George of the Jungle (1997), PG, 1 hr, 31 min

Critical Overview

George of the Jungle is a live-action adaptation of the beloved 1960s cartoon, starring Brendan Fraser as the affable, vine-swinging klutz raised by gorillas. The film is playful, delightfully silly, and loaded with physical comedy. Brendan Fraser fully commits to the role, delivering a warm, goofy performance reminiscent of cartoon logic—most famously crashing into that trademark tree again and again. John Cleese voices Ape, the cultured simian mentor who adds sharp wit and meta humor. While not cinematic art, the film offers genuine belly laughs—especially Shep the elephant acting like a dog—and occasionally clever self-aware narration. It may meander in pacing, but for its light-hearted intent, it succeeds.

A dependable crowd-pleaser that doesn’t overthink it. Brendan Fraser anchors the silly narrative with charm, and the tone is breezy and fun. Not sophisticated—but solid family fare with laugh-out-loud moments.

Strengths: Brendan Fraser’s joyful performance, authentic tribute to the original cartoon, strong slapstick humor, inventive use of narrator and fourth-wall breaks. 

Weaknesses: Jokes repeat and lose steam, characters outside George remain underdeveloped, narrative feels episodic and padded. 

Bottom Line While George of the Jungle isn’t high art, it earns its place as a fun, nostalgic family comedy. Brendan Fraser’s heartfelt charm and the film’s willingness to embrace cartoonish absurdity make it enjoyable for both kids and adults. If you’re looking for lightweight humor and gentle nostalgia, “Watch out for that tree!” is worth the swing.

Family Friendliness

The film is largely clean with cartoonish action—George crashing into trees, wrestling with lions, and slapstick fight sequences. There are a few brief elements of nudity (George exits the shower), mild sexual innuendo (coffee book gag, mating rituals), and off-color bathroom humor (flatulence, poop jokes). Nothing graphic appears on screen. Content is appropriate for children aged 6+, though younger kids may need explanation of some jokes or mild peril scenes.

My Rating:  6 out of 10

Main Cast

Brendan Fraser as George

Leslie Mann as Ursula Stanhope

Thomas Haden Church as Lyle Van de Groot

John Cleese (voice) as Ape

Richard Roundtree as Mr. Kwame

Greg Cruttwell as Max (poacher)

Abraham Benrubi as Thor (poacher)

Holland Taylor as Beatrice Stanhope (Ursula’s mother)

Keith Scott as Narrator

Other Critics’ Ratings

IMDb: 6.1 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes: 55%

Metacritic: 53 / 100 (mixed or average)

Dove Foundation: Not officially Dove-approved