The King of Kong
When Steve Wiebe got laid off, he turned to the classic arcade game Donkey Kong for solace; soon, he decided to challenge Billy Mitchell's long-standing record score. So began the bitter rivalry that lies at the heart of this curiously compelling documentary. Providing a history of competitive video gaming and a look at some of the key players, The King of Kong is at its best when revealing just how far Mitchell will go to retain his crown.
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» Reviewed by 24 people
The is quite a role reversal between Billy and Steve in the movie. Billy ends up looking like a loser and ducks any competition from Steve through out the entire film. He needs to man up. As much as I liked this movie, they are all still a bunch of dorks.- Redder64
If you are interested in watching how people who dont get laid act in real life, watch this great documentary. Billy Mitchel and Brian Kuh are douches.
- nmz 77622
This movie and its host of characters made me think of a whole new video game... "Whack a Nerd"! Seriously, these people exist in a whole 'nother world where things like video games really, really, REALLY MATTER. Just watch the bespeckled "Donkey Kong" fan rushing around the arcade tapping gamers on the shoulder and informing them, "There's a kill screen coming up on Donkey Kong if you wanna see it!" It's like he's Paul Revere, or maybe "Urkel" Revere. Anyway, Billy Mitchell, the previous DK champ gets godlike treatment by his cronies, while Steve Wiebe humbly pursues the world record, that rightfully belongs to him. You can't help but root for him. And, though they never confess it openly, Billy's buds finally see behind his bravado that hides his hypocrisy and insecurity. Billy's a chump! Long live Steve, the true King of Kong!
- Mister C
For the first 15 minutes, you will probably be chuckling to yourself and wondering how anyone could be this obsessed with a decades old video game. Before long however, you will be rooting for these guys (one in particular) to break the next seemingly unbeatable high score. I found myself caught up in the drama and intensity that exists only within their exclusive circle of competitors, as they struggle to achieve the recognition of their peers. Similar in many ways to films like Word Wars and Spellbound, this is an entertaining glimpse into the world of competitive arcade gaming and the lives of those who strive to achieve and maintain their "celebrity" status in that arena. Be sure to stay put through the credits!
- skapocalypse
Awesome. The Grandma QBert champion alone made this a must-see. I am now going to play Tetris competitively.
- Jiveturkey
Unbelievable, amusing and highly entertaining. This documentary spotlights characters so eccentric, a storyline so formulaic and such a unlikely obsession of video games... youd think you are watching a mockumentary instead of a genuine documentary. Any fan of documentaries, retro video games or even good old fashioned antagonist/protaganist conflict are sure to find this highly entertaining!
- erickeone
I can't believe this got so many good reviews. It's a film about people that have no lives. Especially the kook that holds the high scores. The whole bunch of them are social retards that are fixated on a 25 year old video game. Get a life please? I felt like taking a shower after watching that dork fest.
- CG 53846
Surprisingly poignant movie about a guy who decides to try and break the high score on Donkey Kong and the forces that conspire to take his dream from him. It might sound stupid to those that don't know the story, but it's very good.
- Shazapp
A great movie that draws you into the world of competitive classic arcade games. You will find yourself rooting for one guy in particular and despising the other. I even found myself yelling at the tv. Even if you don't like video games you will like this movie.
- TN 266463
Fantastic, funny, entertaining, captivating documentary about the World Record in Donkey Kong. Yes, it has a point of view, and I suspect that one of the people involved was portrayed as more of a villain than he really was. Still, it really is a fun and entertaining movie, even if you aren't a fan of classic video games. Gotta love the mullet, too.
- Jack Bunny
Put aside for a moment that this is about "video games" and you get a case study in the cult of personality, the arrogance of those on top, and the story of a challenger on a seemingly impossible task. It's easy to belittle the players in this drama since they're playing video games from the 80s but so what? The drama, the lies, the cheating, the power plays are the same in most human endeavors - the fact that in this case the villain has awful mullet hair and won Donkey Kong in 1982, well so what? It's a good story, well directed.
- n-judah
There is something so very goofy and charming about this film. I gaurentee that you will be compelled to root for someone in this film. The world of competitive Donkey Kong itself is apperantly full of paranoia and questionable ethics. The seriousness of most of those involved is funny in and of itself. By far the funniest aspect of the film is the reigning champion and his minions. Exactly how far will this mulleted "champion" go to protect his high score You will need to know before its all over.
- Rogertick
What starts out to look like a goof on video game geeks ends up a heartbreaking tale of an outsider and eternal underdog. It could have gone one or two ways, it could have just exploited these people and been a mean spirited but hilarious look at this arcade game culture. The route the film chose was to find a story within this scene and it stumbled into something enthralling. Bill Mitchell, Donkey Kong champ and a character you have to see to believe, is a man who according to his own account has been touched by good fortune. He explains, because he's absorbed all the good karma, there must be someone out there getting the screws put to him. And we meet Steve Wiebe, a man who has always been close to something but never quite made it over the finish line. His band never took off, he made it to the finals in baseball but was hurt and couldn't play, and he was laid off from his job at the wrong time. His misfortunes don't end there. When he sets out to break the world record in Donkey Kong the "bad luck" streak continues. When he walks into the world of arcade masters and scorekeepers he's an outsider, treated badly by the elders and seen as a man trying to destroy their hero. The film often uses music from 80's underdog movies and it makes you realize you're seeing an actual unscripted underdog movie, one with a real emotional center. You find yourself rooting for the hero and on the edge of your seat during his games. What's sad is Hollywood has already purchased the rights to the story and are planning a narrative feature. This may or may not end up good, but the point they miss is that documentaries, when they are best done, capture authentic moments of real human emotion. King of Kong might not be the best-made documentary but it succeeds at capturing an absorbing slightly surreal story and also genuine feelings from real people that could never be scripted. This is just something that happened and we are lucky the filmmakers were there to catch it.
- Paul Logan
What a great underdog story. My wife convinced me to watch this, although I was skeptical at first. After all, how entertaining could 90 minutes of geeks and old video games be, right? I was surprised. Instead of being about classic 8-bit games, mullets, and nerds (all of which are included, by the way), this film actually is the real-life tale about an underdog and his fight for respect and recognition after a life of bad luck. You'll definitely identify with Steve Wiebe, and learn about a whole subculture you never knew existed. The movie is entertaining and surprising at the same time. Don't let the video game & geek theme fool you -- this is worth seeing even if you can't tell Ms. Pac Man from Lara Croft.
- Author Allen
On the surface, this in depth look at one gaming community, Donkey Kong, was interesting and quite informative. Another door into what obsession is, what it demands, what some sacrifices might be and also what is gained. I learned more about the game and the work necessary to master it than I imagined possible! But the real story and engaging part to me was the plunge into character. The film explores not just the lives but the moral characters of both Wiebe and Mitchell. It is a rather sad and curious study of hypocrisy, star power, lies and fear. But on the other side, it shows the success possible with both hard work and determination. And I think its conclusion shows that truth always wins out in the end.
- VJ Purplequeen
What a great movie. I have never played arcade games and I have no particular interest in Donkey Kong, but Steve Wiebe is such a great character that you can not help but root for him to succeed. This is the movie that should have won the best documentary Oscar this year. Funny, exciting, and moving, this is a movie that everyone should see.
- Brody
It was great all the drama you can wish in a documentary, many people feel like they are great but they never got a chance to show it or get credit for it, this is a story about a Man who shines and get the credit he deserves.
- Digitalbrian
Before home video game systems like Playstation and X-Box, people flocked to the local arcades to test their luck against the new breed of video games... Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong. Twenty-plus years later there are still people playing these classic games. Follow along as Steve Weibe attempts to break the long-standing world record in Donkey Kong... watch as the underground world of classic video gaming is revealed... wonder at the myriad of bad haircuts... but prepare to be amazed! This documentary on such an unobtrusive topic as beating the high score on a video game, was surprisingly well done. 10 minutes in and you will be hooked and find yourself rooting for Steve Wiebe during the whole process and then you remember... IT'S A VIDEO GAME but this doesn't matter because by now you have been drawn into a new world where hot sauce is king and being nice doesn't count SQUAT because this is war! and then you think, "Did he really say that?" (You will find yourself saying this A LOT!) YES, he DID say that, and then you remember that this is a documentary and these people are not reading from a script they actually believe it... THIS IS REAL! You just can't make this stuff up!! Very well made. My new favorite documentary! Put this to the top of your queue today. Also available on Instant Watch. 5 stars and a fistful of quarters! (UPDATE) After watching the film I felt compelled to visit the Twin Galaxies website which contains all of the current World Records for video games. There is an entire thread devoted to what some consider "irregularities" in this movie. In other words, there are certain truths that may have been stretched in order to make the movie more compelling. Because of the doubt now swirling around in my head about the legitimacy of this "documentary" I have to reduce my rating by 2 stars. Disappointing.
- Freakin Meow
The King of Kong is a documentary that functions on many levels. Its comedic and quirky, focusing on a niche community in America that has high internal tensions and an odd foundation. The film does not entirely feel like an ethical documentary, as it really demonizes gamer Billy Mitchell (though he certainly assists in the process by being a complete tool). Nonetheless, it is the kind of documentary that can be successful without posing as an entirely objective study. The filmmakers really make Steve Wiebe out to be the hero, and he is. The film is funny, and an interesting study in a community, which definitely does not have a lot of exposure; sects of American life that you know exists but maybe havent had the chance to delve into. I know after I watched this I couldnt help but play a few rounds of Pong, then Centipede.
- Dlukenelson
This documentary goes into the weird world of diehard arcade gamers. The main focus of this movie is that even 25 years after the height of the Donkey Kong game, there is still two men on a quest to hold the World Record. One is Billy Mitchell. He'll be the first to tell you that he is the greatest guy in the world. If you have ever played Donkey Kong or if you like documentaries or if you like competition of any kind you have to see this movie. "If anybody wants to see, there's a Donkey Kong kill screen coming up."
- Cleve1212
Do you love classic Arcade games? How much do you know about the best arcade plays in the world during the 80s? Billy Mitchell is a rockstar of the arcade world. As a multiple record holder from the 80s, he is being challenged by a great honest and likeable family man, by the name Steve Wiebe. Steve has OCD and is one extremely competitive guy (much like myself). He decided to beat Billy Mitchells high score in the hardest of the top games, Donkey Kong. Steve Wiebes obsessive study of the game is absolutely fascinating. Even if you are not personally obsessed with arcade games, you will enjoy this peek inside the cultic subculture of arcade master gamers. There is a world of strategies and conspiracies; spies and investigators; mind games and MORE. Who would have thought! Wiebe accepted a machine from the wrong guy. Was this a vendetta? Was there fraud? Does he win in a live sanctioned environment? WOW. I never would have imagined I would be so drawn into this documentary. I was sitting back and cheering him on in a big way. It is horrible to see the manipulation rockstars use, even if arcade rockstars. I honestly hurt for this man in his sadness and rejoiced in his victories. I was so taken by this sub-culture I visited the twingalaxies com/forums website to learn more about it. There are people today still just as obsessed with these games. Fascinating! Be sure to watch through the credits and check out the Special Features The Saga Continues. Additionally, there are on-line DVD rom feature on this disc. This is a must see with out question!! Enjoy. I hope this is Helpful!
- Phatz
An excellent documentary! I sat down with this and was sucked into it within seconds. If you wasted hours of your life playing Donkey Kong at the arcade or even on the early consoles, this is a must-watch! Non-gamers will be bored, but might enjoy the competition angle. 29 April 2008
- poohbear7882
ireviewnetflix.com rating: *** These guys are such geeks!!! It's really hard to care about them when I keep thinking, "What losers!" However, eventually I found myself enthralled in the drama of the competition. But what a bunch of jerks to try and disprove Steve Wiebe's record. I was glad that he stood up to them and defended his record. And Brian Kuh is an incredible jerk! Probably the biggest loser of them all. Second only to Brian Mitchell who is such an egomaniac, it's not even funny. These guys need women. The only normal one seems to be Steve Wiebe.
- ireviewnetflix.com
I loved THE KING OF KONG. Rarely does a documentary entertain and compel me to keep watching the way this one did. Yes, it's about a classic arcade game and two adult men who are competing for the world record. But, as the story unfolds, it becomes a world-class drama depicting the classic struggle between the haves and the haves-not. Steve Weibe is the underdog that you can't help but root for, while Billy Mitchell, an arrogant, successful entrepeneur, becomes the evil empire. While I did not actively dislike either man, I did think that Mitchell was the more underhanded and petty of the two. The makers of this documentary have watched ROCKY and MIGHTY DUCKS and countless other sports movies and seem to have taken their cues from them. A successful film. I'm going to see what else Seth Gordon has done.
- Firewater