George of the Jungle

Release Date: July 16, 1997

Watch Date: June 22 – June 23, 2023

“Deep in the heart of the African jungle, a baby named George (Brendan Fraser), the sole survivor of a plan crash, is raised by gorillas. George grows up to be a buff and lovable klutz who has a rain forest full of animal friends: Tookie, his big-beaked toucan messenger; Ape, a talking gorilla who’s smarter than your average rocket scientist; and Shep, a grey-haired, peanut-loving pooch of an elephant. When poachers mess with George’s pals, the King of Swing swings into action. But before you can say, ‘Watch out for that tree,’ George comes face-to-bark with a few vine-covered obstacles.”

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    Sometimes you just need a good Brendan Fraser movie. And back in his peak, before everything went very, pointlessly and terribly wrong for him through no fault of his own and based solely on his attempt to expose a corrupt Hollywood system, that means one thing – The Mummy. Only, unfortunately, The Mummy isn’t on Disney+, so we’re watching George of the Jungle instead. It’s not an instant classic like The Mummy, one that would cement Brendan Fraser’s legacy for decades to come, but it is just a fun movie in which Brendan Fraser spends most of the film shirtless – and I hate to objectify him based on why his career was tanked but…I mean the man was extremely attractive back in the 90s.

    George of the Jungle was originally an animated series in the 60s and I think that this film does a really good job of capturing that kind of crazy ‘Rocky and Bullwinkle’ kind of energy. It weirdly only aired for 17 episodes, so it seems like a bizarre thing to make a movie out of exactly thirty years later, but they did it, and it’s just…fun.

    Honestly, that’s all this movie is, it’s pure goofy fun. The actors look like they’re having fun, Brendan Fraser looks like he’s having fun. There’s a fun back and forth between the characters and the narrator, the plot is predictable but still keeps you engaged. It’s feels very of it’s time, honestly. John Cleese voices a gorilla, because why not?

    This is a very easy, lighthearted film to put on while you eat some popcorn and lounge about after a long day. You’re not going to be required to think very much, you’re not going to be challenged. It’s pure junk food – but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, a little bit of junk food every once and awhile isn’t a bad thing. It might, in fact, add depth to the rest of the food you’re eating, making you enjoy it all the more.

    Mostly, it made Bob laugh on days we were having that were hard for him – and any movie that can do that gets my full and wholehearted approval.