Poster art for "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters."

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Must Go!
Avg. Critic Score: 83 out of 100 Universal acclaim Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
11 OK for kids 11+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    A funny and madly arresting new documentary. Read full review

  • 88
    Boston Globe | Wesley Morris

    A portrait of two different men whose compulsion for Donkey Kong is hilarious. Read full review

  • 88
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    Heartbreaking and hilarious. Read full review

  • 80
    The New York Times |

    The movie's "Rocky" formula proves irresistible anyway; unsurprisingly, New Line has commissioned Mr. Gordon to remake this story with actors. Read full review

  • 80
    Los Angeles Times | Kenneth Turan

    Obsession creates its own fascination, and never more so than in King of Kong, a sprightly new documentary that's as compulsively watchable as the vintage video game it focuses on is addictive. Read full review

  • 80
    Salon.com | Andrew O'Hehir

    Ultimately Gordon's movie becomes both a hilarious story about an unbelievable collection of arrested-teenage morons and, yes, an inspiring fable of persistence and redemption. I haven't mentioned this movie's fabulous addition to the English language yet, so here it is: the verb "to chumpatize." Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Peter Hartlaub

    As impressive as it is geeky. Most of the principal characters look like they haven't seen daylight since "Pac-Man Fever" was on the charts. Read full review

  • 75
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    Who would have guessed that a documentary about gamers obsessed with scoring a world record at Donkey Kong would not only be roaringly funny but serve as a metaphor for the decline of Western civilization? Read full review

  • 75
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    A documentary that is beyond strange, follows two arch-enemies in their grim, long-term rivalry, which involves way more time than any human lifetime should devote to Donkey Kong. Read full review

  • 40
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    It's a depressing little kingdom, even when Gordon tries desperately to goose the drama with the requisite "Eye of the Tiger" riffs and some junior high-level palace intrigue. Read full review


Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 11+ Amusing documentary duel at the video arcade.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this is not a King Kong related movie in any form, but a rollicking documentary about extreme video gaming. The PG-13 rating from the MPAA is unwarranted, even though there are a few swear words and brief glimpses of sexy still pictures.
  • Families can talk about the various arcade champions, especially the flashy Billy Mitchell and his soft-spoken underdog rival Steve Wiebe. Which one do you root for? Do you think they're as legitimate as athletes in professional sports? Should video games (whether they're the vintage Space Invaders or the latest Halo) be this important in peoples' lives? How important are video games to your kids?see this together for some bonding.
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: Viewers get to pick sides between the arrogant reigning Donkey Kong champion and a nice-guy family man, dogged by bad luck, who seems to need the affirmation and approval of his peers badly. There are a few female players glimpsed, but women are mostly supportive (maybe slightly exasperated) spouses.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: None, except quick flashes of violent video games over the end credits.
  • sex false0 Sex: A sexy still photo of a nude couple (covering up each other's private parts, barely), is shown, illustrating the sordid past of a video gamer.
  • language false3 Language: "Bastard" and "kick that guy's ass" used, but the point is made that profanity is actually frowned upon in this milieu.
  • consumerism false5 Consumerism: Not only are video games, video game parlors, and shop franchises ubiquitous, we also see plenty of the chicken hot sauce sold by one of the contenders in his day job.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Gaming is verbally compared to drug addiction, and some interviewees smoke.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters Movie Ratings + Reviews

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