Category: (DVD)
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They've eluded heat-seeking missiles, gone eyeball-to-eyeball with enraged 5,000-pound hippos, hacked through a jungle curtain. Still, the expedition continues. Amy, a gorilla who was part of a university learning experiment, is at last returning home. A professor (Dylan Walsh), electronics expert (Laura Linney), guide (Ernie Hudson), explorer (Tim Curry) and others follow the scampering ape. They know she will lead them to the place that's more than her home - it's the site of the fabled Lost City of Zinj and its diamond mines. But what they don't know can be fatal. Once they enter Zinj, they'll be the endangered species! From the best seller by Michael Crichton ("Jurassic Park") comes an even-packed adventure filled with state-of-the-art technology and primal fear.
A fun and goofy rideReviewed by Viva, 2010-02-03
Come on, this movie isn't so bad. I can name dozens of films that
are far, far worse. At least this one is entertaining all the way
through, no slow spots, a lot of humor, great scenes in Africa, a
talking gorilla, decent cast. What's not to like?
Tim Curry and Joe Don Baker overdo it on purpose as the greedy guys
who just want diamonds and don't care who dies. Laura Linney sounds
like she's on the verge of shrieking and her hair looks perfect
even while she's on a safari. Dylan Walsh is very engaging as the
scientist with the talking ape, Amy. Grant Heslov is the hapless
assistant who is just along for the ride but wants to go home.
Ernie Hudson is an interesting guide who turns out to be very
resourceful.
Don't take it too seriously. Just enjoy.
CongoReviewed by Arnita D. Brown, 2010-01-15
An expedition to a mysterious expanse of unexplored Africa unexpectedly brings primatologist Peter Elliot and Travicom Project Supervisor Karen Ross to a place where human greed and the laws of nature have gone berserk. Unlikely partners, Peter is the guardian of Amy, a remarkable gorilla he wants to return to the wild, while Karen has been sent inland to retrieve rare diamonds needed for new communications technology. In a search for the legendary lost city of Zinj and its fabled diamonds, they are accompanied by their guide Monroe Kelly, Peter's colleague Richard and philanthropist Herkermer Homolka. The expedition discovers that in the Congo, they are the endangered species. A visual treat. This movie is definitely worth watching.
nice escape adventure film--Laura Linny as a CIA spook.Reviewed by little dave, 2009-09-24
The negative reviewers need to lighten up on this one. This is a
very good movie
to escape/space out into. It has a performance by very accomplished
actor Laura Linny as a "retired" CIA agent who is trying to
rehabilite herself after a career
of working with what she calls a "loveless bunch of sons of
bitches".
Plot holes are definitly present here--this is not snobby film
festival stuff.
This is a very good light duty action/adventure film with a few
real good turns by some verteran character actors. A great film to
have a few drinks and/or a nice smoke and enjoy without having to
exert deep thought to follow it. Think Indiana Jones without the
continous bombastic input.
Good jungle action flickReviewed by - Durrkk, 2009-08-01
"Congo," based on Michael Crichton's novel, was a fair hit in the
summer of 1995. Although I missed it when it was originally
released I finally got to see it this week and wasn't
disappointed.
THE STORY: Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Tim Curry and Ernie Hudson
form an expedition into deepest, darkest Africa wherein they
discover King Solomon's secret diamond mine and the killer gorillas
bred to guard it. Along for the ride is a female gorilla who's been
trained to use sign language which activates a speech
synthesizer.
The film plays out like a less-goofy Indiana Jones flick or
"Jurassic Park" without dinosaurs or kids and with a better
cast.
Laura Linney is a believable female protagonist; She's good-looking
but not smokin' hot (e.g. Megan Fox). Dylan Walsh is a likable
addition to the cast as the primologist. To the story's credit
Linney never has a hot spring scene and there is no real love story
in the mix. Not that I would have minded either; it's just
refreshing that the film avoids such cliches, maybe because the
rest of the story is full of well-worn material. For instance, Tim
Curry as the diamond-obsessed creep and the volcano-erupting,
temple-colapsing climax.
The best castmember is Ernie Hudson as Monro Kelly, who takes the
reigns of the expedition and refers to himself as "a great white
hunter who happens to be black" (hee, hee). I don't remember seeing
Hudson in any other film or tv show but he's stellar here. He
effortlessly commands the safari and responds to the string of
dangerous encounters with a confident, amused detachment.
The stellar filming locations include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,
Costa Rico and the Los Angeles County Botanic Garden.
With the exception of "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which is in a
league of its own, "Congo" is on par or better than the other
Indiana Jones flicks. I like it better. Although the hackneyed
ending will make you roll your eyes (as well as thrill you) "Congo"
fits the bill if you're in the mood for a modern jungle action
flick. Just keep in mind it's not "Apocalypse Now" and was never
meant to be.
The film runs 109 minutes.
Stupid, boring film - 4.5 out of 10Reviewed by Rube Goldfinger, 2009-07-14
This film sucks. Almost in a good way, but right when it heats up
to hilarious or exciting, it cops out and turns lame again. Ernie
Hudson is a good action protagonist, but the filmmakers give the
film to some boring and annoying gorilla trainer. Laura Linney is
her usual stern and unlikable self. Bruce Campbell has a tiny, but
vital part... why didn't they cast him as the trainer? Tim Curry is
really great with some of the hammiest acting of his later
career.
The evil gorillas could have been way better but are kinda creepy
at parts. The ridiculous volcano ending is hilariously bad.
Overall, this could have been a very good "Jurassic Park" ripoff,
but ends up an embarrasment.
