3. His Best Work Uses Special Effects Not For Their Own Sake But In Service of the Story
Peter Jackson adores digital and physical effects. He respects his production team and works closely with them to create believable environments, characters and action sequences. Yet he doesnt allow these beautiful toys to get in the way of the tale he is telling. Effects are actually used quite sparingly in Doctor Who, not only due to budget but also because story needs to always and ever come first. In Jacksons King Kong, the less effective moments are actually those on the island where cgi is used extensively. When we return to New York, the scenes of Kong rampaging through the depression-era city are actually much quieter and less flashy and yet carry far more emotional impact. Doctor Whos flashy effect sequences can be quite fun and Im all for them but the Doctors story is ultimately more satisfying when effects are used to enhance rather than overwhelm.