Congo (1995)

I'm going to keep this short – you can read all about Congo all over the internet. I just have a couple of comments – First, Congo's biggest problem is that the movie is all over the place with useless plot threads piled on top of useless plot threads. It tries to do too much. The movie lacks focus. With everything else going on in Congo, the big, bad gray apes have so little screen-time that it's astonishing. The movie was billed as being about killer apes, but they're on screen for a few seconds at the beginning (well, they're sort of on screen) and for about 15 minutes at the end. In between, there's so much nonsense going on that, in reality, has nothing to do with the apes. The whole bit about the assassination of the African leader and all the garbage that happens as a result is a complete waste of time. Congo really needed more ape madness.Second, if you read most of the stuff on the internet about Congo, you will no doubt read negative comments about Tim Curry's performance. While I agree that it's over-the-top, it's one of the few things I found enjoyable. He's hysterical. Maybe I'm laughing for all the wrong reasons, but entertainment is entertainment. And really, what were you expecting from Tim Curry? He's an over-the-top ham in everything he ever did – not just Congo.

A team from a communication company is in Congo on an expedition. They discover a lost city and are massacred. Karen Ross (Laura Linney) is an ex-CIA agent and goes in search of the lost group. She and philanthropist Herkermer Homolka (Tim Curry) fund an expedition of Dr. Peter Elliott (Dylan Walsh) and his assistant Richard (Grant Heslov) from Berkley. They have taught a gorilla named Amy how to sign and with a glove and computer backpack, she can speak. The group is joined by local guide Munro Kelly (Ernie Hudson). At the Lost City of Zinj, they are confronted with a species of gray gorillas.This is such an odd movie. It isn't quite quirky enough to be funny. Yet it can't be taken seriously especially with Amy around. It probably needs a comedian to do the comedy and I don't think Tim Curry is quite right. He's too weaselly. The action adventure doesn't really work because none of it seem real. The sets all look fake. I don't mind the gray gorilla group's look. They could look more menacing. Amy is too fake. She's intended as one of the lead characters but she doesn't look good enough. I might like it better if the movie fully embraced its campiness.

In Congo, Charles Travis (Bruce Campbell) is testing a communication system by laser with his former fiancée Dr. Karen Ross (Laura Linney) for the TraviCom network. Charles is the son of the millionaire R.B. Travis (Joe Don Baker), who owns the TraviCom and is Karen's employer. Charles and his friend Jeffrey (Taylor Nichols) find the ruins of a lost city but are somehow killed. Meanwhile their camp is completely destroyed and then the camera is shut down by a creature. Travis discloses to Karen that his son was actually trying to find a rare blue diamond in Congo and sends her to look for him. Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Elliot (Dylan Walsh) and his assistant Richard (Grant Heslov) are testing communication with the gorilla Amy and they decide to take her back to Congo since the animal seems to miss her birthplace. However they have funding issue but the Romanian philanthropist Herkermer Homolka (Tim Curry) offers to financially assist them. In the airport, Karen provides more money and joins the expedition. In the politically unstable Africa, they meet the experienced guide Captain Munro Kelly (Ernie Hudson) that bribes Captain Wanta (Delroy Lindo) to let them go. Further, he discloses that Homolka's real intention is to find the Lost City of Zinj. Then they embark in a plane in the beginning of a dangerous adventure in Congo. Despite the negative reviews, "Congo" is an entertaining but outdated jungle adventure movie in the style of Tarzan, with lost city, dangerous gorillas and forgotten tribe of natives. The screenplay does not develop well the relationship among Charles Travis, his apparently estranged father R.B. Travis and Dr. Karen Ross but the film works on a rainy Saturday afternoon. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): Congo"

I think this was a pretty good movie, aside from the monkey being obviously fake and burping after drinking a martini? there were some great moments. For instance using the flares for the heat seeking ground launched missiles. That was pretty cool.The chick isn't bad looking either. The movie is always moving, with something to keep your attention.I think it is a pretty good movie.I like the black guy, don't know his name but he's like the alpha, but he's polite.