Review of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) by Andrew S — 26 Feb 2013

Seth Gordon's documentary (and yes it IS a documentary, at times this is hard to believe) is an absolute joy to watch from beginning to end and one of the funniest films of 2007, as well as a classic underdog, feel-good film.

It follows the struggles of Steve Wiebe, an every day downtrodden man, as he aspires to break the world record on Donkey Kong. The only man who stands in his way is the current title holder, the slimey and unlikeable, Billy Mitchell.

You may well laugh at the premise but this film is an absolute winner. It hooks you in from the get-go and just like any other sports/underdog film you are 100% behind Steve Wiebe on his quest and you yearn for someone to wipe that snaky smirk from Billy Mitchell's face.

This movie is Rocky for video game geeks. It's THAT good. Even if you have little to no interest in the finer points of Donkey Kong, this film has a lot to offer, two truly cinematic characters who seem just too perfect to be real but they are, and that is what makes the movie even more perfect.

Steve is just a nice guy, life has been a little unfair to him and the one thing he has to keep his head above water is playing Donkey Kong. It's a humble and heartfelt connection, and you will feel it. He is a true everyman.

Billy Mitchell is the true successor of Apollo Creed; he is smarmy, sneaky and believes he is God's gift to coin slots. He and his cronies pull some downright low stunts in this movie and it just fuels your desire to see Steve come out on top. There is a moment where Mitchell smiles and it is so slimy and creepy that I was almost convinced I was witnessing some genius comic creation, like David Brent, Basil Fawlty or Black Adder. He seemed too perfectly detestable and grotesque to be real, but real he is, and that horrifies and fascinates me.

The way the other "characters" talk about him and react to him is hard to believe, he is treated like a rockstar within the competition circles. He is an ambassador for competitive gaming and when you look at him and then spend ten minutes on Xbox Live, you know that this is probably a bad thing.

There are ups and downs, lots of awkward laugh out loud moments, moments that make you cringe, moments that charm you and pull you in. The movie makes you feel for the characters in the appropriate ways and by the movies end you will find yourself itching to cheer Steve Wiebe on. It's a fantastic time and it wins your heart when it could have been a mean spirited sideways look at the entire story but it treats the story with respect, the emotional weight for the characters and lets you love and hate characters in equal measure as any truly entertaining movie should.

The King of Kong is a great time for all with plenty of laughs, highs and lows to keep you going. It's one of those real life stories that a Hollywood adaptation would do no real service to (although they are going to do it, unfortunately) because the truth is far more entertaining and outrageous than fiction.