Summary
Jack Black’s most underrated performance is in Peter Jackson’sKing Kong. Black is best known for his comedy and voice work in projects includingSchool of Rock,Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, theKung Fu Pandafranchise, andThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. From Dewey Finn’s antics inSchool of RocktoBowser’s “Peaches” songthat went viral, Black excels at many different types of comedy, often with the contributions of his musical talents.
While Black is a stellar comedic actor, he also deserves more recognition for his role as Carl Denham inKing Kong. The 2005 film received an 84% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and is generally regarded as one ofthe bestKing Kongmovies. It received praise for its cinematography, the sense of big-budget spectacle Jackson brought in the wake of directingThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy, and the strong performances from Black and the rest of the cast that brought emotional resonance to the story.
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Jack Black’s Carl Denham Is King Kong’s Real Villain
He Is The Cause Of All The Tragedy That Unfolds
While Denham is not as ferocious as Kong or the various dinosaurs and giant bugs on Skull Island, he isKing Kong’s true villain. It is the filmmaker’s greed and desperation that drive him to Skull Island, and it is that same greed that convinces Denham to take Kong from his home and bring the giant ape to New York City.Denham knowingly endangers those involved in the production of his movie and the crew of the SSVentureduring their travels and time on Skull Island, and endangers all of New York City after bringing Kong there.
When the group is pursued by dinosaurs, Denham prioritizes taking a tripod from his loyal cameraman, Herb, who hands over the tripod before he is eaten alive. After all the footage is destroyed, anddespite all the deaths that happened because of his actions, Denham lets more people die in order to capture Kong, as he refuses to leave Skull Island without something of value to pay off his debts and become rich. He was also intentionally deceptive about where the SSVenturewas headed in the first place, concealing the truth from Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) and several others.
Jack Black’s Comedy Makes Carl Denham A More Sinister Villain
It Makes Him An Unlikely, Yet More Potent Villain
Part of what makes Denham an effective villain in the 2005 version ofKing Kongis thatBlack portrays him in a somewhat buffoonish and bumbling manner. This leads others to unwisely underestimate him, as it seems absurd to even entertain the idea that Denham could have elaborate schemes and be intentionally deceptive or ruthless. Black’s portrayal lulls the audience and many of the characters into a false sense of security, which ultimately makes his motives and actions feel more sinister.
He was the perfect choice to play a human villain whose bottomless greed and ambition could stand at the forefront of the story, even when the screen is occupied by the spectacle of Kong or a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
This is why, despite some criticisms of his performance, Black was not miscast in this role.He was the perfect choice to play a human villain whose bottomless greed and ambition could stand at the forefront of the story, even when the screen is occupied by the spectacle of Kong or aTyrannosaurusrex. It is intentional that Denham is the real corrupting force and danger, even when compared to these towering, fearsome creatures.
King Kong Proves Jack Black Is More Than A Comedic Actor
Jack Black Can Also Be A Great Dramatic Actor
While Black does bring comedy to his performance inKing Kong,he brings the necessary drama as well. There is the right amount of dramatic intensity when he throws chloroform to render Kong unconscious, and at the end, with his shocked and horrified expression when he sees Kong’s body lying in the streets of Manhattan and declares that what killed Kong,“wasn’t the airplanes. It was beauty that killed the beast.“King Kong’s ending would not have worked without Black bringing the necessary gravitas to those final and iconic lines.
As Black’s career continues, he will undoubtedly continue to be cast in comedic roles in live-action and animated projects. At the same time,he should be given more opportunities, likeKing Kong, in which he can effectively use his comedic abilities while also demonstrating his dramatic talentsthat he does not often get to showcase.King Kongis an underrated chapter in Black’s career, with his performance as Denham deserving to be as well-regarded as some of his other celebrated roles.
King Kong
Cast
Peter Jackson’s King Kong is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name. When enterprising filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black) decides to travel to the mysterious skull island, he hires naive young actress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) to star in the film he intends to make. Denham’s crew of actors discovers the island’s big secret: Kong, a 25-foot-tall giant ape. Denham’s ambition gets the better of him, and he exploits Darrow’s bond with Kong to kidnap him, bringing him back to New York to exploit him for profit.
