Why King Kong Is a Feminist Hero

 

As a huge King Kong fan, I have to say that when Peter Jackson’s 2005 King Kong remake came out, it was simply an epic disaster of epic proportions. The poor acting and special effects made me want to scream in frustration at my television screen, but I’m not going to go off on that rant here today. Today, I’m going to talk about how King Kong isn’t just the manliest movie of all time (and therefore the best), but how it also has some of the most feminist themes you can find in any blockbuster movie ever made!

He Saves Ann from Her Abusive Husband

The obvious reason why we love King Kong is because he's so, well, king. But another reason is that he's an extremely feminist film. I mean, Ann doesn't just fall in love with some guy named Jack who comes to rescue her and then they live happily ever after. Nope! She falls in love with an ape -- and a pretty large one at that. When Ann first sees him she thinks he's beautiful before realizing how scary he can be. Then, when she asks what happened to Carl Denham (Jack Black), Jack tells her that Carl was killed by Kong while fighting for Ann's freedom. And of course later on in the movie we see our heroic gorilla save Ann from her abusive husband, Charlie (Adrien Brody). Seriously -- it doesn't get much more feminist than that.

He Doesn’t Leave Ann after She Doesn’t Want Him

It was classic King Kong behavior to offer no help, to do nothing while Ann struggles, and then to leave her with her injuries when she gets hold of him. He stays with her even though she told him to go away, showing her a surprising amount of understanding and empathy. There is something chivalrous about him in the modern day world. Though women can take care of themselves, he still goes out of his way to ensure that she's okay. In my opinion, men should follow suit.

He Rescues Ann from the Life on Board

In an early scene, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) becomes sick with terror when she learns that she has been sold to Captain Englehorn. She faints and falls overboard. Yet not only does Kong swim beneath her and bring her back to life by splashing water on her face, he does it again later when she faints after finding herself locked in a cage at nightfall inside of his lair.  And both times, Kong’s actions don’t just save Ann; they also are intended to keep her from harm. Neither rescue succeeds fully—Ann suffers through many more dangers throughout their voyage—but each one makes clear that even though these two strangers can’t communicate with words, they value each other as fellow humans. At no point does Kong become violent toward Ann; even when she provokes him for fun, he calms down quickly and treats her with patience and kindness.

He Sacrifices Himself for Ann

In one of his most touching scenes, King Kong carries Ann up a flight of stairs when she loses her footing. It is during these moments that we see just how much he cares for her. As they reach higher and higher levels, you can feel his fear as he begins to tire while carrying her. He finally reaches his limit as they climb, dropping Ann from exhaustion and giving her time to escape off into New York City. This scene alone makes him not only an epic hero, but also one who puts someone else’s safety above his own—clearly a feminist trait.

His Love for Ann Leads Him to His Death

The main argument here is that Ann wants to get off of Skull Island, and will do anything to leave. This is important because it shows her love for herself, not just for others. In other words, she has self-love. When Kong attempts to stop Ann from leaving by holding her at bay on top of a wall, he dies in an attempt to protect her and keep her safe, as well as show his undying love for her. However, in reality she feels responsible for his death and mourns him until his resurrection. It is then shown that even though Kong may be portrayed as a monster there is nothing but love between them, which can come across as feminist in nature when we factor into account how society views men protecting women/allowing them to make their own decisions etc. This also ties into another one of her characters: inspiration.