***Disney flick about “Kong Jr.” with Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton***

A young woman (Charlize Theron) who has raised a giant gorilla named Joe from infancy brings him to an animal sanctuary in Southern California with the aid of a zoologist (Bill Paxton). Meanwhile, a poacher from the past seeks vengeance on the creature (Rade Serbedzija), which breaks free to cause havoc.

“Mighty Joe Young” (1998) was loosely based on the 1949 movie of the same name. I can watch it and enjoy it for what it is, a more kid-friendly version of King Kong with essentially Kong Jr. But, despite a good cast, great F/X and lots of action & adventure, the movie's somehow shallow with cardboard thin characters. When little Johnny gets stuck on the Ferris wheel, compelling Joe to rescue him, I just rolled my eyes. Yet the movie's still well done for what it is: a movie for kids (and the kid IN adults) about a lovable but menacing-when-necessary giant gorilla.

The movie runs 1 hour, 54 minutes and was shot in Kaua'i, Hawaii (the Africa scenes) and Los Angeles, Hollywood & Long Beach, California.

GRADE: C+/B-

It's basically 'King Kong', let's be honest.

In fairness, though, 'Mighty Joe Young' does do its own thing and it's a film I did feel entertained by. Bill Paxton (Gregg) and Charlize Theron (Jill) are two of the big reasons, they are both enjoyable in this. The effects/animatronics for the gorilla are also impressive, even when Joe is shown via people in costume (incl. Verne Troyer!) he looks decent. They did a fine job in that regard.

The premise isn't anything revolutionary, but there is certainly a fair amount of heart in there. I would've liked it more without the typical happy ending, admittedly. The music and cinematography is solid. The villains, meanwhile, are probably this production's weakest area, I never really became interested in them or their story.

Good film, all in all.

Synopsis: Jill Young (Charlize Theron) grew up alongside gorillas in the wilds of Africa. When poachers kill her mother while Jill is still a child, Jill promises to look after the big hairy primates. As an adult, Jill is best friends with Joe, a gorilla that, due to a genetic abnormality, is several times normal size. The poachers haven't gone away, though; they're still after Joe, so, to keep him safe, she moves him to an animal sanctuary in California. When her mother's killers return in pursuit of both her and Joe, will the young woman and her primate friend survive?

The Good: I'm pretty sure this is the first movie featuring Charlize Theron that I've seen--her other films don't exactly match up with my tastes--but, she does a good job as the lead. The special effects are amazing; they really made Joe seem like a real, living animal, instead of merely a product of computer animation or puppetry. Here's the best compliment of all: The finale affected me emotionally, in ways few movies ever do; seriously, I was about to cry.

The Bad: The profanity count is somewhat high for a '90's "PG" film, especially one made by Disney. Discerning viewers may want to watch this via a filter. Also, the heroine's outfits tended to be a bit too tight.

Content Concerns:
Sex: Kissing.
Nudity: Woman in tight outfits.
Language: Three or four uses each of the d-word and h-word; about six or so misuses of God's name.
Violence: Action violence throughout: a woman is shot dead; a guy loses his finger from an animal bite; Joe is shot at with both tranquilizers and bullets; Joe goes on a rampage more than once, etc. However, no blood or gore.
Drugs: People drink at a party.
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Joe goes on a rampage more than once; [spoiler]the finale features Joe almost dying while saving a kid from the top of the Ferris wheel.[/spoiler]

Conclusion: It seems that Disney had jungle fever in the '90's. Between _The Lion King_, _George of the Jungle_, _Tarzan_, and this movie, they had several movies that were set in the wild...but, this one is the only one that didn't get any direct-to-video sequels. It may not have been the most popular Mouse flick ever, but, I still had a blast with it. Fans of Disney productions who are looking for something different will likely enjoy this; just keep in mind the content concerns above.