GORILLAS IN THE MIST
A film review by Michael Soukup
Copyright 1988 Michael Soukup
GORILLAS IN THE MIST
Director: Michael Apted
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Bryan Browne, Julie Harris
Rating: * 1/2
GORILLAS IN THE MIST unfortunately draws its style from its many Hollywood "biopic" predecessors. It's earnest, straightforward, and without much point. Indeed, the filmmakers have dragged out the hoary old devices of a love interest, the faithful servant, and the wizened older-woman-as-advice-giver. The film is almost painful in its predictability.
The film opens with Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver) rushing in to catch the last of a speech by Dr. Louis Leaky (read "exposition"). She, of course, is single-minded (read "character development") in her attempts to corner Leaky and talk with him about going to Africa to study the near extinct mountain gorilla. After two seconds of hesitation (suspense!), he agrees. From them on we get several standard episodes that could be borrowed from nearly any "adventure" movie script. Dian arrives in Africa. See naive Dian overloaded with luggage (comedy!). See determined Dian patiently track the elusive gorillas. See Dian get discouraged and consider giving it all up only to be talked out of it by the "Wizened Older Woman." The film continues in this vein but without any real insight into Fossey, her work, or what her work might have meant. The audience can take nothing away with them. The film indicts itself on this score when it has to insert a title card at the end explaining the importance of Fossey's work. If it has to be explained, the film doesn't seem to have accomplished much. This is biography solely as entertainment--and even then pretty pallid entertainment.
I don't mean to imply that this film is inept. It certainly is not. Indeed, the "gorilla effects" by Rick Baker are more than convincing. [Most of the gorillas, however, are real. -Moderator] The acting, too, is generally good. Michael Apted is certainly a capable director (AGATHA, COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER) but the entire package is limp and lacking in imagination and energy. For a cinematic biography that really soars, rent Alex Cox's SID & NANCY one more time.
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