Synopsis
As a child living in Africa, Jill Young saw her mother killed while protecting wild gorillas from poachers led by Andrei Strasser. Now an adult, Jill cares for an orphaned gorilla named Joe -- who, due to a genetic anomaly, is 15 feet tall. When Gregg O'Hara arrives from California and sees the animal, he convinces Jill that Joe would be safest at his wildlife refuge. But Strasser follows them to the U.S., intent on capturing Joe for himself.
Your Movie Library
Cast
- Charlize TheronJill Young
- Bill PaxtonGregg O'Hara
- Rade ŠerbedžijaStrasser
- Peter FirthGarth
- David PaymerHarry Ruben
- Regina KingCecily Banks
- Robert WisdomKweli
- Naveen AndrewsPindi
- Lawrence PressmanDr. Baker
- Linda PurlDr. Ruth Young
Recommendations
- 75
Chicago Sun-Times
Mighty Joe Young is not meek and harmless; it's a full-blooded action picture, all right, but with a certain warmth and humor instead of a scorched-earth approach. You feel good at the end, instead of merely relieved. - 75
ReelViews
Joe is a masterpiece of special effects wizardry, looking more real than any giant primate ever to walk across the silver screen. By combining animatronics, computer-generated images, and a man in a costume, Mighty Joe Young creates a compelling illusion. - 75
San Francisco Chronicle
Mighty Joe Young is a mighty fun movie. The trick? They didn't try to out-monster those bloated King Kong and Godzilla franchises. But it's still a hoot of an adventure about an overgrown ape having trouble adjusting to life in California. - 70
Variety
Mighty Joe Young is wholesome, well-crafted family fare like Hollywood used to make. - 70
Los Angeles Times
Mighty Joe Young may be the season's most appealing family bet. Certainly, it has an appealing cast. - 67
The A.V. Club
It's all a little silly, and silly in a way that's less fun than the original—due in part to an obvious subplot involving a poacher played by a hammy Peter Firth—but its kid-friendly B-movie charm and the peerless Mr. Young make it worthwhile, undemanding entertainment. - 50
Entertainment Weekly
Neat as Joe looks, you do wish that someone had bothered to give him a personality. - 50
The New York Times
Mighty Joe Young, directed by Ron Underwood from a screenplay by Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner, is saddled with dialogue so wooden that Mr. Paxton and Ms. Theron almost seem animatronic themselves. Little children won't notice. In Joe, they can identify with the biggest, cuddliest simian toy a 6-year-old could ever hope to own.
