I really liked “George of the Jungle,” so when I saw that there was a sequel, I knew I had to see it. One disappointing fact was obvious right away – Brendan Fraser was no longer playing George, and the movie makers made a joke about it right off the bat. When George comes on the screen, the narrator says, “Who are you?” George says, “I new George. Studio too cheap to pay Brendan Fraser.” Several other comments are made throughout the film to spoof the fact that our favorite star had been replaced. I enjoy it when films make fun of themselves like that.
Ursula (also played by someone else) has been happy in the jungle with George, and they have a son. But Ursula’s mother wants her back home in San Francisco, and so teams with Lyle, Ursula’s old fiancé (and strangely enough, still played by Thomas Hayden Church) to win Ursula back. She thinks that if she can bring enough beautiful presents to the jungle, Ursula will miss her former life as an heiress and want to come home. The problem is, Ursula loves George and wants to stay with him. So now they must get even more sneaky in their plot to break up the lovebirds.
Meanwhile, Ape has been living the high life in Las Vegas as a lounge singer. (I would call him a lounge lizard, but he’s actually an ape.) Unfortunately he has found the gambling tables and has lost quite a bit of money. Lyle decides to tap into this weakness and takes Ape’s last dollar, thinking that Ape is the holder of Ape Mountain. Lyle is just dying to develop that spot of land so Ursula will have to come home. But, George is the owner of Ape Mountain, so once again, Lyle has to rethink his strategy. Ah! Hypnosis! Hiring an act from the lounge, Lyle arranges to have Ursula hypnotized so she won’t remember George.
This movie is a brave sequel, trying hard to follow in the footsteps of the original. But I’m sorry – this new guy, for all his muscles, isn’t Brendan Fraser.
This film is rated PG.
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