Wolff rating: GOOD
Plot summary: Jungle-man with tendency to hit vertical objects while swinging on vines pretty much hangs out and is himself.
Biased, pithy comments: So, from some sort of weird, objective standpoint this movie is lame (iffy plotting, missed opportunities for good jokes, reliance on some dumb bathroom humor), and whiny Gen-Xers can find sarcastic, mean things to say about how this is a movie derivative of a derivative of a derivative, and they'd probably be somewhat right. But movies are fundamentally a subjective experience, and my reviews, if nothing else, are pretty damn subjective. Thus, I have to say that I genuinely liked this movie, mostly because of its breezy good nature. Fraser is up to the task of portraying an apologetic goof, Mann probably plays the original Ursula to the hilt (for whatever good that does her), and Church grimly takes the bit in his teeth and saunters off with the part of Ursula's Wrong Fiancee. (Roundtree, the original `Shaft,' is underused as the jungle guide.) The plot, such as there is, is fluffy and silly, and there is a lot of crotch and flatulence humor for the under-nine audience, but for those of you with half a brain and a nice afternoon, you can catch some of the less overt humor and enjoy Cleese voicing George's sidekick Ape. So, not the best movie you could have made with this material and there is clear evidence of plotlines lost in the editing, but some darn funny jokes, metahumor, and some actors and actresses clearly having fun. Your mileage will probably vary.
Other Notes: I realized about halfway through that *this* is the movie ``Ace Ventura 2'' was trying to be. Mann goes on to be in ``Big Daddy.'' Sorry, gal.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, Richard Roundtree, John Cleese.
Directed by: Sam Weisman