Director Peter Jackson fulfilled his lifelong ambition with this second remake of the 1933 classic. He lovingly honours the original, expertly re-creating exact sequences while embellishing them astutely to recapture its thrilling escapism for modern audiences. Set in the same year that the quintessential monster movie was made, the story sees maverick film-maker Carl Denham (Jack Black) save dancer Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) from the Depression breadline to star in his latest adventure that's to be shot on mysterious Skull Island. But, just as a shipboard romance is kindled between Ann and scriptwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), she is kidnapped by nasty natives who offer her to their living god, Kong. Where this remake particularly impresses is with the poignantly fleshed out relationship that develops between Ann and her brilliantly executed CGI jungle protector, and this pays enormous emotional dividends when the giant ape escapes after being shipped to Manhattan. The scenes involving a dinosaur stampede, a scary T rex battle and a gorge full of creepy giant insects may add to the film's extreme length, but Jackson's return of the King nevertheless remains sensational entertainment.

In 1933 New York, an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter Kong, a giant ape who is immediately smitten with the leading lady.