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—— A Green Story
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—— After Earth May 31
—— Now You See Me May 31
88% The East May 31
100% The Kings of Summer May 31

King Kong (2005)

tomatometer

84

Average Rating: 7.7/10
Reviews Counted: 257
Fresh: 215 | Rotten: 42

Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is a potent epic that's faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.

80

Average Rating: 7.6/10
Critic Reviews: 45
Fresh: 36 | Rotten: 9

Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is a potent epic that's faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.

audience

52

liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 32,176,971

My Rating

Movie Info

One of the greatest adventure stories in Hollywood history gets a new interpretation in this action drama from Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson. In the early 1930s, Carl Denham (Jack Black) is a daring filmmaker and adventurer who has gained a reputation for his pictures documenting wildlife in remote and dangerous jungle lands; despite the objections of his backers, Denham plans to film his next project aboard an ocean vessel en route to Skull Island, an uncharted island he

Mar 28, 2006

$218.1M

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All Critics (258) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (227) | Rotten (43) | DVD (45)

It clocks in at over three hours, but Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic is gripping nonetheless.

May 29, 2011 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It takes a while to get everybody to Skull Island, about 70 minutes, but it's time extremely well-spent.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: NPR.org
NPR.org
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Kong is a showy, state-of-the-art popcorn movie, faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original but generously adrenalized with the best effects money can buy.

November 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Newsweek
Newsweek
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Our response to the ape's doom, once touched by authentic tragedy, is now marked by relief that this wretchedly excessive movie is finally over.

December 16, 2005 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | Comments (4)
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Kong has heart, and he's willing to show it in a movie made with wit, excitement and moments of visionary beauty.

December 16, 2005
Denver Rocky Mountain News
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Jackson took a huge risk with King Kong. But the movie that no film lover wanted him to make is sure to become the blockbuster that everyone is going to want to see, and with good reason.

December 14, 2005 Full Review Source: Toronto Star
Toronto Star
Top Critic IconTop Critic

As it is a remake, it doesn't have the shock Lord Of The Rings possessed upon its release, but this is a beautiful beast of a B-movie, thrilling and touching.

May 29, 2011 Full Review Source: Film4
Film4

The movie is a good cautionary example of what happens when its maker is too close to the material, who can't see the forest for the trees, the story for the ape.

August 17, 2010 Full Review Source: Cinema Writer
Cinema Writer

Fails to match the simple, handmade artistry of the original

August 30, 2009 Full Review Source: CinePassion | Comments (9)
CinePassion

With great computer imagery, a fun story, amazing action, and wonderful human drama, it's a very good remake. But Kong 1933 is still King, baby.

April 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed
Cinema Crazed

Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic is a loving homage that recreates and updates many of the familiar sequences... Unfortunately, the recreation leaves one wondering what, exactly, the point of the film is, other than indulging the director...

January 20, 2009 Full Review Source: ESplatter | Comments (15)
ESplatter

Every now and then, an undertaking like Kong comes around, and it underscores the truly extraordinary accomplishment of directing a film.

November 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Hollywood.com
Hollywood.com

Kong is not without its flaws, but sometimes you just have to throw your hands up in the air, wave them like you just don't care, scream at the top of your lungs and just go with the rollercoaster ride, that's what this film is.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Eclipse Magazine
Eclipse Magazine

Boisterous, spectacular remake of 1933 classic.

July 16, 2008 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

Overlong by half, hedonistically animated and decadently self-indulgent King Kong is beastly to be sure, but there is little beauty here.

February 28, 2008 Full Review Source: BrandonFibbs.com
BrandonFibbs.com

A bit more time in the editing room could've lifted it into great blockbuster territory. instead we've got a sporadically entertaining escapade that never captures our hearts like it so desperately wants too.

January 15, 2008 Full Review Source: Dark Horizons
Dark Horizons

I wish Jackson would shake off his addiction to gigantism, his apparent need to punch everything up three times as much as it needs to be.

August 4, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comments (2)
eFilmCritic.com

Mr. Jackson not only improves on the original, he somehow seems to create the film that King Kong was always meant to be.

July 14, 2007 Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound
Big Picture Big Sound

funny, frightening, romantic, nostalgic, moving and grimly fatalistic, it races along, like its central character, with a speed and grace that utterly belies its great size.

July 10, 2007 Full Review Source: Eye for Film
Eye for Film

A phenomenal popcorn movie that eclipses the original in several respects, but inevitably owes a huge debt to the powerful imagery and innovation of the 1930s landmark.

February 22, 2007 Full Review Source: Film Journal International
Film Journal International

Audience Reviews for King Kong

From the very start i need to say that no one would have done this film better than Peter Jackson. King Kong is clearly a labour of love for him. You can easily leave your brains out from this one, but technically this film is a wonder. I have not seen such a breathtaking adventure-film, which King Kong is, that often in my life. It is like a wave of brilliant set-pieces full of imagination and wonder.
Jackson wisely builds the brooding mood for the first hour, but once the things get really going, it never stops. Sure the whole idea of giant gorilla somewhere in the heart of the lost island, is nothing more than a complete fantasy, but if you are willing to go with the story, then you are in for a wild ride. And let me tell you, this ain't nothing like those other big budgeted Hollywood-trash flicks like Transformers, Independence Day or Godzilla. Those films had nothing in them. Peter Jackson instead has a vision as a director and with lenser Andrew Lesnie, he creates a magical, haunting and even nightmarish images of a lost world and the creatures it hides.
It takes a true talent to adapt screenplay this ambitious to a big screen without any problems, but ultimately Jackson and his team mostly succeeds in that task. There are few things to complain here, but overall can you really ask a more entertaining film than this? I think not.
If there is a part in you that loved those old adventure films which took you away to a another world when you were a child then this film will take your breath away. Forget Jackson's uneven and overrated Lord of the Rings-trilogy, this is his most accomplished film along his The Hobbit: Unexpected Journey, so far.
May 9, 2009
emilkakko

Super Reviewer

The film is visually, almost like a revolution. However, because of the length, most people won't appreciate this and worry about when the film ends. The film does have great performances from Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Jack Black. But the real focus should be Andy Serkis, who portrays as the cook and Kong. The infamous Insect pit is very intense and may most likely disturb children or those not comfortable with bugs.
November 21, 2011
Samuel Riley
Samuel Riley

Super Reviewer

    1. Carl Denham: Oh, no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast.
    – Submitted by Dutch E (2 months ago)
    1. Carl Denham: Fay's a size four.
    2. Preston: Yes, she is, but she's doing a picture with RKO.
    3. Carl Denham: Cooper, huh? I might've known.
    – Submitted by Francis L (10 months ago)
    1. Carl Denham: Bring the tripod and all of the film.
    2. Herbert: Want to switch to the six-inch lens?
    3. Carl Denham: [considering Kong, who only he has seen] The wide-angle will do just fine.
    – Submitted by Francis L (10 months ago)
    1. Lumpy the Cook: [seeing a footprint that Kong has left] There's only one creature capable of leaving a footprint that size. The Abominable Snowman.
    – Submitted by Francis L (10 months ago)
    1. Hayes: We could not understand because we were too far and could not remember because we were traveling in the night of first ages, of those ages that are gone, leaving hardly a sign - and no memories. We are accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster, but there - there you could look at a thing monstrous and free.
    – Submitted by ethan t (10 months ago)
    1. Carl Denham: I keep telling you, Jack, there's no money in theater. That's why you should stick with film.
    2. Jack Driscoll: No Carl, it's not about the money. I love theater.
    3. Carl Denham: No you don't. If you really loved it, you would've jumped.
    – Submitted by Sean M (11 months ago)

Discussion Forum

Topic Last Post Replies
Better or worse than original (question 2:better or worse than 1976 version?) 38 days ago 7

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Foreign Titles

  • King Kong (DE)
  • King Kong (UK)
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