The running time is 3 hrs. 8 mins..
Yes folks, this isn't the last time we are going to hear from Jackson's King Kong in DVD form as we already have Jackson on record saying that if there were to be an extended edition "we would have about another 30 or 40 minutes." So you tell me, do you think this is it? I didn't think so. On top of that, this special edition DVD is no more than the film, a couple of cool little featurettes and a bunch more production diaries that were already available online. The only difference, like the Peter Jackson's Production Diaries that were released prior to the film's initial release, they are just better organized than they were on KongisKing.net. They are cool, don't get me wrong, and it is nice to have them on disc. My beef is that they aren't new. Why are we paying for something we have already seen?
So what is the real reason to buy this DVD? Honestly, there is no reason to buy the special edition DVD. If you like the movie and can't wait until the longer and more feature packed edition, which I am positive will have some commentaries as this "special" edition has none, just go buy the single disc edition, but if you ask me I am not even sure if this is a movie worth owning.
So many people, Laremy included, hailed King Kong as a spectacle to behold. It even won three Oscars including visual effects. Guess what. The effects were nowhere near as good as they should have been. So much of this film looked green-screened and on top of that 3 hours and 8 minutes is a long time to watch a monkey movie.
I also felt that Peter Jackson tried to mimic the human side of Kong much like the way he came across in 1933. Unfortunately, it felt forced, while the original film seemed to have a seamless nature to it, it was as if the emotion Kong had was legitimate, almost accidental to a point, which made it even more believable. Oh, have you heard about the ice-skating scene with Kong and Anne Darrow, the one toward the end of the film? Well, it is not at all the emotionally touching moment some critics would lead you to believe. Actually, by the time you get there you are just hoping he will just climb the freaking Empire State Building already.
While the overall effects are shy of spectacular, I should mention that the effects on the actual great ape are spectacular as are the sound and the environments created. This is a home theater film if there ever was one, but you are going to have to deal with a long running time and a very slow start if this is going to be a film you will add to your collection. Perhaps renting it first may be the best option if you haven't seen the film, if you have seen it already I am sure you have already made up your mind... I just hope it was the right decision.