Jungle 2 Jungle MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: -1/2

Based on a French film, Jungle 2 Jungle is a laugh-out-loud comedy largely due to the comedic talent of Tim Allen, star of TV's Home Improvement. He plays Michael Cromwell, a New York City commodities trader who plans to divorce his present wife Patricia (JoBeth Williams) and marry Charlotte (Lolita Davidovitch), an attractive fashion model. But Patricia lives in a remote Venezuelan village, so Michael travels there to persuade her to sign the divorce papers. A great amusement to the natives while he's there, he discovers that he has a 13-year-old son named Mimi-Siku (Sam Huntington). Without realizing it, Michael agrees to take him to New York and show him the sights, particularly the Statue of Liberty. Mimi-Siku causes a sensation in the Big Apple as he roams around in his native costume, and he and Michael are continually involved in comical adventures and mishaps. The excitement and comedy also pick up when a Russian Mafia leader thinks Michael has cheated him in a coffee brokerage deal. During these adventures, Michael has a change of heart and finds he really cares for his family. Even though Jungle 2 Jungle uses a time-worn plot, it has enough laughs to be a real audience pleaser.

Patricia left Michael because he was too devoted to his job. At first he's still too involved to pay attention to her, but gradually realizes how much he cares for her. He also becomes fond of Mimi-Siku and sees that the boy needs a father. His self-centered fiancee often wears low-cut dresses and works with an effeminate director. It's implied that she and Michael spend the night together, an out-of-character moment for Tim Allen, who usually embraces traditional values. Mimi-Siku urinates on some artificial plants and kicks a man in the genitals during a comical gang fight. He becomes attracted to a young American girl and their romance includes some kissing and hugging. They sleep together in a hammock, but apparently do not become sexually involved. The dialogue includes some subtle sexually suggestive humor and several mild and moderate crude words, along with a few mild obscenities. It's really disappointing that so many questionable elements are included in this Disney film with some distinct positive values.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, 3900 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA, 91521-0021