It’s 2011 and a virus has wiped out almost all of the earth’s population and pretty much all of the movie critics as well. Alright, so this one isn’t really all that bad if you’re a devotee of the animated series that ran on MTV in the 90’s.

The remaining inhabitants are under the auspices of Dr. Goodchild (Marton Csokas) who has found a cure for the virus. They live in the utopian city of Bregna, the last city on earth where, as anyone who lives in any city at any time in this country knows, is a breeding ground for sin and corruption of all manner and type. And of course, rebelling against all this corruption and sin are the holier than anybody else Monicans and their warrior supreme, Aeon Flux. Once our intrepid heroine is ordered to kill Dr. Goodchild, she immerses herself into Bregna and discovers the awesome truth behind the city.

Ok, so half the plots of Star Trek are more complicated and believable than this one. But none of those other movies have Charlize Theron parading around in what looks like 21st Century bondage wear.

I was especially disappointed in the direction of Karyn Kusama who made the wonderfully inventive and heartfelt “Girlfight” in 2000 and I guess it was the lure of the paycheck and the moviemaking on such a level that threw her a curve of monstrous proportions. She literally was in over her head and it remains my firm belief that if the studio had cut her budget in half she would have come up with twice as good a movie. But that could just be me.

I like mindless action adventure fun in my movies and there really doesn’t have to be all that much plot to be satisfying. Take for example “Armageddon”. Really nothing special in the heart and soul and characterization departments but overall it works. And overall this one really doesn’t.

It’s more similar to Vin Diesle’s Chronicles of Riddick than Armageddon – great sets, great costumes, pretty good CGI going on and yet, somehow the whole thing just really doesn’t gel. Charlize is in over her head along with Karyn Kusama but she looks really lovely. Pete Postlethwaite on the other hand looks like an ad for a candy bar rather than a serious actor.

The ultimate error in judgment on the parts of everyone involved with this movie is that they assumed that the audience would be familiar with the story line, the characters and the series in general. This assumption leaves anyone entering the theater who is unfamiliar with the series in a state of wonder trying to figure out what the heck is going on and why people are acting the way that they do. If they wanted to appeal only to the people who had seen the show, they accomplished that. Anyone else will be literally left in the dark.

Please add your comments as to what you thought about the movie. Let me know whether you’ve seen the show.

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!

Please share your thoughts on King Kong by adding a comment.