Reviewers go ape over movie

International movie critics were going ape last night over Peter Jackson's re-make of King Kong after it had its world premiere in New York.

The NBC Universal movie featured on 38 screens in two 42nd St theatres before a red-carpet party in Times Square. It will begin screening around the world on December 14-15.

Early reviews of the US$207 million ($294 million) film described it as a surprisingly tender, even heartbreaking, tale of beauty and the beast.

Daily Mail

Baz Bamigboye in Britain's Daily Mail applied Jackson's own description of Merian Cooper's original 1933 classic as "a wonderful blend - probably the most perfect blend - of escapism and adventure, mystery and romance".

The reviewer described it as "jaw-droppingly brilliant: the most entertaining blockbuster movie this year".

Another Mail reviewer, Chris Tookey, said Jackson's epic would reward audiences with "magnificent spectacle, terrific action, a droll sense of humour, and cherishable performances".

However, Tookey said that the three-hour-long movie allowed too much unnecessary detail to accumulate that failed to do much except slow things.

"And some of the action sequences, including the famous Empire State Building finale, play just that bit too long. By the end, I was willing the title character to die".

Daily Telegraph

John Hiscock reported for the British newspaper that the film "could legitimately be described as the most thrilling B-grade movie of all time".

"Hokey and cliched in parts, thrilling and dramatic at other times, King Kong is reminiscent of both Jurassic Park and Titanic," he said. "And like those two record-setting epics, it is certain to be a huge hit."

Hiscock said that while the special effects and visual stunts made for some spellbinding moments, particularly those involving Kong, "the film lacks the cohesion and character development needed to make it a totally satisfying experience".

The Independent

Geoffrey Macnab of the Independent in Britain wondered whether - even with Jackson putting in a lot of his own money to cover the US$32 million ($45.5 million) cost over-run from the original budget of US$175 million - it can earn enough at the box office.

"Even with Jackson opening his cheque book, King Kong remains a monumental risk," he said.

"Once the marketing costs are thrown in, one guesses the film will have to gross well over US$600 million worldwide to be judged a success".

* The Herald's entertainment editor Russell Baillie described the film as a brazenly exciting three hours which reminded viewers of "how big movies can be and still be beautiful". He gave it five stars out of five.

- NZPA