Mighty Joe Young (DVD)

Mighty Joe Young is a lovely Disney film which a saw a few years ago but also managed to pick up on DVD for my husband last week as he said he would like to watch it again. He is not related to King Kong as my hubby has told my boys but he is just another large gorilla!

The film starts with a gorilla and a young girl both becoming orphans as poachers kill both their parents. The mother worked in the jungle looking after the gorillas ...
...into danger when he encounters Mighty Joe in the hills. Jill comes to his rescue and stops Joe from hurting him. As Greg is taken off the hill and to the doctor he is told that he did not really see this woman or Joe but he knows that he did and he goes back in search of them both. Greg discovers Jill playing hide and seek with Joe and finally he talks to her and tell him that he wishes to help protect Joe. He tells Jill of a wonderful animal reserve ... more

Mighty Joe Young is a lovely Disney film which a saw a few years ago but also managed to pick up on DVD for my husband last week as he said he would like to watch it again. He is not related to King Kong as my hubby has told my boys but he is just another large gorilla!

The film starts with a gorilla and a young girl both becoming orphans as poachers kill both their parents. The mother worked in the jungle looking after the gorillas and trying to stop them from being hunted and killed. The daughter Jill, played by Charlie Theron, promises her mother that she will stay in the jungle and continue doing her work and also look after Joe the gorilla now he also has no mother.

The film then moves on to the present day where we see a group of men going out into the jungle in search of animals to kill. Amongst this group is a zoologist called Greg who runs into danger when he encounters Mighty Joe in the hills. Jill comes to his rescue and stops Joe from hurting him. As Greg is taken off the hill and to the doctor he is told that he did not really see this woman or Joe but he knows that he did and he goes back in search of them both. Greg discovers Jill playing hide and seek with Joe and finally he talks to her and tell him that he wishes to help protect Joe. He tells Jill of a wonderful animal reserve in California where he works and how Joe could live there and be safe and how he would be given the room to roam free and not be in a cage.

As the hunters return to the hills Jill reluctantly agrees to take Joe to California to protect him. Joe settles into his new home in California but before long the hunters who killed his mother find him and want revenge for Joe biting his finger and thumb off. Will Jill be able to keep Joe safe or will his life end in the hands of the evil hunters?

We love this film in our house even though it does bring a tear to the eye. The whole story line is wonderful and heart warming as with all the Disney films it is a bit predictable but still very enjoyable.

The special effects were very good and Joe did look very realistic and especially the scenes with his and Jill were made very well.

Me and my hubby did watch this film on our own as we liked it so much we wanted to enjoy it in peace but our boys did eventually watch it and our eldest, aged 6 did cry during the end but he is very sensitive. Our 3 year old thoroughly enjoyed the whole film especially when Joe was running around playing hide and seek. This film definitely appeal to adults as well as children of all ages and it has such a feel good factor to it.

The running time of the film is 110 minutes which is just the right length as any longer and the children would have started to have got bored with sitting still. There is a PG certificate on the film but I feel that even young children would enjoy this.

There is no bonus material on the DVD which I have, only the film.

The film was directed by Ron Underwood and produced by Ted Hartley and Tom Jacobson. It was released by Disney and this can be bought for under the £5 price which I feel is a great price for such a great film. 

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