Mighty Joe Young

Name: Mighty Joe Young
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller, Fantasy, Family
Released: December 25, 1998
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 51
Cast: Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron

1998

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Mixed or average reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: December 25, 1998 | PG

Starring: Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron

Summary: The legendary Joe, a playful, smart fifteen-foot-tall gorilla, and his lifelong best friend Jill Young have grown up together in the remote mountains of Central Africa. When Joe's peaceful existence is shattered by poachers, Jill and zoologist Gregg O'Hara rescue their innocent friend and move him to the safety of an animal conservancy inThe legendary Joe, a playful, smart fifteen-foot-tall gorilla, and his lifelong best friend Jill Young have grown up together in the remote mountains of Central Africa. When Joe's peaceful existence is shattered by poachers, Jill and zoologist Gregg O'Hara rescue their innocent friend and move him to the safety of an animal conservancy in California. But Joe's safety is short-lived.… Expand

Director: Ron Underwood

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Thriller, Fantasy, Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

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. Read full review

Jay Carr

Karmic influences or not, the new "Mighty Joe Young" works. This is one remake that isn't trying to make us forget the original, but seems rather to embrace it and bring it into the present in solidly crafted, family-friendly fashion. [25 Dec 1998, p.C9]

Peter Stack

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. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Joe himself is an amazing creation, less personable, to be sure, than the original lovelorn King Kong, but a far more fully realized character than any of the flesh and blood humans by whom he's surrounded. Read full review

Stephen Holden

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. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Mighty Joe Young is based on the 1949 film of the same name, and it's nominally more aware of '90s concerns: destruction of the gorillas' habitats, illegal hunting, trade in animal body parts. On the other hand, it's no more enlightened about the intrinsic value of these clever, emotionally complex creatures. [25 Dec 1998, p.13E]

Chris Kaltenbach

Disney is creatively bankrupt and bereft of ingenuity -- especially in its live-action films. [25 Dec 1998, p.8F]

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User Reviews

FrancisDG

Jun 1, 2019

A true cult, I grew up with this movie and I still love it, maybe more too.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheTrueMovies

Jun 17, 2019

So funny and really beautiful in the visual aspect. Good plot and Charlize Theron is... DIVINE

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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