Watch Out for That -- !
George of the Jungle Is One Swingin' Dude

Okay, I'll admit that this is one of the latest reviews I have posted. Most of the people interested in seeing George of the Jungle have probably done so already. Personally, I couldn't find much to get excited about from the previews, but a friend relentlessly begged me to see it. She loved it and said I would, too.

I am willing to concede that George is a likeable film. Its silly Tarzan-like premise is amusing, and does not get bogged down in details (such as, "How did George learn the English language, not to mention teach it to his friend, Ape?"). The cutesy narration guides children through the story with comforting commentary, pointing out that nobody dies in this story -- they just get really big boo-boos.

Star Brendan Fraser makes a good stab at the title character, but his naivete of civilization is inconsistent. His earlier attempt at an "ape-man" character in Encino Man seemed more believable and infinitely more funny. This, however, is not a movie for the teen crowd. For the munchkin crowd, George may be humorous, but I heard more giggles for the animals in the film.

In truth, the show stealers in this movie were not the humans but the animals. The little monkey who comes to George for help is sweet and fragile. Shep, George's pet elephant (who acts like a hyperactive beagle), gets laughs just for his slack-jawed panting. Then there is Ape, voiced by "Monty Python" alum John Cleese. Ape has a way of dominating a scene simply because of his command of the English language -- something the human cast fumbles in varying degrees.

The other human cast, namely Thomas Haden Church and Leslie Mann, are adequate for their roles, but I found their characters never reaching past two-dimensions. Granted, this is a children's movie, and the kiddies are more apt to be looking for the next physical gag rather than paying attention to the plot. Still, the simplistic mindsets of the characters are unbearable at times.

For all its cute demeanor, I have one big problem with George of the Jungle. It's rated PG. The off-color humor and bad words which led to this rating could have been dropped and affected neither the plot nor theme of this movie. Although it offered nothing a child can't see on prime-time network television, I don't think such rationalizations should be used as an excuse for tainting children's movies. I, for one, would like to see Walt Disney Studios go back to making G-rated family entertainment. Innocence is too easily lost in today's society. Why force it to happen any sooner?

MY RATING: 5 out of 10.

RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 91 min.