Joe is a smart and friendly fifteen foot gorilla who has grown up with his best friend Jill Young (Charlize Theron) in the remote mountains of Central Africa. But Joe's peaceful life is disturbed by the arrival of poachers and it is up to Jill and zoologist Gregg O'Hara (Bill Paxton) to rescue their ape friend. Joe is moved to California where he is safely placed within an animal conservatory. But his reputation has spread across the globe and now that his anonymity has disappeared, how long can he stay safe from bloodthirsty hunters? From Charlize Theron is the latest stunning blonde to be hanging around some big ape in a Hollywood movie, this one a remake of the 1949 semi-classic with echoes of the superior King Kong. Theron plays the daughter of an American researcher killed by poachers in Africa. The baby gorilla left in her care grows up to become a hugely tall and broad specimen named Joe, living in the mountains as a mostly unseen legend among people who live there. Along comes an eco-minded emissary (Bill Paxton) from a California sanctuary, who talks the jungle girl into providing safe haven for Joe at the LA facility. The transition is not without discomfort but everything is aggravated via a conspiracy of poachers to get Joe into their own greedy hands. Director Ron Underwood ( City Slickers) uses a combination of special-effects techniques to give Joe life and personality, and he succeeds quite effectively. The requisite giant-ape-goes-amok scenes are all in place-a couple of them pretty intense--as is a conclusion that finds the simian hero performing a stunning feat of escalation. Underwood attempts to give a little modern spin to some classic Hollywood conventions regarding wild hearts lost in civilization and the results are pretty agreeable family fare. --Tom Keogh From the Back Cover In the calssic tradition of heroic Disney adventures comes the extraordinary Mighty Joe Young - a thrilling story, full of excitement, friendship, courage and heart. The legendary Joe, a playful, smart fifteen-foot tall Gorill, and his lifelong best friend Jill Young (Charlize Theron) have grown up together in the remote mountains of Central Africa. When Joe's peaceful existence is shattered by poachers, Jill and zoologist Gregg O'Hara (Bill Paxton) rescue their innocent friend and move him to the safety of an animal conservatory in California. But Joe's safety is shortlived. No longer a myth, his notoriety makes him a target for an enemy from his past - a ruthless hunter who will do anything to capture the Mighty Joe. From the moment you meet him, to his incredible display of courage. Mighty Joe Young will fill your eyes with wonder and your heart with magic.