw but otherwise a respectable movie).
The test: will she be buying it? The answer: isn't it obvious? I have not been able to sit through it awake even once out of the two times I've seen it. Pay money and try for a third? That would be just plain monkey business.