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The King of Kong

Documentary proves old school games are serious business

By Geoff Berkshire

August 17, 2007

Critic's Rating:

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In 1982 Billy Mitchell set the world record on “Donkey Kong” and took on the title “Gamer of the Century.” 21 years later, a newly unemployed family man, Steve Wiebe, attempted to beat Mitchell’s high score. And did. Or did he? The controversy leads to a showdown at a Florida game palace.

Big question: A documentary about guys playing “Donkey Kong”? Seriously?

Catch it: Following in the footsteps of other oddball competition docs like “Spellbound” and “Wordplay,” “The King of Kong” is a witty and entertaining portrait of American obsessiveness and rivalry. A villain and hero emerge as the film explores Billy and Steve’s lives, turning these real men into larger than life characters. And the old school gamer culture they inhabit provides plenty of colorful secondary characters.

Skip it: If you can’t handle the intensity of this extreme "sport." As one gamer notes, “The average ‘Donkey Kong’ game doesn't last a minute, it’s absolute brutality.”

Bottom line: “The King of Kong” isn't the most important documentary you can see this year, but it's one of the most enjoyable.

Bonus: Seeing this movie just might add a new word to your vocabulary: “chumpatizing.”

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