Product Details

• Actors: Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Grant Heslov
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: October 12, 1999
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (129 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00001NI7K
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #694,662 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is a terrible movie. Frank Marshall (Arachnophobia) demonstrates no control over story, actors, effects, or general presentation in this adaptation of a Michael Crichton novel about an expedition into deep, dark Africa that runs into an unknown race of killer apes. The big monkeys attack and attack and attack and have to be fought off with machine guns and lasers--that's pretty much the story, except there's probably an even better one behind "fourth Ghostbuster" Ernie Hudson's bizarre decision to speak with a British accent. While Marshall wants us to root for the human characters, they're all so obnoxious and unbelievable you can't help but feel lousy for the poor apes when they get chopped to bits just for defending their homes against these twerps. If you're not feeling enough environmentalist ire these days, watch this and get angry. --Tom Keogh

From The New Yorker

The director, Frank Marshall, who has produced films for Steven Spielberg, gets his own Michael Crichton book to play with-and the results are disastrous. To be fair, "Congo" wasn't much of a book, either-a talking gorilla, super satellites, diamond mines, killer apes, earthquakes-it was Jules Verne meets "Planet of the Apes." The film strands the actors in a sea of silly dialogue (although Tim Curry, cast as a Romanian philanthropist, seems to be having a little fun with the whole mess), and Marshall, who has directed some nifty films ("Arachnophobia," "Alive"), doesn't know where the comedy ends and the adventure begins. The film received some of the worst reviews of the summer, but audiences Congo-lined up anyway. It's a testament to Crichton's dubious popularity-the movie isn't funny or exciting. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Adventure In The Vein Of The Old Cliffhangers, December 15, 2004

By 

K. Fontenot "Prairie Cajun Regenerated!" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Congo (DVD)

I'll admit that I'm probably giving this film a higher rating than it deserves, but I really enjoy watching it. It seems like a really good attempt at capturing the essence of the old cliffhanger movies starring the likes of Tarzan from way back in the 30's and 40's. Although it isn't the greatest film around, it's one of the best high adventure flicks to roll out since "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Of course, it's nowhere near as good as "Ark," but at least it gives us a good story with some solid characters.

The characters are relatively stock, but that's to be expected in a film like this. Dylan Walsh plays the young, smart, and helpful scientist. Ernie Hudson is the great hunter who fears nothing. Tim Curry is the over-the-top, greedy "philanthropist" with wicked intentions. The rest of the cast does a great job, considering the overall material they work with.

For 1995, the special effects are just fine. Having the wicked gorillas rumble around and attack people looked pretty good considering it was a bunch of guys in suits. Walsh's signing gorilla was full of RC facial expressions.

This film was obviously made with the intent of riding the coattails of another Michael Crichton book-turned-movie, "Jurassic Park." Trust me, "Jurassic Park" is ten times as good as this rumble in the jungle, but "Congo" will suffice for some above-average Sunday afternoon entertainment.

I'd consider it a safe buy due to the fact that it isn't too expensive and the story is better than most of the latest jungle flicks.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Congo is an entertaining film to watch on a Saturday night., January 5, 2000

By 

Eric (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Congo (DVD)

Reminiscent of those Saturday matinee serials, Congo is an adventure film directed by Frank Marshall and written by Oscar winner John Patrick Shanley. I have read the book before and it's quite different from the film. Many regard this as the worst film adaptation of a Michael Crichton novel but I don't think so. Marshall seemed to be heading for trashy fun when he directed the film and that's exactly what the audience gets.

The plot begins with promise. An expedition in the virunga region of the Congo travel to Mount Mukenko in search of a diamond that will enhance a large company called Travicom. However the entire group is slaughtered by what seems to be a gorilla. Now, a group led by Monroe Kelly (Ernie Hudson), Peter Elliot (Dylan Walsh), and Karen Ross (Laura Linney) head to the Congo to renew the search for the diamond and find out what happened to the other expedition.

While Crichton's novel was full of nail-biting tension, Marshall and Stanley go more for the light-hearted and offer some moments of humor. That's not to say there's no tension. There's plenty of it in the last half hour of the film not to mention a bit of gory violence that involves a thrown decaptitated head.

The action sequences aren't bad. They aren't up to par with Indiana Jones but they still maintain excitement and tension. The performances in this film are borderline camp. None of the actors are ever really serious until they encounter the killer apes that created the original expedition massacre.

For a film that was clearly disliked by audiences and critics (although Roger Ebert found it to be good trash) it certainly did well at the box office. If you haven't seen this film I would say to watch it expecting a fun action/adventure that's not to be taken seriously.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT STORY-EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!, June 26, 2004

By 

L Gontzes (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Congo [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Definitely a great adventure and one of my personal favorites, Congo, brings to the screen a tale set in the African jungles involving an unlikely group that has banded together in search of a lost city and the rare diamonds that are rumored to exist there in abundance. The actors' performances are outstanding, especially Tim Curry whose "Romanian philanthropist" character steals the show. The plot, the jungle ruins, and the battles are all wonderful, making this film one of the best of its kind.
Congo is an action packed movie with strong elements of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, therefore, a "must see" for those with a passion for archaeology, mystery and adventure.