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****
Dir: Jordan Vogt-Roberts (12A, 120 mins)
King Kong is the granddaddy of all monster movies. The 1933 black and white original with the giant gorilla on top of the Empire State Building is an iconic movie moment. It’s been recreated twice, in 1976 with Jessica Lange and some cheesy puppetry and by Peter Jackson in 2005 with better if mixed CGI results. Now comes a twist on the original story as Warner Bros try and create their own monster franchise, sharing a world with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla – a showdown between the iconic monsters is on the cards in 2020. Set in the 1970s, an uncharted island has been found in the Pacific, and a scientific/military mission is launched to explore it. Along for the ride are a buffed-up Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and gung ho Samuel L Jackson, along with dodgy John Goodman who’s out to exploit the creatures they encounter. The big gorilla may rule the island, but there are plenty of other monsters too, skullcrushers from underground, spiders, cows, and basically a lot of well blended CGI. It has grit, awe inducing set piece moments and comic relief from John C. Reilly, the heavyweight cast adding clout to their perilous situation. An unabashed popcorn film, this is an enjoyable rejigging of the original, that owes much to Jurassic Park and its previous Kong-carnations, but it nevertheless still excites.
Opens March 10