Mighty Joe Young

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Chaos ensues when might joe is moved from africa to los angeles to escape poachers. Features astounding computer-generated effects and action sequences that will sudden intense sensation movie fans of all ages. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 04/06/2004 Starring: Charlize Theron Bill Paxton Run time: 114 minutes Rating: Pg

Charlize Theron is the latest stunning blonde to be hanging around a great deal of huge ape in a Hollywood movie, this one a remake of the 1949 semi-classic with echoes of the superior King Kong. Theron plays the daugher of an American researcher killed by poachers in Africa. The baby gorilla left in her care grows up to become a hugely tall and wide specimen named Joe, living in the mountains as a for the most part unseen legend amongst persons who live there. Along comes an eco-minded emissary (Bill Paxton) from a California sanctuary, who talks the jungle girl into supplying safe haven for Joe at the L.A. facility. The transition is not without discomfort, but everything is aggravated by way of a conspiracy of poachers to get Joe into their own greedy hands. Director Ron Underwood (City Slickers) uses a combining of special-effects proficiencies to give Joe life and personality, and he succeeds rather effectively. The requirement giant-ape-goes-amok scenes are all in place–a couple of them beauteous intense–as is a conclusion that finds the simian hero performing a stunning feat of escalation. Underwood attempts to give a little progressed spun to galore classic Hollywood conventions regarding wild hearts lost in civilization, and the results are finelooking agreeable family fare. –Tom Keogh

Most helpful customer reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
MIGHTY Family fun
By K. Fontenot
A feel good story for the whole family, don’t expect “Mighty Joe Young” to knock you off your feet. Instead, watch it for the good “Beauty and the Beast” storyline that is well outlined for any age group to watch.
There is some violence in this movie, and smaller children may be frightened by “Joe” at first, but if they can control themselves through the first few minutes, they’ll fall in love with him. There is very little, if any, foul language.
The story is simple: Girl and giant ape are moved to the city, girl and giant ape want out, man in love with girl helps, everyone ends up happy.
If you’re interested, “Joe” looks fairly realistic, especially for the time this flick was made.
Overall, a good family show that all can watch. I highly recommend it for its entertainment value.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Best Bresson Movie Not Made By Bresson
By Kevin Killian
Surprised this picture didn’t do better at the box office. After making the dreadful Hearts and Souls (with Alfre Woodard, trying to out-do GHOST) and Speechless (the romantic comedy which killed the careers of both its stars, Geena Davis and Michael Keaton) director Ron Underwood bounced back with this inventive, lively remake of an earlier 1949 movie.

It should have made Charlize Theron, who plays Jill Young, a big, big star, but instead, Charlize had to bumble on for a few more years before winning an Oscar.

James Horner’s music outdoes his heart-wrenching symphonic themes for TITANIC, BRAVEHEART, and THE ROCKETEER, with a touch of African percussion and wood and wind instruments that bring the plains of Africa into mind whenever you hear them. Charlize has a lovely song, “Wind Song,” sort of a lullaby for Mighty Joe, that should have been a hit on the scale of “MY HEART WILL GO ON.” But somehow people just weren’t interested in this picture. Maybe the forthcoming remake of KING KONG by Peter Jackson will have better luck with audiences. It will have more publicity, for sure, for I don’t think the studio was really behind Ron Underwood to the same degree that New Line supports Jackson.

What a cast! Beyond Charlize and Bill Paxton, the movie also features Naveem Andrews (who plays Sayid on ABC’s LOST) in a rather comic role, and also everyone’s favorite REGINA KING from RAY.

If you liked AU HASARD BALTHAZAR by Robert Bresson, you will also enjoy MIGHTY JOE YOUNG the remake.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
NEARLY A CLASSIC
By A
For a movie that, to me, sounded so wrong it somehow managed to get it so right. I was expecting a King Kong “rip off” which had been given a Free Willy style plot, that would be purely for kids. The main problem I usually have with movies about Gorillas, and associated this with Mighty Joe young, is that they seem to be the one animal that effects people still haven’t quite been able to perfect yet and always feel fake. In fact the only reason I watched this movie in the first place was because I was bored and my friend had left a copy at my house…oh the joys of fate!

This is an enchanting tale that will capture kids and adults alike, with its story of a giant gorilla that is taken to America to keep it “safe” away from poachers. But of course, things don’t go as planned and a heart warming struggle to help Joe find safety and happiness ensues. It basically is an alternative telling of the King Kong story, but it does with grace and a charm that only Disney can provide. The beautiful Charlize Theron is perfect in her jungle woman role and works superbly alongside Bill Paxton. Although the effects still aren’t perfect, they are the best gorilla effects I have seen in a movie; at least they don’t make you cringe.

The sound and picture quality on the dvd are very good, but the extra features (or lack of them) lets down the film. An insight into the effects would have been good, but no, you have to make do with a poxy trailer and featurette. But don’t let this put you off. And if you are the same as I was and are doubting whether you will like it, I urge you to give in. You too might be surprised.

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