Kong By Michelle Dee

Visually stunning. Terrific pace. Jackson winds up the tension to breaking point and never lets you go till the final frame. This is what you would expect from a Christmas Blockbuster, but this reworking of the original King Kong film, has so much more than the usual thrills and spills. Naomi Watts is very striking to say the least and the ill-fated love between her character Anne Darrow and Kong is realistically portrayed.

After over a decade of working on smaller film projects the Aussie/Brit actress found critical acclaim in David Lynch's Mullholland Drive. Then Naomi took the lead in the Gore Verbinski remake of classic Japanese horror The Ring in 2002. She carries the movie as effortlessly as her beloved ape carries her. Her performance is heartbreakingly honest and the viewer can't help but relate to her impossible predicament. She faces all manner of opponents both human and prehistoric on this forgotten fantasy island; from, stop at nothing, movie director Carl Denham to fully grown T -rex.

As he repeatedly rescues her from peril time and time again she begins to see a very real humanity behind his dark brooding eyes. The huge ape is given his humour and heart by Andy Zerkis and the same CGI technology used by Jackson for bringing Gollum in Lord of the Rings to life. Jackson operates on an emotional plane continually plugging into the female psyche, playing out a girl's fantasy to be rescued by her true love and kept safe from harm- albeit on a much grander scale.

Jack Black does a surprisingly good turn as the unstoppable director with big plans for the future. He plucks Anne Darrow from virtual starvation to be his leading lady for his epic adventure film. Her human love interest is played by British actor Adrien Brody, he plays a scriptwriter whose work Darrow holds in high esteem. An older Jamie Bell plays bookish deckhand with a penchant for thievery and Marlowe and handles the role adequately.

The timing of the dialogue is just right and although some criticism has been aimed at the long sequences to set the scene and characters in 1930's New York, I found both the styles and the scenery of the city both nostalgic and aesthetically pleasing. As the intrepid team get closer to the island the atmosphere builds and there begins a rollercoaster ride with some truly heart-stopping moments.

The CGI fight sequences are incredible and genuinely thrilling. I did have to suspend my belief as the dino pile up ensued, a scene reminiscent of the police car sequences in Blues Brothers.

On a number of occasions I found myself clutching my chest as our heroine battled with the outside dangers and her inner turmoil. This is perfectly portrayed when Denham finally catches up with Anne and finds her, clad only in her diaphanous dress, fast asleep, cradled in the giant hand of the Silverback gorilla. When she opens her eyes the look she gives him is loaded with shock, surprise and guilt. It is as if she has been caught with another lover, which of course she has. The tears she cries for the magnificent animal serve to confuse Denham further. After all he's a perfectly decent chap, stout of heart, intelligent and good looking, yet he pales into the background cast against the magnetism and rugged masculinity of Kong.

Yet another sure fire winner by seven times Oscar winner Peter Jackson that will surely challenge for the big prizes during the award season. Ultimately this film left me feeling exhilarated thoroughly entertained and more than a little emotional.

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