Mighty Joe Young Review
by David Sunga (zookeeper AT criticzoo DOT com)December 23rd, 1998
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1998)
Rating: 3 stars (out of 4.0)
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Key to rating system:
2.0 stars - Debatable
2.5 stars - Some people may like it
3.0 stars - I liked it
3.5 stars - I am biased in favor of the movie
4.0 stars - I felt the movie's impact personally or it stood out *********************************
A Movie Review by David Sunga
Directed by: Ron Underwood
Written by Lawrence M. Konner and Mark Rosenthal
Synopsis:
An orphaned girl named Jill Young (Charlize Theron) has befriended an orphaned baby gorilla named Joe who carries within his genes the DNA for gigantism. Joe's parents were killed by poachers. Years later, Jill is a young woman living in Africa, and her animal friend Joe is 4.6 meters tall and weighs 905 kilograms, a magnificent, gentle, and intelligent giant. For Joe's safety, Jill and her friend Gregg (Bill Paxton) establish a place for Joe in the United States at a game reserve called the California Animal Conservancy.
But the evil Mr. Strasser (Rade Serbedzija) and his men, the diabolical poachers who killed Joe's parents, plot to deceive Jill and take Joe from the Conservancy in order to sell him on the environmental black market. When Joe escapes into the Hollywood area, the poor beast is hunted by gung ho police snipers, evil poachers, and the good guys as well. Who will reach him first?
Opinion:
As far as I know, there are two main big gorilla flicks: MIGHTY JOE YOUNG of 1949, and the well known 1933 KING KONG. MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1998) is a modernized remake of the 1949 classic.
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1998) is a family movie made especially for children, and it succeeds very well. The good guys are good (young, friendly, with light colored clothing); the bad guys are bad (dark hat, suspicious accent, black gloves to hide identifiable hand), and; the beloved animal is a misunderstood friend who has run away from home. My neighbor took with her with a troop of four young kids, and they never failed to clap and cheer when the good guys got one over on the bad guys. The kids also held their breath when it looked like big Joe might be hurt. It's obvious that cast members Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton love animals or have pets of their own. Both Theron and Paxton do such a terrific acting job that you forget Joe is only a special effect and not an animal actor.
The adult theme of MIGHTY JOE YOUNG concerns the protection of the endangered Gorilla, thought to be a mythical creature until proven to be real by a skin and skull in 1849. Although fairly intelligent and man-like (Koko the sign language gorilla was tested to have an IQ over 80), the animal has been hunted to near extinction. Today there are less than 400 remaining wild mountain gorillas. As for the possibility of gigantism, modern gorillas can weigh 300 to 400 pounds (136 to 181 kg). The largest ape, "Gigantopethecus," lived in Asia during the Pleistocene Era. From its bones it is estimated to have been approximately 10 feet tall and have weighed over 600 pounds (271 kg). It is almost certainly extinct, but some suggest Gigantopethecus is responsible for tales of the Yeti and Bigfoot.
Reviewed by David Sunga
December 20, 1998
Copyright © 1998 by David Sunga
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