Chasing Amy

spookyrat1

I'm happy to play odd man out amongst the many reviewers here who disliked this film, as I, like Roger Ebert apparently, have always found Congo to be entertaining and quite thrilling in the same way as were the big screen jungle adventures of the early 1950's and TV series, such as Jungle Jim.

Adapted quite closely from the best selling book by Michael Crichton, but wisely, never taking itself anywhere near as seriously, Congo is a fun ride, mixing lost cities, buried treasure, volcanoes, earthquakes, African civil wars, satellite technology, lasers, predatory animals and a talking gorilla into one heady, trip. It's tongue is planted very firmly, front and centre in it's cinematic cheek, for which many of the critics and reviewers here, IMO, don't appear to give it sufficient credit. This is very much an adventure comedy, best referenced when the largely African cast join chorally and quite unexpectedly in the singing of California Dreaming, as they paddle rafts down a river.

This is the film that introduced me to (the very attractive in a natural way) Laura Linney, playing the smart, independent, resilient scientist Karen Ross. It also gave Ernie Hudson what he later described as his favourite role, allowing him to finally and genuinely, share centre stage in a movie (rather than token black support actor) playing Captain Munro Kelly (think of an African - American Stewart Grainger) utilising a delightfully functional mid-Atlantic accent. Mention must be made of the Amy gorilla character, who truly convinces us she is a flesh and blood creature, through being allowed (unlike many of the human characters) to play it pretty much straight, whilst still having some early comic highlights with her primate scientist/trainer played by Dylan Walsh.

This 1995 production still looks the goods, with suitably exotic location scenes mainly shot in Costa Rica with only some of the concluding special effects looking a little clunky by today's more refined standards.

Finally watch out for the visually spectacular parachuting scenes and the humorous events leading up to it and an uncredited cameo from the always reliable Delroy Lindo playing a money-hungry militia leader.

score 8/10

spookyrat1 16 September 2018

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw4342280/