The title The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is more than a pair of puns on famous action movies. This film about fierce competition among classic video-game players is a comic action epic in documentary form. It captures fear -- and heroism -- in a handful of dusty video games.

Donkey Kong in particular retains the loyalty of gamers because it requires ungodly hand-eye coordination and a deep and comprehensive working intelligence. In an era when big-studio movies have been aping the amped-up velocity and firepower of computer games, this film about arcade phenomena, which peaked in 1986, explores issues of character and identity with wisdom, warmth and electric down-home humor.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Picturehouse) Directed by Seth Gordon. Rated PG-13. Time 90 minutes.

Online

a preview of the film at baltimoresun.com/kingofkong