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If you want to see a magnificent movie, be sure to take in King Kong. It is far superior to the previous versions (1933 and 1976,) and takes us into a world where beast and human bond with a passion that will touch your heart.

Director Peter Jackson, of Lord of the Rings fame, wisely follows the example of producers of Jaws. He doesn’t show Kong or any of the other creatures for over an hour into the film. In the meantime, the audience views soup kitchens and bread lines that remind us of the Dirty Thirties era.

The heroine, Ann Darrow, played by Naomi Watts and Jack Driscoll, played by Adrien Brody, find themselves aboard a tramp streamer that’s set a course for the South Seas. Driscoll is a playwright who’s accompanying a director who feels that Skull Island is the perfect setting for a blockbuster movie. Ann and Jack form a close friendship on the steamer, but not so close that it undermines the bond that is later formed between ape and human.

The next portion of the movie takes place on Skull Island and combines two storylines; that of Ann and Kong and another between the humans and other creatures. Amazing special effects draw us into the jungle where prehistoric creatures pursue humans over log bridges and gaping chasms. It is here that Kong snatches Ann and takes her to his lair high in the mountains.

Once there, Kong sets Ann down, roars, bares his teeth and pounds his chest. Instead of cowering in fright, Ann realizes that Kong is acting out the part of an alpha male. Though she doesn’t know how a female gorilla would react, she goes through a series of vaudeville stage routines, which impresses the huge gorilla.

From that moment on, Kong thinks of Ann as his and instinctively knows that it is his job to protect her. A defining moment in the film is when Kong and Ann silently share a magnificent sunset. The viewer instantly realizes that the two have formed a special bond and that Ann trusts Kong explicitly.

Ann’s friend, Jack Driscoll, climbs the mountain to rescue her. When he arrives at Kong’s lair, he finds Ann sitting comfortably in Kong’s giant palm. The movie progresses with Ann and Kong being pursued by giant bats, dinosaurs and other horrifying creatures, as well as the Army Air Corps. Kong is determined to protect Ann at all costs from the creatures and humans alike.

King Kong follows the storyline of both the 1933 and 1976 versions of the movie. However, Peter Jackson has made an adjustment in the relationship between Ann and Kong. The closeness of the two touches the hearts of the audience and gives us a glimpse of the bond that can exist between animal and human.

When Kong climbs the Empire State Building, Ann screams, not out of fear of the ape, but for the fear that her friend will be killed by a society that misunderstands him. King Kong is a magnificent movie with spectacular effects. It’s great entertainment that will remain a classic for years to come. Don’t miss it!

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