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Mighty Joe
**1/2
Cinema
Releases - March 26, 1999
Rated on a 4-star
scale. USA. Directed by Ron Underwood. Written by Lawrence Konner and Mark
Rosenthal; based upon the 1949 film "Mighty Joe Young", screenplay by Ruth
Rose, story by Merian C. Cooper. Starring Charlize Theron, Bill Paxton, Rade
Serbedzija, Peter Firth, David Paymer, Regina King, Robert Wisdom, Naveen
Andrews.
"He knows when not to talk, which is the biggest
asset the monkey possesses over the human."
The above quote has little to do with
"Mighty Joe", but I thought it would be nice to begin with
some witty words mentioning apes. The star of this show is one, a huge creature
so loveable that he's got a Disney movie named after him. Let Godzilla try
and beat that.
The movie is a remake, of sorts, of the 1949 RKO
release "Mighty Joe Young", which in turn was a remake, of sorts, of "King
Kong". The main human character is Jill Young (Charlize Theron), who, as
an American child living in the jungle, was orphaned by poachers on the same
night as a young gorilla. Motherless together, these two became best friends,
and Jill named her companion Joe.
Twelve years later, an animal conservationist
(Bill Paxton) discovers the pair. Attracted to Jill, and in awe of the grown
Joe, he volunteers to bring them back to the States, where they will be taken
care of in a grand safari park, and Jill reluctantly agrees, since the jungle's
poacher population is increasing. The film spends an admirable amount of
time with Joe, rather than the token human characters, as we follow the
incredible orangutan's adventures in both his native and adopted
habitats.
What I like about "Mighty Joe" is that it's innocent
entertainment, with approximately the right levels of humour, romance, action
and adventure that the story calls for. It's not dumb or cornball, and for
that we can thank director Ron Underwood. He was the right man for the job,
rather than some kid who'd been sucking up to studio executives, or an advert
director the producers liked, because he has already proven himself with
amusing adult fare such as "City Slickers" and "Tremors".
Although some special effects moments in "Mighty
Joe" are risible, there are an equal number of breathtaking ones that will
enthral the tots, and the music of the film deserved an Oscar nomination.
The human stars, Theron and Paxton, have enough charm to make their scenes
not only watchable, but commendable, and this is certainly a well-made
picture.
Its problem is that it's too obvious in striving
for too much. It wants to push the same buttons as "E.T.", but never involves
us with the same sense of realism that Spielberg set up, and doesn't get
close to showing us comparable wonder. Nor was I always convinced by Jill's
relationship with Joe -- yeah, she's been with him a lot of her life, but
some of the stuff in this movie borders on telepathy. The return of the poachers
is set up in a way that points the structure in too formulaic a direction,
and the film goes on a little too long.
For general audiences, then, "Mighty Joe" is not
worth seeing, but it's a near-miss, and if you're taking kids to the flicks,
it's a different story altogether. My guess is that they will enjoy "Mighty
Joe", and since the odious "Rugrats Movie" opens on the same day, it's your
safest cinematic bet.
COPYRIGHT© 1999 Ian
Waldron-Mantgani
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