What did you think of King Kong

[Morbid Angel]

Well last night me and my wife went to watch it, I was skeptical about it, she didnt want to watch it at all, but we came out stunned and loving it
Just shocking, I think around 95% of the movie has vfx in it, gotta give weta and Peter Jackson a bow... great job, I suggest to any one who loves a good story and fantastic vfx to watch it.

[ShaunDon]

Here here! I'm amazed at Jackson's skill for directing effects-laden films. I can't begin to comprehend the logistical and conceptual nightmare putting together a film that is 90% in-the-computer and still making it come out as a seamless and engrossing human experience. It's still story and character driven, which gives the visuals all the more impact. Compare that to George Lucas' abilities and it makes you want to cry.

A couple of us who went thought the shot of the freighter leaving New York harbor was the only shot that left something to be desired. My buddies complained the skyline and the freighter were poorly composed together, meanwhile I was seeing in the same shot some specular noise in the water on the left side of the frame. If I hadn't spent the week before watching it trying to squeeze grain out of my own animation, maybe I wouldn't have been so quick to spot it.

Shaun

p.s. -- one more prop to add: the final shot in the Empire State Building sequence where the camera spins slowly looking down the tower blew everyone I was with away. Absolutely stunning and gorgeous.

[vance3d]

I was pretty blown away by the kong animation. they really took the whole emotional tie between the ape and the girl to a level not seen in the original. I think they really pulled off the death of the cg character very well. It really seemed that one moment there was life in his eyes and the next moment there was not. the only thing that bothered me was compositing stuff. I think there were some moments when the lighting on the green screen actors just didn't fit with the cg environments.

I'd see it again if I weren't married and have two kids. tough to give up that kind of time. I will definitely BUY this on dvd when it comes out.

V Miller

[nvanherpt]

how to make 3 hours seem like 1 and a half! yeah, me and my wife were on the edge of our seats a bit. very emotional.

we were a bit speechless seeing one of NZ's most recognised theatres being demolished tho

got the game for xmas

[PixelJockey]

For the most part I really enjoyed the film. Kong was more developed as a character than in any previous version. I think his interaction and relationship with Ann Darrow was fairly believable. It was more about the type of love/bond you have for any animal like your pet dog, not the weird psudosexual/bestial relatiohship in the 1976 version. The CG elements were spectacular. The final battle on the Empire State Building was positively vertigous. The camera work on the planes really captured the sense of flight and the scale of the city. Can't wait to see it again.

A few complaints:

IMO there was tooo much back story. There was a lot of stuff going on that really didn't drive the story forward and delayed them getting to the island.

Tooooo much monster exposition on the island. By the time the giant insects started to attack I was thinking "okay, I get it, there are really big things on the island, can we be done now." And then when the giant bats attacked Kong I just didn't care anymore. They had lost their impact.

I didn't really get a sense of how Carl Denham (Jack Black) felt about Kong. I don't know if he felt any sense of remorse or regret about what he had done to Kong or to any of the others that perished during his island fiasco for that matter. Was he purely pathalogical? I'm not sure if it was the writing or Jack Blacks performance, but something just didn't click for me.

[cpnichols]

Pretty amazing effects, and considering I know a lot of people that worked on it, I am amazed how much they got done in so little time. Nonetheless, the movie could easily have one hour cut out of it, the fight scenes were too long and repetative, and I was a little disapointed in some of the compositing. The blacks did not match on many shots. But the close ups of kong were flawless and breathtaking. His animation worked amazingly well, but I did think they got a little sloppy on some of the fast moving action. I was 110% sold on the slow movement, and the subtle animation. With all that said, I still think they have a real shot that the Oscar... and they would diserve it.

[timmatron]

I know the special effects were great. But these days, thats to be expected, especially for big name films like this.

I honestly didn't really like it, and I don't think I am too too picky when it comes to movies. But I should have known better. I knew what was going to happen, so there weren't really any surprises. And even if I really like a movie, it is hard for me to watch it more than once. So even with some of the different plot twists and dazzling fx, I felt like it was nothing new.

Emotional? I don't think so. He was a big gorilla with a violent temper! And what, did she really think the world was supposed to understand what a gentle giant he was underneath his hard, hairy exterior? Some of the scenes between them were almost as corny as the ones between Sam and Frodo - but those were actually great films. Peter Jackson must be a sucker for those awkward moments where you know they are about to make out, but never do.

I did like the part where he faught off the dinosaurs, and broke open the rex's jaw. That was cool, and funny. But the rest of it just didn't do it for me.

And yeah it was 2x too long. But again, that was probably just my patience factor for a movie that I already knew the ending to. That and I think the other thing that drove me and my wife nuts was how freaking loud everyone else in the theater was. I've gotten so used to watching movies at home, my tolerance is almost zero for people with their rude talking and loud breathing and popcorn and candy wrappers flying all over the place. Home theaters are the way of the future.

And what was up with the demon-possesed island natives? A little over the top and unnecessary if you ask me.

I got down on Morbid about how negative he was about a movie one time, and at this moment I totally take back anything I ever said about that! I just wanted my money back for 3 hours of lost time.

"No, it's not the airplanes, it's beauty killed the beast" The nail in the coffin.

[DaForce]

Saw it last night... and WOW.

Really great movie... not without its problems but still they pale in comparison to the rest of its glory

I loved alot of the finer details like the little bits of forest litter in KK's fur.
Those large grasshoppers were brilliant!!

[skogskalle]

didnt think the movie was that good.... parts of it were great, but as cpnichols said they should have cut out about an hour. I actually fell asleep in the cinema watching it at one point

that said, I fully agree with you about the effects - absolutely brilliant! I mean, Kong is a huuuge CG monkey but acted just as good, if not better, than the real actors!