for the relationship between beast and woman, the very real emotional nature behind that relationship, the gorgeous action scenes, cinematography, set and costume design, special effects, and for the recreation and improvement in redepicting something already done - it vascillates between 7 and 8.
It is not, technically, putting a new spin on anything. It is also over romanticized. we get the bond between woman and beast without needing to be hit over the head with it.
case in point is what we saw happen between frodo and samwise to the point of people wondering if they were in love, we saw happening here with Naomi and King Kong. I do not need to see a prolonged shot of her exiting the mist of New York streets to return to his embrace. I do not need to see prolonged shots of her staring at him hypnotically in confusion and fascination and helpless connection. at some point, human beings stop losing themselves in the gaze of others. so do animals. we just don't need it hyperromanticized like that. i'm not saying romanticized in the "run off together and marry" sense; i'm saying romanticized in the literary, story-telling sense.
so, the director overdid it, quite a lot, and also let jack black run a little off his leash. i think he's perfectly capable of drama and drama mixed with comedy, but he needs to learn subtlety. naomi and kong managed to convey mounds without even speaking but his bravado rattatatt conveyed nothing new for 3 hours. or maybe he knows subtlety and the boss just didn't smack him and make him remember it.
anyhoo. enjoyable up to a point. if they'd cut out 30 min it would have a strong 8.