CONGO
A film review by Teresa Lamb
Copyright 1995 Teresa Lamb
1995 Paramount 1.85:1 Panavision THX DTS
After having JURASSIC PARK nearly ruined by reading Michael Crichton's novel/script, nothing that had anything to do with CONGO reached the eyes of this reviewer. This helped CONGO's enjoyment, but did not save nor make the film anything less than unsatisfying. Frustration was the word for JURASSIC PARK, with a desire to see some of the book's subplots developed on screen more than a minor suggestion of dino breeding by Sam Neil upon finding egg shells. CONGO leaves many of the same roads untraveled; even without the benefit of any extra knowledge possibly supplied by the book. Continuing the comparison to JURASSIC PARK, CONGO's cast suffers from the cookie-cutter class that makes JURASSIC PARK almost unreal or comic-bookish. Most actors do fine with such light weight material; Ernie Hudson (who's been in some pretty awful films recently, THE CROW (1994, Miramax/Dimension) and NO ESCAPE (1994, Savoy)) shows a slightly new side with a British accent. Tim Curry's character remains strikingly under-developed beyond being the treasure mad explorer who leaves the film in a painstakingly predictable fashion. The female lead is a close clone of Ellie Sadler (Laura Dern) from JURASSIC PARK and Joe Don Baker is a much gruffer version, but still cut from the same single-visioned character cloth as Richard Attenborough's Hammond in JURASSIC PARK. Even the dialogue mirrors JURASSIC PARK with pseudo-philosophical/intellectual passages that only provoke laughter rather than insight.
Praise can only truly be bestowed upon CONGO's special effects. Lucas Digital's ILM receives credit for effects of a wide range beyond those of animatronic gorillas; which do, by the way, appear very authentic throughout most of CONGO. The main monkey, Amy, possesses an ability that is a scientific breakthrough; however, this ability is sadly seldom demonstrated for audience effect/reaction or to propel the thin plot. Other tech credits are top notch with a full deep coating of Paramount "sheen" on the film giving it a schlock look that greatly benefits a shallow film like CONGO.
If you wear your lowest powered thinking caps and curiosity belt and trade the ensemble in for an extra large, extra buttered popcorn and super size beverage, CONGO (in the right digital equipped THX approved theater) might just make for passable entertainment. Consider yourself warned!
Endangered is wrong; we get plenty of films like this one ... sadly. 2 stars on the Popcorn Summer Scale out of 4 stars possible (we were feeling quite generous, too!)
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