Retro Review: Congo (1995)

I didn't appreciate Congo when it first came out, finding it a weak attempt to cash in on Michael Crichton's success with Jurassic Park. But a friend recently caught up with the movie, and suggested I give it another try, saying it held up quite well.

So I bit the bullet and did, and my friend is more or less right. Congo does hold up well, and certainly plays better on the small screen then it did on the big back in 1995. It's still nothing more than B-movie fodder, but it's fun on that level. You have to be in the mood for scenery chewing acting, killer monkeys and a talking ape but, if you are, you'll be entertained.

Part of the enjoyment comes from seeing so many veteran character actors in their prime. Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Joe Don Baker and Joe Pantoliano ham it up with the best of them, and are clearly having a blast. This was Laura Linney's first crack at stardom, and she gives it her all as an action hero.

And yes, Bruce Campbell has a small role and he's, well, Bruce Campbell. And that's fine by me.

We don't get a lot of jungle-adventure movies anymore. Was Congo one of the last? I'm thinking so. And that's too bad as it's a fun venue to set a movie in. Congo was worth my time a quarter of a century after my first viewing, but I might wait another 25 years to see it again. That means it's a Bad.

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