GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE (1997) **1/2 But, really, what's the point of singing, in unison, audience and screen alike, "George, George, George of the Jungle, watch out for that treeeeeeeee..." if the entire point, desired by all, is for him to hit it anyway?! Brendan Fraser makes for a most magnificent Tarzan surrogate, and if the plot didn't mock corporate dupes and inherited position it wouldn't have been properly updated. As far as cinematics goes, it does settle for mimicking those generally considered greater, but probably never to more effect than in the casting of Richard Roundtree. What's happening, brother man? Brother. It's a film about loyalty, to the extent that it's a film about anything. Yah, mon, that and the jungle and champagne for wild animals and...you know, destroying things that have outlived their purposefulness, if they ever had any, and replacing them with things that can't go away. It would have been nice if they'd cast someone else in the Leslie Mann role, but at least she's believable as someone who'd get all engaged to Thomas Haden Church. Replacing things that aren't useful...
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