This remake of the 1949 tale doesn't capture the spirit of the original, but makes up for it in the special effects department.

Mighty Joe Young is the name given to an abnormally large gorilla. He has been kept a mystery for years until he is discovered by an animal specialist, played by Bill Paxton (Twister). Paxton convinces Joe's only human friend--a beautiful orphan played by Charlize Theron--that the big ape would be better off in the big city where he can be protected. As you might expect, all does not go as planned.

This film never aspires to be anything more than average family fare. The characters, especially the villains, are stock and the story is very predictable and full of inconsistencies. The gorilla itself, as created by the brilliant special effects artist Rick Baker (The Howling), is a marvel to look at, particularly the ape's eyes which bring to mind E.T.

Ron Underwood's (City Slickers) direction is nothing special--he pretty much plays it by the numbers. Mighty Joe Young is a much better remake than Godzilla, but the screenplay definitely should have been polished a bit more.