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King Kong
King Kong Image
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Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 39 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1046 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Adrien Brody, Jack Black, Naomi Watts
  • Summary: Director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) helms the dramatic adventure King Kong, bringing his sweeping cinematic vision to the iconic story of the gigantic ape captured in the wild and brought to civilization where he meets his tragic fate. (Universal Studios)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 39
  3. Negative: 1 out of 39
  1. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    100
    Here is the jaw-dropping, eye-popping, heart-stopping movie epic we've been waiting for all year.
  2. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    60
    King Kong isn't terrible, but it's something that none of Jackson's previous movies ever was -- it's enervating.
  3. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    25
    On its own terms, the film is overlong, repetitive and lacks impact. Even if this were the first gorilla-in-love movie ever made, audiences would come away vaguely dissatisfied, suspecting there was an intriguing idea buried somewhere in here, but it didn't quite come off.

See all 39 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 371 out of 595
  2. Mixed: 52 out of 595
  3. Negative: 172 out of 595
  1. grandpajoe6191
    7
    "King Kong" is a great summer blockbuster movie that will throw you out of your mind. However, that's as far as the movie can get to you.
    • 3 of 3 users said yes
  2. harlthegr8
    5
    Special effects were out of this world awesome, and the storyline was pretty good...BUT...it was about an hour too long! It spends a good 40 minutes of the movie before it even gets to King Kong! then we still have to witness his capture/relationship with Naomi Watts' character, and his tirade in New York City! I have only been able to watch it all the way through in one sitting once. Also, Jack Black just drags the cast down. There are SOO many other great actors in the movie that he sticks out like a sore thumb. Great "try" but I expected better.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  3. MikeG.
    3
    A big disappointment, especially for a movie that did a great job of ratcheting up the tension in the first hour or so of the movie. Jackson also made 1932 NYC look spectacular, gave motivation to Black, Watts and the rest of the cast. Suddenly, the movie morphed into a B-picture, complete with action movie cliche after action movie cliche that just made the audience squirm and groan. The movie looks great, but it just felt long and ultimately boring. Why make this movie if all you're going to do is modernize the special effects? The story of man's inhumanity to beast is lost somewhere along the way here, resulting in nothing more than a technically spectacular director flexing his muscle. We all know Jackson can make a movie look great. Somehow, after his masterpiece "Return of the King", I was expecting so much more.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes

See all 595 User Reviews

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