Heartwarming / King Kong (2005)

• V-rex fight:
  • Kong protectively holds Ann close to his chest while staring down the first two V-rexes. It starkly contrasts how he treated her the last time they were together and the first clear sign that their dynamic has changed for the better.
  • During the standoff with the last V-rex, Kong realizes that Ann is stepping back to stand beneath his protective bulk. Considering his early poor treatment of her, Kong seems surprised and touched by Ann's act. Forget beauty—Ann's trust in Kong as a protector won him over. Ann and Kong know they're now on the same page when they lock eyes.
    • The impressively understated way Kong drops his gaze for a few seconds to look at Ann as she backs away from the V-rex speaks volumes to anyone who's watched natural gorilla body language. They're very subtle in their gestures of affinity, and the filmmakers captured the demeanor of an adult male accepting a child's dependent trust just right. It's only after that Kong performs the classic chest-pounding display of a silverback male protecting his own; for the first time in his life, he feels like he has a family group to defend.
• Ann tries to catch up to Kong after the fight as he leaves. Then he picks her up and flings her onto his shoulder before going. The novelization has Kong notice Ann following behind and slows down a bit so she can catch up. At this point in the film, Kong starts treating Ann more carefully.
  • Female apes routinely carry their babies on their backs; Kong doing so with Ann suggests he's copying how his long-dead mother once held him. He still remembers her, however dimly.
• Kong's lair:
  • Ann tries to get Kong's attention, but he avoids eye contact with her. Juggling some rocks draws his gaze, but he quickly tires of it and resumes watching the sunset. Ann starts watching it, too, and calls it "beautiful." Ann tries to help Kong understand the word's meaning through a gesture. Though Kong looks at her, curious about it, he doesn't seem to get it. Then he invites her to climb into his hand and lets her sit with him.
  • At night, Ann is sleeping on Kong's arm, and he gently strokes her hair. Later, Kong is sleeping on his side with Ann asleep in his hand near his face like a kid sleeping with a teddy bear.
• New York:
  • Upon realizing Kong is rampaging through Manhattan looking for her, Ann doesn't hesitate to go to Kong to stop him and save lives.
  • The moment when Kong and Ann reunite in the city after months apart doubles as a tearjerker.
  • Ann and Kong happily slide around and play on the ice without a care in the world—the only scene in the film that shows them having fun.
  • Atop The Empire State Building, Kong signs "Beautiful" to Ann about the sunrise, revealing that he did understand her when she showed him the same gesture on Skull Island.
• The general development of Kong and Ann's bond. They started as hostile captor and frightened captive, but Ann saves herself by making Kong interested in her by performing for him. Then she stands up to him for pushing her around too much, forcing Kong to reconsider their dynamic. Knowing he feels something for Ann, Kong risks his life to protect her from the V-rexes; Kong saving her makes Ann trust him to keep her safe. Then, watching the sunset together at his lair deepens their connection. After being alone for most of his life, Kong has basically adopted Ann as family and will go to great lengths to protect her.

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