Our story begins firmly in the original era of Kong, the 1930s. We meet soulful Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), a struggling comedian in Vaudeville. Her life collapses and she is out on the street in Depression America. Then the story shows shifty "boy genius" director (modeled after Orson Welles) Carl Denham (Jack Black) outrun his money men and flee to the Venture, the ship he has hired to make his film. On the way, he encounters Ann, the girl that fate has chosen to be in his movie. And through Denham's iron will, personality and conniving, the Venture finds the "last place not on the maps," Skull Island.

Well, the story is pretty much like the original and the '76 remake (which version had all new names for some reason), save for a new character, Bruce Baxter (Kyle Chandler from "Early Edition"). And Watts has to have the most compelling eyes I have ever seen on the screen, I challenge anyone not to fall in love with her character. Actually, everyone, from the top stars down, turn in great performances, even the ship's crew who are kind of clichés of 'scurvy sea-dogs' all show deep character, and instead of what could have been a stereotypical bunch of creeps, come across as almost a family.

That's pretty much it, the movie is not flawless but damned near perfect for a remake and oh yes, the SFX are jaw-dropping and seem sometimes so real, you swear Jackson got a camera to an alternate time line for real time filming of actual events. Off the scale for a rating and of course, I will see it again and again and buy the DVD...

Till next time,
Carl aka OGRE3000