Mighty Joe Young
The nineties were a weird time for us all. And if we properly sat down with ourselves we'd admit that we were all in a collective high that as only rivalled by the previous decade. This related to everything; clothes, fashion, music and media - it was all as though our global water supply was spiked by acid and we all just went along for the trip. One of the biggest trends in the nineties was our blockbuster mammoth films. Jurassic World, Independence Day, Armageddon - they were explosive, emotional and full of rock ballads that we still sob out on drunken nights. Of this group of films, the subset of misunderstood gigantic or vicious animals was prevalent. And sandwiched in there was Mighty Joe Young.
Scraping in at the last of the decade and starring Charlize Theron with an undeniably epic perm, Mighty Joe Young revolves around the titular animal who just happens to be a 2,200 pound Gorilla raised by the young Jill after both their mothers died at the hands of poachers. Living in an African county, the abundance of hunters forces them to trust the naiveties of conservationist Gregg O'Hara (played by Bill Paxton as I'm pretty sure it's in his contract to appear in every nineties film ever.) To protect him, Joe is sent to a nature reserve but someone from both his and Jill’s past is determined to settle old scores which causes many a fracas to the rich people supporting Joe’s habitat.
Why is it Bad?
This movie based on a 1949 film that both smatter of trend appeasing sentiments is a shallow endeavour, indeed.
Mighty Joe Young is a film that hasn't aged well. The CGI Joe is more of a Photoshop job as he is superimposed in running scenes and the rubber puppetry for the closer intense scenes seem hammy and false against the backdrop of Oscar winning special effects nowadays. Realising the epic scale of a whopping great big bloody ape roaming around countries and cities is a difficult task for filmmakers led by Ron Underwood because no one can really figure out his size as he is shrunk and enlarged for different scenes. For example, it makes no sense that he could leap to the ground with force and make nothing more than a small footstep like sound.
The story is blighted by every Disney cliché that the studio can sandwich in there. The whole "people assume they know fucking everything about the beast except for this broad who has no scientific background but she is forced out of the picture so it all goes wrong along the way" film has been trotted out so much that here, it feels forced and underdeveloped. Especially with the forced romance and underused supporting actors such as Regina King. A sloppy outcome for a beast of King Kong scale.
Why is it Good?
If it were beauty that truly saved the beast in that aforementioned film then it is definitely beauty that saved it here. In fact, more so than beauty. The skill, the intelligence and enthralling actress Charlize Theron leads the way with gusto and heart. Her performance as Jill has you torn and angry in places whilst her thrill and excitement has you bouncing with glee. Theron is in her element as a somewhat fresh faced actress in pre-Oscar glory and she shapes Jill with a lot of undeniable spirit. Alongside her is the alluring Joe who, whilst lighted by the decade centric technology, is a kind beast who you love and invest in immediately.
With villains ripped straight from a pantomime, so much so that you practically boo when the fingerless Andrei is on screen and a furry gentle creature at the centre of it, it is important to remember with Mighty Joe Young that this is a kid centric family debacle that requires little to no thought to enjoy. As Joe rampages across settings in a truly unbelievable way, the atmosphere just urges you to sit back and immerse yourself in the fury ride. There's no doubt that the finale - as dramatic as the budget will allow - does tug at your heart strings offering a tear or two along the way. Mighty Joe Young may not be brilliant but in a cinematic climate where good family action is lacking anywhere outside of Pixar, it might be an idea to gather up the family one Sunday and watch.