George - Der aus dem Dschungel kam

Big screen adaptation of the much beloved cartoon character recounts how George (admirably played with affable density by Brendan Fraser) met his wife Ursula (played by the adorable Leslie Mann). The only thing standing between them being Ursula's mom (played by Holland Taylor), Ursula's obnoxious fiance Lyle (Thomas Haden Church) and poacher duo. Helping George is his loyal elephant/dog Shep, the toucan, and the Ape Named Ape (voiced with biting cynicism by John Cleese).

Yeah it's not great cinema but hey, it's not a misfire either. It's funny most of the time and it shows that Fraser has cornered the affable stranger in a strange land market. Very few actors can play characters who are essentially idiots without losing audience sympathy or credibility, but somehow Fraser manages to do it.

Best gags include include the smart ass narrator, George getting hyped up on coffee, the women at Ursula's party fawning over George's deep spiritual connection with animals, George swinging into various objects (most notably the San Francisco bridge sequence) and George's climatic battle with the poachers.

"My noble kinsmen, thou has served me well. Now stand aside while Shep doth dispatch these villains." - George speaking ape

Laugh it up you insensitive ruffians but I actually like this movie. Yeah, it's really stupid but the film does have some semblance of charm. How can you not laugh at the ridiculousness of it all? I say, watch this movie when you're not functioning normally and you'll dig it. I don't know, I'll chalk it up to guilty pleasure. If you think I'm an idiot for digging this one, so be it. I don't mind watching someone swing face first into a tree from time to time, just to stray from the norm. Or to see a lion get clotheslined. Rating: *** out of *****.

George of the Jungle is a seriously goofy film. A slapstick live-action summertime cartoon aimed directly at young kids. One might be tempted to review it with bumpers; because it's for kids, give it a break. But George of the Jungle is better than that. It's a smart, witty family comedy, bursting with charm and good cheer. It may be silly, but it's a real film, with real filmmaking qualities, and a real heart.

The movie is based on the short-lived 1960s Jay Ward cartoon of the same name, but the words 'based on' are misleading. George of the Jungle takes the basic vibe (and banging theme song) from the show for use in an original comedic tale of a meathead Tarzan knockoff (Brendan Fraser) and the wholesome romance that sparks between he and Leslie Mann's big city heiress, Ursula. In the way is her slime ball fiancé Lyle (Thomas Haden Church) and the requisite 90s goon partners who want to capture the swinging white ape. The premise is excellent comedic fodder. Early jungle shenanigans are great fun, showcasing a confident, free-wheeling slapstick spirit. Writers Dana Olsen and Audrey Wells are unbound to the lazy conventions of the family comedy, instead having an obvious blast with inside jokes, fourth wall breaking narration, and knowing winks to the parents, before that became cliche unto itself. And of course there's the pratfalls too.

But better than that is the fish-out-of-water turn the film takes when George is taken to San Francisco. George of the Jungle separates itself from its contemporary self aware live-action cartoons (a big craze in the late 90s and early aughts) with a downright charming love story at its center. Brendan Fraser and Leslie Mann are doing deceptively impressive work as the puppy lovers. Fraser gives a role broader than a barn door an amazingly lovable sweetness. Almost any other actor on the planet would be an abrasive embarrassment as the sculpted dork. Fraser is adorable. His goofy naïveté is more naturally enchanting than maybe any rom com lead I've seen. Mann, on the other end, is equal to Fraser's masterful clown act. She's a winsome presence as the uncommonly cute city girl who falls for George. Here's another tricky acting challenge, trying to straddle the line between cartoon character and real girl. She might have been a disaster if she pushed too far in either direction, but she turns out wonderful.

Wonderful. Apply the word to everything about George of the Jungle. It's a movie I have cherished since the days watching it religiously with my cousin and brother on my Grandma's ancient VCR. Some of my most beloved memories are attached to Sam Weisman's innocent little kid's flick (I'll proudly admit to tightly lacing up a pair of Nikes and running shirtless through the middle school football practice field like George through the African savanna). Nostalgia is a powerful drug. It's the primary reason for George of the Jungle's spot among my top 10 all-time favorites. But nostalgia is not all this delightful film has going for it. Squint your eyes, and between all the hilarious absurdities, the apes named "Ape" that sound like John Cleese, the elephants that play fetch, the "Oo oo, ee ee, tookie tookie"s, you'll find genuine sweetness. A real air of good-humored joy. I'm always surprised that such a goofy, screwball adventure picture would end up feeling so impressive, but George of the Jungle is really that good at what it does. I could call it "a very funny live-action comedy, with a playful stupidity that delighted the kid in me, and a core of clever wit that tickled my adult sensibilities too", but that wouldn't tell the whole story. I see a more special quality in this colorful entertainment. A sense of truthfully felt innocence. Most childhood favorites don't stand up to adult scrutiny. George of the Jungle does one better. It keeps growing in my appreciation as the years pass.

88/100

This was a pretty entertaining comedy with a few twists added, such as a talking gorilla, which made it fun to watch. We also see an elephant act like a dog and along the way our hero (Brendan Fraser) is a likable boob. Sometimes it's just plain stupid but that's what you get with any comedy.

Disney has this in the "PG" mode so we get some of the standard peeing, farting, sex jokes and innuendos, kicking people in the groin....you know, all those supposedly-hilarious gags that have become so commonplace in modern family comedies. There is enough original material in here, though, to enjoy this a couple of times.

Actually, a lot of fun.

Sure, it's lame. It's supposed to be lame. It pokes fun at itself for being lame. ("George can't die -- he's the hero.") Don't expect great special effects, real Nature, a solid plot, or Oscar-caliber acting. This is mind candy.

In a lot of ways, the plot is like "Titanic" -- nice new boy steals girl away from sleezebag fiancée she's just marrying to please her mother. However, since Ursula ditches Lyle before taking up with George, there's none of the moral bankruptcy that made Titanic such a stinker. "George of the Jungle" has the added benefit of not taking itself seriously.