by Jason Whyte

Jan 25, 2000

George, George, George Of The Jungle,

Strong As He Can Be

Ahh-yee-yahh-yee-yahh-yee-yahh

Watch Out For That...(BOOM!!) TREE!

The main chorus to Sam Weisman's 1997 live-action remake of "George Of The Jungle" is wonderful: fun, upbeat and happy, just like the rest of the film, which occasionaly stoops to John Hughes levels, but puts it all in good fun.

Brendan Fraser is perfectly cast as the nutball George, who is raised in the jungle by animals. Enter Ursula (Leslie Mann), a beautiful explorer who befriends George. By the time we can blink, George and Ursula are off to San Fransisco, where they fall in love.

There. I just described the minimal plot, which is rather distracting, a series of bad dialogues and goings-on with Ursula's ex-fiancee' (Thomas Haden Church), but the rest of the movie is non-Disney-formula spoof, which is very funny, even more so by the dynamic Fraser, and the great supporting animals, like an ape named Ape, voiced by John Cleese, and Shep, the first dog that is the shape of an elephant.

Grade: B By Jason Whyte jwhyte2@ibm.net

Some prints contain the Mickey Mouse short "Runaway Brain", which is very entertaining, but kids might be thrown off guard thinking it's another movie.

Technical Review: Picture: 3.5 The picture has some washed out colors, but it is clear throughout. The picture looks like all other Disney Films too. Sound: 1 The sound is undistinguised mono, at least in the theatre I saw it in, which bragged Dolby Stereo Digital. This is, without a doubt, the most miserable soundtrack I have ever heard, all muddled and hard to hear. (If you don't see it in a THX theatre, sit up close so you can HEAR it!) If you experience these problems while watching George Of The Jungle, tell me at jwhyte2@ibm.net Photography: 2 Matted to 1.85:1, Sam Weisman frames boring tripod shots which give a plain and tiring look for the film.

 

by Nightwinger

Jan 25, 2000

Watch out for this film.....it is better than you would expect. This film is a great live action adaption of the late 60's spoof-cartoon series. Brendan Fraser stars as the "twisted Tarzan", George of the Jungle. Fraser has the mannerisms and goofy voice of the cartoon character perfected so well that it's very funny just watching him play the part. Other hilarious characters are George's animal buddies, including John Clease,as the voice of George's gorrila mentor,and faithful Shep,George's puppy-behaving elephant. With plenty of slapstick comedy and at-the-camera jokes, this is one movie that the whole family should see.

 

by Peter Woods

Jan 25, 2000

The best movie to bring a family to than those bad family films such like Wild America,Jungle2Jungle,Good Burger,and Man of the house. If you like some family fun,Go see it with the wlone family!!!

Rating:***1/2

 

by Glen McKay

Jan 25, 2000

The one thing I know I will remember from my experience in seeing "George of the Jungle" with my family is that I smiled. That's what you do when you go see a "comedy", right? You go in smiling. The expectation is that you'll laugh. That's what comedies make you do, right? Throughout "George" I smiled and smiled. I observed my 11-year old and he smiled. I observed my 6-year old and she had a thumb in her mouth the whole movie. I looked at my wife from time to time and she looked back at me. The unspoken question that passed between us innumerable times was "what are we doing here?" The smile stayed on my face in *anticipation* of laughter throughout this tiresome exercise in futility, coming only once... at the end of the movie.

That's not good, for a comedy... or a movie that makes the pretense of being called a comedy as "George" does, pretty poorly I might add.

In trying to figure out what went wrong I've decided that the producers, first of all, picked the wrong cartoon to adapt to film. "George" is hardly a ground-breaking or memorable cartoon, but it's predecessor, "Rocky and Bulwinkle" surely was. It amazes me no one thought of using "Roger Rabbit" techniques in giving "Rocky and Bulwinkle" movie treatment with, perhaps, live characters as Boris and Natasha. Imagine Tim Curry as Boris, for instance, played against an animated Bulwinkle... but noooooooooooo. The producers picked "George" for unfathomable reasons.

Second of all, nobody else appearing in the film looks convinced that this was a worthy project. Is anybody having fun in this film? Maybe John Cleese who plays "Ape" with a certain amount of panache, but everyone else is going through the motions and looking bored silly. For the character of "Ursula" what we need is a vamp; instead we get kind of an overaged debutante. Nothing clicks.

I will say that the last 20 minutes were mildly entertaining as the plot resolved itself in formulaic fashion, with lots of slapshtick action, biffs, bams, and whatnot. Brendan Fraser ("George") looks clearly pleased with his muscle flexings and facial expressings, knowing perhaps that this is just a lukewarm screen test for future film roles. And the final frames satirizing a famous Disney cartoon were admittedly hilarious... and that's my third point-- as satire the movie might have had a chance. But instead what we have is a feeble attempt at trying to take a mediocre TV cartoon in a literal translation to the screen.

When this gets out in video I hope you don't have to pay more than 50 cents for a rental.

 

by Kellie Blumenstein

Jan 25, 2000

George of the Jungle is just plain tongue in cheek fun!!! Adults will love it because it doesn't try to be something its not. It's silly and sweet and let's face it, Brendan's fine!Kids will love the sillies it brings out in them. Women will love the sweetness and innocence of a great looking fella and a damsel in distress that doesn't drive you crazy. See this movie....it's a VERY refreshing change.

 

by Jenny

Jan 25, 2000

It was the best movie go and see it now! if you have young kids then this is the movie that you want them to see!

 

by Brandon Kayser

Jan 25, 2000

I thought George of the Jungle was better than I thought it was going to be. One reason is that the crowd seemed to be younger kids, and there was a Mickey Mouse cartoon in front of it. But as it turned out the movie was pretty funny and was a great film. If you have a family this is the movie you want to see, it is a movie for all ages including parents. If you are thinking of seeing this movie, go its a great movie,and bring the whole family they'll really like it.

 

by Dan

Jan 25, 2000

George of the Jungle was the best movie I saw this summer. I like the gorilla the best. See it in thearters while you still can.

 

by Lowell

Jan 25, 2000

This is a pretty weak adaptation of what was a hilarious, pun-filled, cartoon series. But the kids seemed to like it, and it was a harmless overall movie experience. There is nothing in it that requires a big screen or a big sound system, so save your money and wait for the rental or cable. Unless you do what we did and see it at the drive-in, which is always worth the price just to be there.

 

by Gina Haldane

Jan 25, 2000

GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE

Take a one joke premise (navigationally challenged Tarzan wannabe) based on a hip, cult cartoon classic and try to make a live action comedy 30 years later and what do you get?

The best family movie of the summer -- GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE!

What should have been a disaster is instead terrific entertainment, working on several different levels from slapstick to hilarious parody to a gentle romance all at once.

Our entire family loved it (and have seen it several times.) Special credit to Brendan Fraser who is wonderful as gorgeous George (dim but sweet, kind and heroic) and John Clease, who is the voice of George's mentor, a cultured ape named Ape.

Swing down to your local cineplex and catch it today!

Gina Haldane (Haldane-Lindley Family)

 

by Lindsay Schuldt

Jan 25, 2000

This movie was humorous and great for the whole family. The way that some of the sayings and dialouge were said was very funny. It is just like the cartoon (ex. narrator, jungle animals) except that this movie was way funnier!!!! Go see this for a great comedy!!!

 

by Cari

Jan 25, 2000

For good clean fun - this is the movie that small kids and kids at heart can enjoy. I took a crew of kids from 8 to 40 to see this movie. My nephew @ 8 said "It was the greatest!" To my Kinship or Little Brother match and his sister ages 10 & 13, thought it was cool how George kept slamming into the trees. My son age 16, had some no brainer laughs, which at 16 is sometimes hard (they think we adults have no brains!) He also enjoyed the fact that the others enjoyed the movie the way they did, and he even hinted that it was a funny movie and that you don't need blood and guts in every movie. The big kids were my self, and some friends from college. "Can't find good clean fun movies that all ages can enjoy very often these days." was the comment of most of the Big Kids. It is one worth buying when it comes out on video, but see now, for laughter is great for reducing stress and wrinkles.

 

by Rabeea =)

Jan 25, 2000

Ahhh. What can I say? I absolutely loved this movie, especially Shep, the greatest elephant that could ever exist. I went in with my brother expecting another over-done Disney movie, but this really suprised me. Brendan Fraser was great as George, and the rest of the cast did just as well. This is definatley an under-rated movie that should have been the blockbuster of the summer. If you have not already seen it, what are you waiting for?? Go out and rent it now!

 

by katie, age 12

Jan 25, 2000

I thought the movie was extremely funny. Its a great movie for people of all ages. George knows almost nothing about the human type until he fell in love and devoted himself to her.

 

by Richard LaFreniere

Jan 25, 2000

I must say that this would be the perfect family film to see during the holidays. Not only does it bring the usual comedy you'd come to expect from this type of film but it also brings in a love story and the plot of a stanger to a major city screwing things up and bumping into alot of things! OUCH! George, George, George of the Jungle Watch out for that *BOOM* tree!

 

by George Jobson

May 27, 2003

When "George of the Jungle" was introduced in 1967 by creator Jay Ward, I was caught in the crossfire. You know, my fellow kids would pick on me, yelling "George of the Jungle." A sad time in my childhood. Thirty years later, that cartoon character that keeps hitting trees, has made it to the big screen. My childhood memories came flowing back. But this time, it was good. The film is funny and Brandon Frazier, gave a funny performace. In addition, the film has a good music score. Frazier is funny! So is movie! George is happy!